The Martyrology of the Sacred Order of Friars Preachers
MARCH
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The First Day of March
At Taggia (in Italy), Blessed Christopher of Milan, confessor, of the Order of Preachers. He was the founder of the monastery and church at Taggia. By his preaching he converted many to Christ. A semi-duplex feast.
At Rome, two hundred and sixty holy martyrs, condemned for the name of Christ. Claudius first ordered them to dig sand outside the Salarian gate, and afterward to be slain in the amphitheatre by the arrows of the soldiers.
Likewise the birthday of the holy martyrs Leo, Donatus, Abundantius, Nicephorus, and nine others.
At Marseilles in Gaul, the holy martyrs Hermes and Hadrian.
At Heliopolis in Lebanon, St. Eudocia, martyr. She was baptized by the Bishop Theodotus, and fortified for the strife. By order of the governor Vincent, in Trajan's persecution, she was put to the sword, and thus rcceived the crown of martyrdom.
On the same day, St. Antonina, martyr. In Diocletian's persecution, she mocked at the gods of the heathen, and after various tortures was sealed up in a cask and drowned in a marsh near the city of Caea. (1)
At Rome, the birthday of Pope St. Felix III, who was an ancestor of St. Gregory the Great. The latter relates of him that he appeared to his niece St. Tharsilla and called her to Heaven.
At the city of Kaiserswerth, St. Swithbert, bishop, who in the time of Pope Sergius I preached the Gospel among the Frisians, Batavians, and other peoples of Germany.
At Angers in Gaul, St. Albinus, bishop and confessor, a man of most remarkable virtue and holiness. A memory.
At Le Mans in Gaul, St. Siviard, abbot.
At Perugia, the transferal of the remains of St. Herculanus, bishop and martyr, who had been beheaded by order of Totila, King of the Goths. Pope St. Gregory in his writings declares that, forty days after his head had been cut off, it was found to have been re-unitcd to the body, just as if the sword had never touched it. +
The Second Day of March
At Ulm, in Germany, Blessed Henry Suso of Swabia, confessor, of our Order. He was celebrated for observance of the rules of religious life, for the holiness of his fife, and the reputation for miracles. He died January 25, but his feast is observed today. A semi-duplex feast.
At Rome, on the Via Latina, the holy martyrs Jovinus and Basileus, who suffered under the Emperors Valerian and Gallienus.
Likewise at Rome, many holy martyrs, who underwent prolonged torture under the Emperor Alexander and Ulpian the prefect, and at last were condemned to capital punishment.
At Caesarea in Cappadocia, the holy martyrs Lucius, bishop, Absalon, and Lorgius.
At Portus Romanus (near Ostia), the holy martyrs, Paul, Heraclius, Secundilla, and Januaria.
In Campania, the commemoration of eighty holy martyrs. When they refused to eat meat sacrificed to idols or to adore the head of a goat, they were put to death in a most cruel manner by the Lombards.
At Lichfield in England, St. Chad, Bishop of Mercia and Lindisfarne, whose outstanding virtues St. Bede the Venerable commemorates.
The Third Day of March
At Caesarea in Palestine, the holy martyrs Marinus, soldier, and Asterius, senator, in the persecution of Valerian. The first was accused by his fellow-soldiers of being a Christian, and when questioned by the judge, testified with a very clear voice that he was a Christian. He was beheaded and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom. Asterius took up the headless body of the martyr and bore it on his shoulders with his own garment placed beneath it. Without delay, he himself received as a martyr the honor which he had offered to a martyr.
At Calahorra in Spain, the birthday of the holy martyrs Herniterius and Cheledonius, who were brothers. They were performing military scrvice at Leon, a city of Galicia, when the storm of persecution broke out. They travelled as far as Calahorra to confess the name of Christ; there they suffered many tortures and were crowned with martyrdom.
On the same day, the suffering of SS. Felix, Luciolus, Fortunatus, Marcia, and their companions.
Likewise, the holy soldiers Cleonicus, Eutropius, and Basiliscus. In the persecution of Maximian, under the governor Asclepias, they happily triumphed over the torture of crucifixion.
At Brescia, St. Titian, bishop and confessor.
At Bamberg, St. Cunegund the Empress, who was married to Emperor Henry I, but preserved her virginity with his consent. Rich in the merit of good works, she died a holy death and thereafter was famous for her miracles.
