Christian Today

  Saint of the day August 31 Bl. Richard Bere, 1537 A.D. English martyr . Born at Glastonbury, he studied at Oxford and the Inns of Court before entering the Carthusians in London. When he and his fellow monks voiced their opposition to the planned divorce of King Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon, they were starved to death in Newgate Prison. St. Raymond Nonnatus, Roman Catholic Priest . He remained as hostage for several slaves when his money ran out and was sentenced to be impaled when the governor learned that he had converted several Mohammedans. He escaped the death sentence because of the ransom he would bring, but was forced to run the gauntlet. He was then tortured for continuing his evangelizing activities but was ransomed eight months later by Peter Nolasco. Feastday Aug 31 St. Aidan of Lindisfarne , 651 A.D. Aidan of Lindisfarne, born in Ireland, may have studied under St. Senan before becoming a monk at Iona. At the request of King Oswald of Northumbria, Aidan went t...

 Saint of the day August 30 STS. FELIX, PRIEST AND ADAUTTO, MARTYRS ON THE VIA OSTIENSE Bl. Edward Shelley, 1588 A.D. English martyr of Warminghurst. He sheltered priests and was hung at Tyburn. Edward was beatified in 1929.   Bl. Richard Leigh, 1588 A.D. English martyr . Born in London, circa 1561, he studied at Reims and Rome and was ordained a priest in 1586. Returning to England, he was arrested and banished. He returned and was again arrested for being a priest and, with Blesseds Richard Martin, Edward Shelley, John Roche, Richard Flowers, and St. Margaret Ward, was executed at Tybum. Richard was beatified in 1929.    St. Richard Martin, 1588 A.D. English martyr. Born in Shropshire, he studied at Oxford and was a devout Catholic. Arrested for giving shelter to priests, he was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tybum with Blesseds Richard Leigh, Edward Shelley, John Roche, Richard Flowers, and St. Margaret Ward. He was beatified in 1929. St. Pelagius, Arsenius...

She converts from Islam to Christianity, her father seeks her out to kill her, and justice finally protects her - ZENIT - English : Together with other religious minorities in Nigeria, the persecution of Christians in Nigeria is especially severe. Worldwide, over 5,500 Christians were killed for their faith last year. Of those, 90% were Nigerian. In Nigeria, Christian converts from Islam, such as Mary, face significant social hostility.

Saint of the day August 29 ST. SABINE, ROMAN MARTYR IN THE HOMONYM CHURCH ON THE AVENTINO , Saint Sabina is a Christian martyr who lived in the second century. She died for the faith around the year 120. Her relics are found in the Basilica of Santa Sabina all'Aventino. The Church remembers her on 29 August.   https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/08/29/st--sabine--roman-martyr-in-the-homonym-church-on-the-aventino.html  ST. ERMETE, MARTYR ON THE VIA SALARIA ANTICA Bl. Richard Herst, 1628 A.D. English martyr, also called Hurst. Born near Preston, Lancashire, England, he was well known as a farmer until being arrested on the charge of murder. He fought with three men who tried to arrest him, and one of them, named Dewhurst, died. In point of fact, he was hanged at Lancaster on August 29 because of his refusal to deny Catholicism. He was offered his freedom if he took the Oath of Supremacy but declined. He was beatified in 1929. St. Edwold , 9th century. A hermit who was the...

Saint of the day August 28 St. Edmund Arrowsmith, 1628 A.D.  St. Edmund Arrowsmith (1585 - 1628) Edmund was the son of Robert Arrowsmith, a farmer, and was born at Haydock, England. He was baptized Brian, but always used his Confirmation name of Edmund. The family was constantly harrassed for its adherence to Catholicism, and in 1605 Edmund left England and went to Douai to study for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1612 and sent on the English mission the following year. He ministered to the Catholics of Lancashire without incident until about 1622, when he was arrested and questioned by the Protestant bishop of Chester. He was released when King James ordered all arrested priests be freed, joined the Jesuits in 1624, and in 1628 was arrested when betrayed by a young man he had censored for an incestuous marriage. He was convicted of being a Catholic priest, sentenced to death, and hanged, drawn, and quartered at Lancaster on August 28th. He was canonized as one of the Forty Ma...

  Saint of the day August 27 St. Decuman, 706 A.D. Hermit martyr, a lso called Dagan. He was Welsh, and he lived as a recluse in Somersetshire, England. There he was murdered in a fashion that led to his veneration as a martyr. St. Malrubius. Martyred hermit of Merns, Scotland . He was slain by Norse invaders who landed in his area and razed the countryside. St.  Etherius, 602 A.D.  Bishop of Lyons, France, who welcomed St. Augustine when he was on his way to England. Pope St. Gregory I the Great  recommended Etherius to St. Augustine. Etherius is some-times listed as Alermius.   St. Monica, Mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, S aint Monica was a woman of profound faith. Fervently observant of the traditions of the Catholic Church, she faced the most difficult moments by placing every hope in God. Her liturgical memory recurs each year on August 27.  Roman Catholic Laywoman and was married by arrangement to a pagan of...

Saint of the day August 26 ST. MAXIMILIAN, MARTYR ON THE VIA SALARIA ANTICA,  ST. ALEXANDER, MARTYR OF BERGAMO Bl. Thomas Percy, 1572 A.D. English Martyr, born in 1528. Earl of Northumberland from 1537, Thomas initially enjoyed an excellent relationship with Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603). Thomas also served Queen Mary (r. 1542-1587). Queen Elizabeth bestowed the Order of the Garter on him in 1563. He then became involved in the Rising of the North and fled to Scotland but was sold to Queen Elizabeth for two thousand pounds. For three years he languished in a prison, refusing fervently to abjure his faith in return for his freedom. Thomas was finally beheaded at York and was beatified in 1896.   St. Bregwin, 764 A.D. Also Breguivine, the twelfth archbishop of Canterbury, England.  He served from 761 until his death. His letters to St. Lullus of Mainz are extant and Eadmer wrote his life.   St. Pandwyna, 10th century. A Scottish or Irish saint also calle...

  Saint of the day August 25 St. Genesius, During a stage performance before Emperor Diocletian in Rome, the actor Genesius portrayed a catechumen about to be baptized in a play satirizing the Christian sacrament. In the midst of the ceremony he was suddenly converted to Christianity. When presented to the Emperor, he declared his Christianity. Enbraged, Diocletian had him turned over to Plautian, prefect of the praetorium, who tortured him in an effort to force him to sacrifice to the pagan gods. When Genesius persisted in his faith, he was beheaded. Genesius is the patron of actors. Feast day is Aug. 25. Bl. Louis Sotelo, Franciscan martyr of Japan. Louis Was a noble of Spain, who was ordained and sent to Manila, Philippines, in 1601. He went to Japan in 1603 but was exiled. Returning to Spain in 1613, he visited Rome in 1622, and then went again to Japan. He was arrested in Nagasaki and burned alive at Shimabara. Feastday Aug 25 St. Louis IX, King of France . Popular memory pre...

  Saint of the day August 24 St. Bartholomew . Nathanael, He was one of the apostles. His name means 'son of Tolomai'.  he is the man from Cana that Jesus said was incapable of deceit. He preached in India and Greater Armenia, where he was flayed and beheaded by King Astyages. Feastday Aug 24 St. Yrchard , fifth century. Scottish bishop and disciple of St. Ternan also called Yardcard. Yrchard served as a missionary among the Picts. ST. JEANNE ANTIDE THOURET, VIRGIN, FOUNDRESS OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY SAINT EMILY DE VIALAR 