The Fourth Day of March
At Vilna in Lithuania, the confessor Blessed Casimir, son of King Casimir. The Sovereign Pontiff, Leo X, inscribed him in the number of the saints. A simplex feast.
At Rome, on the Appian Way, the birthday of St. Lucius I, pope and martyr. He was sent into exile for the faith of Christ in the persecution of Valerian, and afterward by the will of God was permitted to return to his Church. When he had labored much against the Novatians, he obtained his martyrdom by being beheaded. St. Cyprian highly praised him.
At Nicomedia, St. Hadrian, martyr, with twenty-three others. All gained martyrdom under the Emperor Diocletian, by having their legs broken. Their relics were taken to Byzantium by the Christians, and buried there with reverence and honor. The body of St. Hadrian was afterward transferred to Rome on September 8, on which day his feast is commemorated.
At Rome, on the Appian Way, nine hundred holy martyrs, who were buried in the cemetery of St. Cecilia.
In the Chersonese, the suffering of the holy Bishops Basil, Eugene, Agathodorus, Elpidius, Actherius, Capito, Ephrem, Nestor, and Arcadius.
On the same day, St. Caius Palatinus. He and twcnty-sevcn others were drowned in the sea.
Likewise, the suffering of SS. Archelaus, Cyril, and Photius.
The Fifth Day of March
At Antioch, the birthday of St. Phocas, martyr. After suffering many outrages for the name of the Redeemer, he triumphed over the Old Serpent. His victory over him is manifested to the people of today by reason of this miracle, that if one is bitten by a serpent and in faith touches the door of the martyr's basilica, forthwith the power of the poison ceases, and he is instantly healed.
At Caesarea in Palestine, St. Hadrian, martyr. In the persecution of Diocletian, he was first cast to a lion for the faith of Christ, at the command of the governor Firmilian. Afterward, slain by the sword, he received the crown of martyrdom.
On the same day, the suffering of St. Eusebius Palatinus, and nine other martyrs.
At Caesarea in Palestine, St. Theophilus, bishop. Under the Emperor Severus, he was remarkable for his wisdom and holiness of life.
Also in Palestine, on the banks of the Jordan, St. Gerasimus, hermit and abbot, who flourished in the time of the Emperor Zeno.
At Naples in Campania, the death of St. John-Joseph of the Cross, priest, of the Order of Friars Minor, and confessor. By zealously imitating St. Francis of Assisi and St. Peter of Alcantara, he added great glory to the Seraphic Order. Pope Gregory XVI enrolled him in the canon of the saints.
The Sixth Day of March
At Pisa, Blessed Jordan (of Pisa), confessor, of our Order. He was famous for his teaching, preaching, virtues, and miracles. A semi-duplex feast.
SS. Perpetua and Felicitas, who, on March 7, received from the Lord the glorious crown of martyrdom.
At Tortona (in Italy), St. Marcian, bishop and martyr. While Trajan was emperor, he was slain for the sake of Christ and thus received his crown.
At Nicomedia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Victor and Victorinus, who, together with Claudian and his wife Bassa, for three years were kept in prison and subjected to many tortures. They died while in prison.
In Cyprus, St. Conon, martyr. In the reign of the Emperor Decius, his feet were pierced with nails; then he was forced to run before a chariot until, failing to his knees, he died while praying.
In Syria, the suffering of forty-two holy martyrs who were arrested at Amorium (in Phrygia). They were conducted to Syria where, after a glorious combat, they received the palm of martyrdom as victors.
At Constantinople, St. Evagrius who, in the time of Valens, was chosen bishop by the Catholics. Sent by the (Arian) Emperor into exile, he died in the Lord.
At Bologna, St. Basil, bishop, who was ordained by Pope St. Silvestcr. He governed the Church entrusted to him in the greatest holiness both by word and example.
At Barcelona in Spain, Blessed Ollegar, at first a canon and later Bishop of Barcelona, and Archbishop of Tarragona.
At Viterbo, St. Rose, virgin, of the Third Order of St. Francis.
At Ghent in Flanders, St. Colette, virgin. At first she followed the rule of the Third Order of St. Francis. Then, guided by the Spirit of God, she restored many monasteries of nuns of the Second Order to their ancient discipline. Adorned with divine virtues and renowned for innumerable miracles, she was inscribed by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII, in the roll of the saints.