 Saint of the day August 23 STS. ABBONDIO AND IRENEAUS, MARTYRS ON THE VIA TIBURTINA St. Tydfil, 480 A.D. Welsh martyr, reportedly from the clan of Brychan. She was slain by a group of pagan Picts or Saxons and is venerated at Merthyr-Tydfil, Glamorgan. Wales.   St. Ebba, 870 A.D. Martyr Abbess of Coldingham, England, on the Scottish border, called “the Younger.” She and her nuns were martyred by Danes in an invasion. She mutilated her face to discourage rape by the invading Danes. The raiders set fire to Coldingham, killing all of the nuns.   St. Eugene , 6th century. Irish missionary to England who became the first bishop of Ardstraw, in Tyrone, Ireland, now Derry. He is also listed as Eoghan, Enny, and Owen. He was born in Leinster, Ireland, and was a relative of St. Kevin of Glendalough. Kidnapped as a child, he spent years as a slave before returning to Ireland. There he helped St. Tigernach found Clones Monastery in 576. St. Philip Benizi,  Roman Ca...

  Saint of the day August 22 ST. TIMOTHEUS,ROMAN MARTYR ON THE VIA OSTIENSE,  ST. SYNFORIANUS, MARTYR OF AUTUN,  St. John Kemble, 1679 A.D. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales . He was born in Herefordshire, England, in 1599, and studied at Douai, where he was ordained in 1625. Returning to England, John labored in missions for fifty-three years. At the age of eighty-one, he was arrested at Pembridge Castle, the home of his brother. He was falsely charged in the Titus Oates Plot and condemned for being a Catholic. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Hereford. Pope Paul VI canonized him in 1970.   St. John Wall, 1679 A.D. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales . He was born near Preston, England, and was educated at Douai and Rome and ordained in 1645. In 1651 he became a Franciscan, called Father Joachim of St. Anne, returning to Worcester, England, in 1656. There he was arrested in December 1678 and imprisoned for five months. He was martyre...

Saint of the day August 21 St. Cyriaca, Roman Catholic Widowed Martyr and patroness of St. Laurence, sometimes called Dominica. St. Laurence, deacon and martyr, used Cyriacas villa in Rome to distribute alms to the poor. She was scourged to death for the faith. The church of St. Mary in Dominica was named after her. Feastday Aug. 21 St. Hardulph. A hermit of Leicester, England, possibly the recluse of Breedon, mentioned in the life of St. Modwenna. A church was dedicated in his honor. St. Pius X, Roman Catholic Priest and became the two hundred fifty-ninth Pope

  Saint of the day August 20 Roman Catholic Martyrs of Thrace, A group of thirty-seven martyrs who suffered in Thrace, in modem northern Greece. Their feet and hands were sliced off and then they were cast into a furnace. Feastday Aug. 20  http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/09/forty-virgin-martyrs-and-their-deacon.html Sts. Leovigild and Christopher, Martyrs of Cordoba, Spain, put to death under the Muslim ruler of Cordoba, Abd al-Rahman II. Leovigild was a priest and Christopher was a monk. Feastday Aug 20 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_C%C3%B3rdoba#:~:text=Leovigild%20and%20Christopher%20%2D%20August%2020,Jeremiah%20%2D%20September%2015%2C%20852. St. Edbert, 960 A.D.  King of Northumbria, England, the successor of St. Ceolwulph. He reigned for two decades and then became a Benedictine monk at York. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eadberht_of_Northumbria    St. Herbert Hoscam, 1180 A.D. Archbishop and patron saint of Conze, Italy. He wa...

  https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/driven-to-martyrdom?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=novashare via @CrisisMag

Saint of the day August 19 ST. MAGNUS, MARTYR IN LATIUM -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_of_Anagni#:~:text=Magnus%20fled%20to%20Rome%20to,near%20Fabrateria%20Vetus%2C%20in%20Latium. St. Andrew the Tribune, The "Great Martyr," and the leader of converts in the Roman army,  his men faced a battle with a Persian host. Calling upon Christ for aid, the Romans were victorious. Andrew and some of his troops became Christians as a result and were discharged from military service.  they were arrested by the military governor and executed in the Taurus Mountains of Cilicia. .Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Stratelates#:~:text=Andrew%20Stratelates%2C%20also%20known%20as,Orthodox%20Church%20on%2019%20August. Bl. Peter Zuniga, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Japan. A Spaniard from Seville, he grew up in Mexico, where his father was the sixth Viceroy of the Spanish colony. Upon his return to Spain, he joined the Augustinians, and, after ordination, he requested to b...