The Seventh Day of March
In the monastery of Fossa Nuova, near Terracina, St. Thomas Aquinas of the Order of Preachers, confessor and Doctor of the Church. He was most illustrious for nobility of birth, holiness of life, and knowledge of theology. He preserved until death the grace of virginity. On account of the extraordinary superiority of his learning, he rightly camed the tide of "Angelic Doctor." His writings, remarkable for the solidity of doctrine and approved by our Lord Himself, marvellously illuminate as dazzling lights the Catholic Church and every school of the orthodox world. Leo XIII declared him to be the celestial patron of all Catholic schools. A totum duplex feast of the first class.
At Carthage, the birthday of the holy martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas. Felicitas, who was with child, was granted a respite, in accordance with the law, until she was delivered. St. Augustine observes that when she was in labor she had sorrow, but when she was thrown to wild beasts she was glad. Together with Perpetua and Felicitas, during the reign of Severus, there suffered Revocatus, Saturninus, and Secundulus. Secundulus died in prison but all the others were killed by the wild beasts. The feast of Perpetua and Felicitas is kept March 6.
At Casearea in Palestine, the suffering of St. Eubulus. He was a companion of St. Hadrian. Two days after the latter's death, he was mangled by the lions and killed by the sword. He was the last one to receive the crown of martyrdom in that city.
At Nicomedia, St. Theophilus, bishop who, because of his veneration of holy images, was driven into exile where he died.
At Pelusiurn in Egypt, St. Paul, bishop and confessor. He too died in exile and for the same reason as St. Theophilus.
At Brescia (in Italy), St. Gaudiosus, bishop and confessor.
In the Thebaid, St. Paul, called the Simple. (2)
The Eighth Day of March
At Granada in Spain, St. John of God, confessor and founder of the Order of Brothers Hospitallers of the Sick. He was noted for mercy to the poor and contempt of himself. The Sovereign Pontiff, Leo XIII, declared him heavenly patron of the sick and of all hospitals. A duplex feast.
At Nicomedia, St. Quinctilis, bishop and martyr.
In Africa, SS. Cyril, bishop, Rogatus, Felix, another Rogatus, Beata, Herenia, Felicitas, Urban, Silvanus, and Mamillus.
At Antinoë, a city in Egypt, the birthday of the holy martyrs Apollonius, deacon, and Philemon. They were arrested and brought before the judge; when they firmly refused to sacrifice to the idols, their heels were bored through, and they were dragged in a horrible way about the city. Finally, they fulfilled their martyrdom by being put to the sword.
In the same place, the suffering of SS. Arian, governor, Theoticus, and three others. The judge put them to death by drowning them in the sea; their bodies were brought to the shore by dolphins.
At Carthage, St. Pontius, deacon of St. Cyprian the Bishop. Up to the day of Cyprian's death, he underwent exile with him, and left an excellent volume on the bishop's life and sufferings. In his own sufferings he constantly glorified the Lord and so merited the crown of life.
At Toledo in Spain, the death of Blessed Julian, bishop and confessor, most renowned for holiness and learning.
In England, St. Felix, bishop, who converted the East Angles to the faith.
The Ninth Day of March
At Rome, St. Frances, widow, distinguished for her noble birth, her holy life, and the gift of miracles. A duplex feast.
At Sebaste in Armenia, the birthday of the Forty Holy Soldiers of Cappadocia. At the time of the Emperor Licinius, while Agricolaus was governor, the forty soldiers were chained and cast into foul dungeons; their faces were beaten with rocks. Then they were condemned to spend the night naked in the open air on a frozen pond in the very depth of winter; their bodies frozen by the cold were congealed, and their martyrdom was completed by having their legs broken. Among them the most, noteworthy were Cyrion and Candidus. St. Basil and other Fathers have, celebrated in their writings the illustrious glory of these martyrs. Ther feast is observed March 10.
At Nyssa, the death of St. Gregory, bishop. He was the son of SS. Basil and Emmelia, and the brother of SS. Basil the Great, bishop, Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and Macrina, virgin. He was most famous for his life and learning. In the reign of the Arian Emperor Valens, he was driven out of the city for his defence of the Catholic faith.
At Barcelona in Spain, St. Pacian, bishop, remarkable both for his life and for his preaching. He died at an advanced old age during the reign of the Emperor Theodosius.