Saint of the day August 18 Blesseds James, Thoffias and Mary Guengoro Japanese martyrs. James was the son of Blesseds Thoffias and Mary Guengoro. James was only two at the time of his crucifixion at Kokura. Feastday Aug. 18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan ST AGAPITUS, MARTYR OF PALESTRINA ,  Aug. 18 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agapitus_of_Palestrina Sts. Leo & Juliana, Roman Catholic Martyrs . Leo suffered martyrdom at Lycia. Juliana was martyred at Stribylum, in Asia Minor. Feastday Aug. 18 St. Hugh the Little , 1255 A.D. Martyred nine year old of Lincoln, England, reportedly a victim of ritual killing by English Jews. King Henry III conducted the investigation of the crime which resulted in eighteen or nineteen Jews being hanged. Hugh had been scourged, crowned with thorns, and crucified. Miracles supposedly accompanied the recovery of the lad’s body from a well, and the martyrdom became part of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. The feast of the saint is no lo...

  Saint of the day August 17 ST. EUSEBIUS, POPE AND MARTYR, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Eusebius St. Hiero, 885 A.D. Irish martyr , also called Iero. He was an Irish missionary to Holland, where he was martyred https://celticsaints.org/2018/0817c.html St. Drithelm , 700 A.D.  A wealthy man of Northumbria, England, who supposedly died, experienced a powerful vision of heaven, hell, and purgatory, and then was found to be alive. He divided his possessions among his wife and children and made benefices for the poor before becoming a monk at Melrose Abbey. He lived as a hermit there with great austerities. St. Bede gives an account of his life.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryhthelm St. James the Deacon, 769 A.D. Italian monk and deacon. A companion of St. Paulinus in the missionary effort in Northumbria, England, he was so dedicated to the evangelizing cause that he remained in the region despite the constant dangers of the severe pagan reaction.https://en.wi...

Eight Impressive Facts About the WYD that Perhaps You Didn’t Know - ZENIT - English : Numbers and facts of the world’s greatest Catholic event

Pope Francis Explains Mary’s Assumption with Two Words: Service and Praise - ZENIT - English : Address on the occasion of the recitation of the Angelus on Tuesday, August 15, 2023

  Saint of the day August 15 ST. TARCISIUS, ROMAN, MARTYR OF THE EUCHARIST,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarcisius ST. STANISLAUS KOSTKA, JESUIT https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislaus_Kostka

  Saint of the day August 14 ST. MAXIMILIAN M. KOLBE, PRIEST OF THE ORDER OF THE FRIARS MINOR CONVENTUAL AND MARTYR , This Polish Conventual Franciscan, whose feast day is August 14, was a missionary in Japan before returning to a Poland ravaged by war. Imprisoned at Auschwitz in 1941, he offered to take the place of a fellow prisoner condemned to death. John Paul II canonized him as a “martyr of charity.”   https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/08/14/st--maximilian-m--kolbe---priest-of-the-order--of-the-friars-min.html  St. Otranto Martyrs , Antonio Primaldo was martyred in 1480 by Ottoman invaders after he refused along with approximately 800 others, to convert to Islam. Primaldo elevated to sainthood in a ceremony on May 12, 2013 by Pope Francis. Aug. 14 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Otranto St. Fachanan. This saint's feast is observed liturgically throughout all Ireland and he is patron of the diocese of Ross, where he was probably the first bishop. He...

 Saint of the day August 13 St. William Freeman, 1595 A.D. English martyr. Born in East Riding, Yorkshire, he studied at Oxford and was converted to Catholicism in 1586 by the martyrdom of Blessed Edward Stransahm at Tyburn. He went to Reims, France, where he was ordained in 1587. He went back to England the following year, and labored for the English mission in Worcestershire and Warwickshire until arrested in early 1595. Seven months later he was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Warwick on August 13. William was beatified in 1929. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Freeman_(martyr)#:~:text=William%20Freeman%20(c.,by%20Pius%20XI%20in%201929. STS. PONTIAN, POPE AND MARTYR https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pontian  St. Hippolytus, Roman Catholic Martyr of Rome with Concordia and other companions . Feastday Aug 13 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome ST. CASSIAN, MARTYR -https://www.bartleby.com/210/8/132.html https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/4198...