At Bologna, St. Catherine, virgin of the Second Order of St. Francis, noted for holiness of life. Her body is held in great honor in that city. +
The Tenth Day of March
At Palermo in Sicily, Blessed Peter of Jerernia, confessor, of the Order of Preachers. Encouraged in his missionary labors by St. Vincent Ferrer, he devoted himself entirely to the salvation of souls. A semi-duplex feast.
The Forty Holy Martyrs whose birthday is commemorated March 9.
At Apamea in Phrygia, the birthday of the saintly martyrs Caius and Alexander. They were crowned with a glorious martyrdom in the persecution of Marcus Antoninus and Lucius Verus. Appollinaris, Bishop of Hieropolis, in his book against the Cataphrygian heretics, relates their martyrdom.
In Persia, the suffering of forty-two holy martyrs.
At Corinth, the holy martyrs Codratus, Dionysius, Cyprian, Anectus, Paul, and Crescens. In the persecution of Decius and Valerian, they were slain with the sword under the governor Jason.
In Africa, St. Victor, martyr, on whose feast St. Augustine delivered a panegyric on him to the people.
At Rome, St. Simplicius, pope and confessor.
At Jerusalem, St. Macarius, bishop and confessor. It was at his exhortation that Constantine the Great and St. Helena his mother cleansed the holy places and built sacred basilicas.
At Paris, the death of Abbot Blessed Droctoveus, a disciple of Bishop St. Germanus.
In the monastery of Bobbio, St. Attala, abbot, famed for his miracles.
The Eleventh Day of March
At Sardis (in West Asia Minor), St. Euthymius, bishop who, because of his veneration of the holy images, was sent into exile by the Iconoclast Emperor Michael. Later on, during the reign of Theophilus, he suffered martyrdom by an inhuman beating with scourges made of cow-hide.
At Cordoba in Spain, St. Eulogius, priest and martyr. During the Saracen persecution he deserved to be joined with the martyrs of that city, for by his writings he had emulated their contests in behalf of the faith. On account of his fearless and outstanding confession of Christ, he was scourged, beaten, and finally beheaded.
At Carthage, the holy martyrs Herachus and Zosimus.
At Alexandria, the suffering of SS. Candidus, Piperion, and twenty others.
At Laodicea in Syria, the holy martyrs Trophimus and Thalus. In the persecution of Diocletian, they obtained crowns of glory, after (enduring) many savage torments.
At Antioch, the commemoration of many holy martyrs. At the command of the Emperor Maximian, some were placed upon red-hot gridirons, and condemned, not to death, but to continued torture. The rest of them attained the palm of martyrdom by being subjected to other torments of a most inhuman nature.
Likewise, the holy martyrs SS. Gorgonius and Firmus.
At Jerusalem, St. Sophronius, bishop.
At Milan, St. Benedict, bishop.
In the district of Amiens, St. Firminus, abbot.
At Carthage, St. Constantine, confessor.
At Babuco in the Hernican mountains (Italy), St. Peter, confessor, famous for the glory of his miracles.
The Twelfth Day of March
At Rome, Pope St. Gregory I, confessor and eminent Doctor of the Church. For the famous things he did and for the conversion of the English to the faith, he is surnamed the Great, and is called the Apostle of the English. A duplex feast.
In the same place, the death of St. Innocent I, pope and confessor; his feast is observed on July 28.
Likewise at Rome, St. Mamilian, martyr.
At Nicomedia, St. Egdunus, priest, and seven others. They were suffocated one by one on successive days, so that fear might be struck in those who remained.
Also the suffering of St. Peter, martyr, who was a chamberlain of the Emperor Diocletian. As he protested freely concerning the extreme tortures of the martyrs, at the command of the Emperor he was led forth, and, having been hung up, was flogged for a long time. Then salt and vinegar were poured over him, and he was roasted on a gridiron over a slow fire. Thus, indeed, did he become an inheritor both of Peter's faith and name.
At Constantinople, St. Theophanes who, from being a very rich man, became a poor monk. He was kept in prison for two years by the impious Leo the Armenian, for his veneration of holy images. Then he was exiled to Thrace where, weighed down with miseries, he died. He was famous for many miracles.
At Capua, St. Bernard, bishop and confessor.
The Thirteenth Day of March
At Cordoba in Spain, the holy martyrs, Ruderic, priest, and Solomon.