Saint of the day August 12 St. Michael My, Roman Catholic Martyr of Vietnam . He was the mayor of a town in Vietnam when the persecution of Christians started. Michael was martyred with Blessed Anthony Dich, his son-in-law, and with St. James Nam. Feastday Aug. 12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_H%E1%BB%93_%C4%90%C3%ACnh_Hy St. James Nam, Roman Catholic Vietnamese mart yr. A native of Vietnam, he became a priest and joined the Paris Society of Foreign Missions. Seized in the anti Christian persecutions, he was beheaded with Sts. Anthony Dich and Michael My.  Feastday Aug.12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Martyrs St. Anthony Peter Dich. Roman Catholic Martyr of Vietnam . He was a native of Vietnam, a farmer who was beheaded for sheltering a priest, St. James Nam. Anthony was canonized in 1988. Feastday Aug.12 https://www.st-anthony.cc/martyr-saints-of-vietnam-english/ St. Just. Patron saint of the church of St. Just, near Penzance, Cornwall, England, also called Just...

Martha, the Young African Girl Who Gave Her Testimony Before the Pope: She Fled Her Village Because of Terrorism, but Has Kept Her Faith - ZENIT - English : Martha, the 18-year old Mozambican girl, who gave her testimony in the World Youth Day

 Saint of the day August 11 ST. TIBURTIUS, MARTYR ON THE VIA LABICANA , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Tiburtius Saint Philomena, Roman Catholic Virgin and Martyr . Patroness of the Living Rosary and the Patroness of the Children of Mary, is the only person recognized as a saint solely on the basis of her powerful intercession, although pertinent revelations regarding her life have been recorded. Her relics are now preserved in Mugnano. Feastday Aug. 11 St. Blane . Blane was born on the island of Bute, Scotland; he studied in Ireland for seven years, became a monk there, and on his return to Scotland was ordained and devoted himself to missionary work. He was consecrated bishop, made a pilgrimage to Rome, is credited with performing miracles, and died at Kingarth on Bute. He is also known as Blaan  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Blane St. Lelia. The diocese of Limerick today keeps the feast of St. Lelia, who as well as a commemoration in all other Irish dioceses. Ca...

 Remembering Japan's most Catholic city: Nagasaki https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/47772

  The Church Must Demand More, Not Less, From Her Members https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/the-church-must-demand-more-not-less-from-her-members?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=novashare

  Be Persecuted Like St. Lawrence https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/be-persecuted-like-st-lawrence?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=novashare

  Saint of the day August 10 St. Lawrence, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr. Having died a martyr for Christ, St. Lawrence is the patron of deacons, chefs and firefighters. Around the time of his feast day, celebrated on August 10, the night sky is lit with bright lights. For folk tradition these lights are “falling stars”, tears St. Lawrence shed during his martyrdom.  Saint Lawrence was one of seven deacons who were in charge of giving help to the poor and the needy.Feastday Aug10 https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/08/10/st--lawrence-deacon--and-martyr.html  St. Asteria, Roman Catholic laywoman and Virgin Martyr, sister of St. Grata. Asteria and her sister were martyred at Bergamo, in Sicily, Feastday Aug. 10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grata_of_Bergamo

 Saint of the day August 09 ST. THERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS (EDITH STEIN), CARMELITE, VIRGIN AND MARTYR, PATRON OF EUROPE,   https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_19981011_edith_stein_en.html ST. ROMAN, MARTYR ON THE VIA TIBURTINA St. Nathy. Nathy is surnamed Cruimthir (the priest). He was born at Luighne, Sligo, Ireland and became a disciple of St. Finnian of Clonnard, who made him a bishop. He was founder-abbot of a monastery, which is questioned by some in view of his surname. His cult was confirmed in 1903.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nath_%C3%8D_of_Achonry St. Phelim, 6th century. Irish monk and disciple of St. Columba. He is honored as a patron saint of Kilmore and is also listed as Fidleminus and Felix.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Felim St. Bandaridus , 556 A.D. Bishop of Soissons, also called Banderik, Bandarinus, and Bandery. In 540, Bandaridus was made bishop of Soissons, France.  He founded Crepin A...