At Nicomedia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Macedonius, Patricia his wife, and their daughter Modesta.
At Nicaea in Bithynia, the holy martyrs Theusetas and Horres his son, Theodora, Nymphodora, Mark, and Arabia, who were all cast into the flames for Christ.
At Hermopolis in Egypt, St. Sabinus, martyr, who underwent many sufferings and finally was martyred by being thrown into the river.
In Persia, St. Christina, virgin and martyr.
At Camerino, St. Ansovinus, bishop and confessor.
in the Thebaid, the death of St. Euphrasia, virgin.
At Constantinople, the transferal (of the body) of St. Nicephorus, bishop of that city and confessor. His body was brought to Constantinople from the island of Propontis in the Proconnesus, where he had died on June 2 while in exile because of his veneration of the holy images. He was given an honorable burial by the Bishop of Constantinople, St. Methodius, in the church of the Holy Apostles on this, the very day on which Nicephorus had been driven into exile.
The Fourteenth Day of March
At Rome, in the field of Veranus,(3) St. Leo, bishop and martyr.
Also at Rome, the birthday of forth-seven holy martyrs, during the reign of Nero. They were baptized by St. Peter the Apostle while he and St. Paul his co-Apostle were prisoners in the Mamertine prison. After nine months of imprisonment, all forty-seven Christians were put to the sword because of their most devout confession of the faith.
In the province of Valeria, two saintly monks. Although the Lombards killed them by hanging them from a tree, even after they died their executioners heard them continuing their hymn.
Also in that persecution, a deacon of the Church of the Marsi (4) was beheaded for confessing the faith.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Peter and Aphrodisius, who received the crown of martyrdom in the Vandal persecution.
At Carrhae in Mesopotamia, the patrician St. Eutychius and his companions, who were slain by Evelid, a caliph of Arabia, for their confession of the faith.
At Halberstadt in Germany, the death of Blessed Queen Matilda, mother of Emperor Otto I. She was noted for humility and patience.
The Fifteenth Day of March
At Caesarea in Cappadocia, the suffering of St. Longinus, a soldier. He is believed to have been the one who pierced the Lord's side with a spear.
On the same day, the birthday of St. Aristobulus who was a disciple of the Apostles. He was martyred after a life spent in preaching the Gospel.
In the Hellespont, St. Menignus, a fuller, who suffered under the Emperor Decius.
In Egypt, St. Nicander, martyr. At the time of the Emperor Diocletian, he zealously sought out the relics of the holy martyrs, and so merited himself to become a martyr.
At Cordoba in Spain, St. Lcocritia, virgin and martyr. In the Arabian persecution she was subjected to various tortures and then beheaded for the faith of Christ.
At Thessalonica, St. Matrona, the handmaid of a certain Jewess. She privately worshipped Christ and went daily to the church for secret prayer. She was discovered by her mistress and tortured in many ways. At last she was beaten to death with heavy clubs. Thus, having confessed Christ, she surrendered her pure soul to God.
At Rieti, St. Probus, bishop. At his death, the martyrs Juvenal and Eleutherius appeared to him.
At Vienna in Austria, St. Clemcnt-Mary Hofbauer, priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. He was famous for his extraordinary labors in promoting the glory of God and the salvation of souls, as well as in extending his Congregation. Distinguished for miracles and virtues, he was canonized by the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius X.
At Capua, St. Speciosus, monk. Pope St. Gregory relates that his brother saw the soul of Speciosus being borne to Heaven.
The Sixteenth Day of March
At Rome, the suffering of St. Cyriacus, deacon. After wasting away for a long time in prison, melted pitch was poured over him. He was stretched out on a platform, bound with leather thongs, and beaten with clubs. Finally, at the command of Maximian, he was beheaded in company with Largus, Smaragdus, and twenty others. Their feast is observed on August 8 because that was the day on which the bodies of these twenty-three martyrs were exhumed by Pope St. Marcellus and given honorable burial.
At Aquileia, the birthday of Bishop St. Hilary and the deacon Tatian. At the time of Emperor Numerian and the governor Beronius, they were subjected to the rack and to other tortures. They completed their martyrdom, together with Felix, Largus and Dionysius.
In Lycaonia, St. Papas, martyr. For his Christian faith, he was beaten, torn with iron hooks, and commanded to walk in shoes filled with nails; then, while roped to a tree, his soul ascended to the Lord. (After his death) this same tree, which had been barren, became fruitful.
At Anazabus in Cilicia, St. Julian, martyr. He was tortured for a long time by Marcian the governor, and was finally tied in a sack containing serpents and drowned in the sea.
At Ravenna, St. Agapitus, bishop and confessor.
At Cologne, St. Heribert, bishop, famed for holiness.
In Auvergne in Gaul, the death of St. Patrick, bishop.
In Syria, St. Abraham, hermit, whose deeds St. Ephrem the deacon committed to writing. +
The Seventeenth Day of March
At Downpatrick in Ireland, the birthday of St. Patrick, bishop and confessor. He was the first to preach Christ in those parts, and acquired great renown for miracles and virtues. A duplex feast.
At Jerusalem, St. Joseph of Arimathea, "a noble councillor."(5) He was that disciple of the Lord, who took down His Body from the Cross and buried It in his own new tomb.
At Rome, SS. Alexander and Theodore, martyrs.
At Alexandria, the commemoration of many holy martyrs. In the reign of the Emperor Theodosius, they were seized by idolators of Serapis. As the Christians firmly refused to worship the idol, they were savagely slaughtered. Soon after, the Emperor issued a rescript ordering the temple of Scrapis to be destroyed.
At Constantinople, St. Paul, martyr, who was burned to death under Constantine Copronymus for defending the veneration of holy images.
At Chalons in Gaul, St. Agricola, bishop.
At Nivelles in Brabant, St. Gertrude, virgin. Though of noble birth, she despised the world and spent all her life in the performance of holy works; thus she merited to obtain Christ for her Bridegroom in Heaven.
The Eighteenth Day of March
At Jerusalem, St. Cyril, bishop, confessor, and Doctor of the Church. He suffered many injuries at the hands of the Arians for the sake of the faith, and was often driven from his diocese. At last he died in peace, crowned with the glory of holiness. The First Occumenical Council of Constantinople, in a letter to Pope St. Damasus, gave excellent testimony of his fearless faith. A duplex feast.
At Caesarea in Palestine, the birthday of St. Alexander, bishop. Leaving his own city in Cappadocia where he was bishop, he came to Jerusalem to visit the holy places. The Bishop of Jerusalem at that time was Narcissus, an extremely old man. Alexander, directed by a revelation of God, took over the government of that see. However, later, at the time of the persecution of Decius, when he himself was now venerable by reason of his advanced age, he was led to Caesarea and imprisoned. There he completed his martyrdom for confessing Christ.
At Augsburg, St. Narcissus, bishop. He first preached the Gospel in Rhaetia; then he went to Spain, and at Gerona converted many to the faith of Christ. Here, together with the deacon Felix, he obtained the crown of martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian.
At Nicomedia, ten thousand holy martyrs, who were slain by the sword for confessing Christ.
In the same place, the holy martyrs Trophimus and Eucarpius.
In Britain, King St. Edward, who was murdered through the treachery of his stepmother. He was renowned for many miracles.
At Lucca in Tuscany, the birthday of St. Frigidian, bishop, famed for his power of miracles.
At Mantua, St, Anselm, Bishop of Lucca, and confessor,
The Nineteenth Day of March
In Judea, the birthday of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and confessor. The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IX, acquiescing in the wishes and prayers of the whole Catholic world, declared him to be the Patron of the Universal Church. A totum duplex feast of the first class.
At Sorrento, the holy martyrs Quinctus, Quinctilla, Quartilla, Mark, and nine others.
At Nicomedia, St. Pancharius, a Roman. To win the favor of Diocletian who was then emperor, he abjured Christ for vain gods. However, by the persuasion of his mother and sister, he soon returned to the true faith. As he remained firm in it, he was flogged with thongs and beheaded, thus gaining the crown of a martyr.
On the same day, SS. Apollonius and Leontius, bishops.
At Ghent in Flanders, SS. Landoald, a Roman priest, and Amantius, deacon. Pope St. Martin sent them to preach the Gospel, and they faithfully performed this apostolic commission. After their deaths, both were renowned for their miracles.
At Pinna, the birthday of St. John, a man of great holiness. He came from Syria to Italy and built a monastery there. For forty-four years he was the spiritual father of many servants of God and, noted for his virtues, rested in peace.