  Saint of the day August 08 Bl. John Felton, 1570 A.D. Martyr of England who promoted the papacy in London. Born in Bermondsey, London, to a Norfolk line, John nailed a copy of the Bull of Pope St. Pius V excommunicating Queen Elizabeth I to the doors of the bishop of London’s residence. Arrested and imprisoned, he was racked three times before being martyred in St. Paul’s churchyard. Pope Leo XIII beatified him in 1886.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Felton_(martyr) STS. CIRIACO, LARGO AND SMARAGDO, MARTYRS https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/august/august-8-sts-cyriacus-largus-and-smaragdus-martyrs/ St. Ellidius, 7th century. Patron saint of Himant, Powys, Wales, and of a church in the Scilly Isles of England. Also called Illog.   Bl. Mary MacKillop , 1909 A.D. The first native Australian to be beatified. Born Mary Helen MacKillop in Melbourne, she was of Scottish ancestry. Concerned with the poor and suffering, Mary f...

  Saint of the day August 07 STS. SIXTUS II, POPE, AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_II St. Donat. Patron saint of St. Donat’s or Llandunwyd, Glamorgan, Wales. Nothing else is known, but in some lists he is called Dunwyd.  https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=2966 St. Claudia . Claudia was the mother of Linus, who became the second Pope. Tradition has her as the daughter of British King Caractacus, who was sent to Rome with his family in chains when he was defeated by Aulus Plautius. Released by Emperor Claudius, one of his daughters took the name Claudia, remained in Rome, was baptized, and is the Claudia mentioned in St. Paul's second letter to Timothy. Another tradition has her as the daughter of Cogidubnus, a British ally of Claudius, who took the Emperor's name. Martial mentions a British lady, Claudia Rufina, and says she was married to his friend Aulus Pudens, a Roman senator. Another tradition has this senator the Pudens ...

 Saint of the day August 06 Martyrs of Cardena, Roman Catholic Benedictine monks in the monastery of Cardena, Spain, under Abbot Stephen. More than two hundred monks here were put to death by the Muslim Arabs during their conquest of the Spanish peninsula. Feastday Aug. 6 St. Hormisdas Roman Catholic Pope from 514-523, successor to St. Symmachus. One of his great achievements was the ending of the Acacian Schism which had divided the Eastern and Western Churches since 484. The Church in Constantinople was reunited to Rome in 519 as a result of the confession called the Formula of Hormisdas. Feastday Aug. 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Hormisdas

  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-08/pope-francis-wyd-lisbon-vigil.html

 Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, 28th Superior General of the #Jesuits , was ministering in #Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and used his medical training to help care for the wounded. Read his account: http://ow.ly/Wi3S50Kea9I

 You can read about artistic representations of the Transfiguration in this fascinating article: https://artuk.org/discover/stories/what-was-the-transfiguration-of-jesus-and-how-has-it-been-portrayed-in-art

Lisbon WYD (Day 3): How Is My Love? Concrete or Abstract? Pope Francis’ Simple but Profound Meditation in Lisbon - ZENIT - English : The Holy Father’s words during the meeting with Representatives of several Care and Charity Centers.

Saint of the day August 05 ST. OSWALD St Oswald was martyred in England, at Maserfield, later named Oswestry in his memory. He was king of Northumbria and famous as a skilled warrior – but even more as a lover of peace. He worked strenuously to spread the faith, and was killed out of hatred for Christ while fighting against the pagans.   Aug 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswald_of_Northumbria St. Abel, 751 A.D.  Archbishop and Benedictine abbot. Abel was probably born in Ireland, and was a noted churchman, accompanying St. Boniface on his missions to the European Continent. He was chosen as archbishop of Reims by Pope St. Zachary, a nomination ratified by the Council of Soissons in 744. However, a usurper named Milo occupied the see and would not relinquish it. Abel retired to a monastery at Lobbes, and was installed as abbot. He died there in the "odor of sanctity."  https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1072 St. Gormcal, 1016 A.D. An Irish abbot of ...