The Twentieth Day of March
At Siena, in Tuscany, Blessed Ambrose (Sansedoni) of the Order of Friars Preachers. He was remarkable for his sanctity, preaching, and miracles. Clement VIII ordered his name to be inscribed in the Roman Martyrology. A duplex feast.
In Judea, St. Joachim, the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. His feast is kept on August 16.
In Asia, the birthday of Blessed Archippus, a fellow-worker of St. Paul
the Apostle. He is mentioned by St. Paul in the Epistle to Philemon and in the Epistle to the Colossians.(6)
In Syria, the holy martyrs Paul, Cyril, Eugene, and four others.
On the same day, SS. Photina, a Samaritan woman, her sons Joseph and Victor, Sebastian, a military officer, Anatolius, Photius, Photides, and two sisters, Parasceves and Cyriaca. They all confessed Christ and obtained martyrdom.
At Amisus in Paphlagonia, the seven holy women, Alexandra, Claudia, Euphrasia, Matrona, Juliana, Euphemia, and Theodosia. They were killed for confessing the faith. They were followed in death by Derphuta and her sister.
At Apollonia (in Albania), St. Nicetas, bishop. Because he venerated the holy images, he was driven into exile and there died.
In the monastery of Fontanelle in Gaul, St. Wulfran, Bishop of Sens, who resigned the bishopric and, renowned for miracles, departed this life.
In Britain, the death of St. Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, who from childhood till death shone forth by holy works and remarkable miracles.
The Twenty-first Day of March
At Monte Cassino, the birthday of St. Benedict, abbot, who restored and wonderfully propagated monastic discipline which had almost perished in the West. His life, which was glorious for virtue and miracles, was written by Pope St. Gregory. A totum duplex feast.
At Catania in Sicily, St. Birillus, who was ordained bishop by St. Peter. After he had converted many Gentiles in Sicily to the faith, he died peacefully in extreme old age.
At Alexandria, the commemoration of the holy martyrs. At the time of the Emperor Constantius and Philagrius the prefect, they were slaughtered when the Arians and heathens stormed the churches on Good Friday.
On the same day, the holy martyrs Philemon and Domninus.
At Alexandria, blessed Serapion, hermit and Bishop of Thrnuis. A man of great virtues, he was driven by the fury of the Arians into exile where he died, a confessor of the Lord.
In the territory of Lyons, St. Lupicinus, abbot, whose life was noted for the glory of holiness and miracles.
The Twenty-second Day of March
At Pavia (in Italy), Blessed Isnard (of Chiampo), confessor. He was received into the Order of Friars Preachers by the Patriarch St. Dominic. He fervently fulfilled the office of preaching, and became distinguished by his virtues and miracles. A semi-duplex feast.
At Narbonne in Gaul, the birthday of Blessed Paul, bishop and disciple of the Apostles. He is said to have been the proconsul Sergius Paulus who was baptized by the Apostle St. Paul. When the latter went to Spain, he remained at Narbonne where he was made bishop. He zealously performed his duties and, famous for his miracles, he departed for heaven.
At Terracina in Campania, St. Epaphroditus, disciple of the Apostles. He was named bishop of that city by St. Peter the Apostle.
At Ancyra in Galatia, St. Basil, priest and martyr who, afflicted with the most agonizing tortures under Julian the Apostate, gave up his soul to God.
At Carthage, the archdeacon St. Octavian and many thousands of martyrs who, on account of their Catholic faith, were killed by the Vandals.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Saturninus and nine others.
In Galatia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Callinica and Basilissa.
At Rome, the birthday of Pope St. Zachary, who governed the Church of God with the greatest vigilance and, renowned for his merits, died a peaceful death.
At Carthage, St. Deogratias, bishop of that city. He redeemed many captives brought from Rome by the Vandals. Celebrated for many other good deeds, he went to his rest in the Lord.
At Osimo in Piceno (Italy), St. Bcnvenuto, bishop.
At Rome, St. Lea, widow, whose virtues and death are described by St. Jerome.