  Saint of the day August 04  STS. JUSTIN AND CRESCENZIO, MARTYRS ON THE VIA TIBURTINA St. Lua, 609 A.D. Abbot and disciple of St. Comgall, sometimes listed as Lugud or Molua. He was born in Limerick, Ireland, where he aided St. Comgall and reportedly founded 120 monasteries. He was also a hermit for a few years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo_Lua_of_Killaloe ST. JOHN VIANNEY, THE CURÉ OF ARS, PATRON OF PARISH PRIESTS 

Lisbon WYD (Day 1): Pope Francis Conquers Portugal With a Great Reflection on the Ocean and Three Construction Sites of Hope - ZENIT - English : Meeting with the Authorities, the Representatives of the Society and the Diplomatic Corps in the Portuguese capital.

Saint of the day August 03 Bl. William Horne, 1540 A.D. Carthusian lay brother and martyr. A member of the London Charterhouse of the Carthusians, he was arrested for opposing the religious policies of King Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547), which included the imprisonment of Catholics and the destruction of monasteries. William was executed at Tyburn with two companions.  https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/4-august-1540-the-execution-of-blessed-william-horne-carthusian-martyr St. Trea , 5th century.  Irish hermitess.  A convert to Christianity through the efforts of St. Patrick, she embraced the eremitical life and lived out her days as a recluse at Ardtree, Derry, Ireland.   Bl. Waltheof, 1160 A.D. Cistercian abbot , also known as Walthen and Waldef. The son of Simon, earl of lluntingdon, England, he was born circa 1100, and was raised at the court of the Scottish king alter his mother, Maud, wed King David I of Scotland (r. 1124-1153) following the death of her first...

Saint of the day August 02 St. Thomas of Dover, 1295 A.D. Benedictine monk and martyr . Also called Thomas Hales, he served as a Benedictine monk at St. Martin's Priory in Dover, England. In 1295, the priory was overrun by a French raiding party which was assailing Dover, and Thomas, being old and infirm, could not escape with the rest of the community. The French raiders demanded that he tell them the whereabouts of the church treasures. When he refused, they murdered him. Miracles were soon reported at his tomb, and an altar was dedicated to him in the priory church in 1500. King Richard II of England (r. 1379-1399) requested that his cause be opened in 1382. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_of_Dover St. Alfreda, 795 A.D. Virgin and hermit , also known as Afreda, Alfritha, Aelfnryth, and Etheldreda. She was the daughter of King Offa of Mercia, in England, and was either betrothed to or loved by St. Ethelbert, the king of the East Angles. Ethelbert went to Offa's c...

European Court of Human Rights to determine whether it was legal to ban worship by COVID - ZENIT - English : The complainant claims that the bans on worship are "illiberal and anti-democratic."

Saints of the day August 01 Bl. Thomas Welbourne, 1605 A.D. English martyr. Born in Hutton Bushel, Yorkshire, he worked as a schoolmaster until his arrest for preaching the Catholic faith. He was arrested and condemned with Blesseds John Fuithering and William Brown. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered at York. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Welbourne The Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek, also known as the Eleven Nuns of Nowogródek or Sister Stella and Companions were a group of Roman Catholic nuns from the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth killed by the Gestapo in August 1943 in present-day Belarus.Aug 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Nowogr%C3%B3dek#:~:text=The%20Martyrs%20of%20Nowogr%C3%B3dek%2C%20also,Gestapo%20in%20August%201943%20in St. Almedha , sixth century. Virgin and martyr also called Aled or Filuned. The Welsh tradition reports that Almedha was the daughter of King Brychan. Having taken a vow of virginity and dedicated to Christ, Almedha fled f...