The Twenty-third Day of March
At Pavia, Blessed Sybillina, virgin, of the Order of Preachers. At the age of twelve she became afflicted with total blindness. As a result, she was better able to contemplate the mysteries of the Passion of our Lord, the lessons of which she strove to imitate in her own actions as far as possible. A semi-duplex feast.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Victorian, proconsul of Carthage, and two brothers from Aquaregia. Likewise, Frumentius, and another Frumentius, both merchants. The African Bishop Victor relates that, for their constancy in confessing the Catholic faith, they were tortured with the most frightful atrocity in the persecution by the Vandals under the Arian King Hunneric. All received noble crowns.
Likewise in Africa, St. Fidelis, martyr.
In the same place, St. Felix and twenty other martyrs.
At Caesarea in Palestine, the saintly martyrs Nicon and ninety-nine others.
Likewise the crowning of the holy martyrs Domitius, Pelagia, Aquila, Eparchius, and Theodosia.
At Lima in Peru, St. Turibius, archbishop, through whose virtue, faith and ecclesiastical discipline were spread throughout (South) America.
At Antioch, St. Theodulus, priest.
At Barcelona in Spain, St. Joseph Oriol, priest, rector of the church of St. Mary of the Kings. He was famous for every virtue; especially for mortification of the body, love Of poverty, and compassion for the needy and sick. Glorious both in life and after death for his miracles, Pope Pius X inscribed him among the number of the saints.
At Caesarea, St. Julian, confessor.
In Campania, St. Benedict, monk, who was shut up in a heated oven by the Goths, and the next day found unhurt.
The Twenty-fourth Day of March
The Feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel, who was sent by God to declare the mystery of the Incarnation of the Divine Word. A totum duplex feast.
At Rome, St. Epigmenius, priest who, in the persecution of Diocletian, under the judge Turpius, was slain with the sword and so gained his martyrdom.
Also at Rome, at the time of Julian the Apostate, the suffering of Blessed Pigmenius, priest. Because of his faith in Christ, he was cast into the Tiber and drowned.
At Rome, the holy martyrs Mark and Timothy, who were crowned with martyrdom under the Emperor Antoninus.
At Caesarea in Palestine, the birthday of the holy martyrs Timolaus, Dionysius, Pausides, Romulus, Alexander, another Alexander, Agapius, and a second Dionysius. In the persecution of Diocletian under the governor Urban, they were beheaded, thus earning crowns of (eternal) life.
In Morocco, the birthday of SS. Romulus and Secundus, brothers, who suffered for the faith of Christ.
At Trent, the suffering of the boy St. Simeon, who was most cruelly murdered by Jews, and afterward glorified with many miracles.
At Synnada in Phrygia, St. Agapitus, bishop.
At Brescia, St. Latinus, bishop.
In Syria, St. Seleucus, confessor.
In Sweden, St. Catherine, virgin, who was the daughter of St. Bridget.
The Twenty-fifth Day of March
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. A tolum duplex feast of the first class.
At Jerusalem, the commemoration of the Good Thief who confessed Christ upon the Cross, and deserved to hear from Him the words: "This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."(7)
At Rome, St. Quirinus, martyr. Under the Emperor Claudius, he was deprived of his possessions, confined in a filthy prison, subjected to many beatings, and was executed by the sword. His body was cast into the Tiber, but the Christians afterward found it on the island of Lycaonia, later called St. Bartholomew's. He was buried in the cemetery of Pontian.
In the same place, two hundred and sixty-two holy martyrs.
At Sirmium, the suffering of St. Irenaeus, bishop and martyr. In the time of the Emperor Maximian, under the governor Probus, he was afflicted first with most severe tortures. Then he underwent many more days of excruciating torments in prison, and finally was martyred by having his head cut off.
At Nicomedia, St. Dula, the servant of a soldier. She merited the crown of martyrdom, being slain for preserving her chastity.
At Laodicea in Lebanon, St. Pelagius, bishop, who suffered exile and other afflictions for the Catholic faith under Valens and, at last, restored to his see, died peacefully in the Lord.
At Aindre, an island in the Loire river, St. Hermeland, abbot, whose glorious life was approved by the remarkable testimony of his miracles.
At Pistoia in Tuscany, the holy confessors Barontius and Desiderius.
The Twenty-sixth Day of March
At Rome on the Via Lavicana, St. Castulus, martyr. He was a chamberlain of the palace and gave asylum to the Christians. Three times he was suspended (by his thumbs) and three times interrogated by the judges. As he persevered in confessing the Lord, he was flung into a pit and received his crown of martyrdom after great masses of sand buried him alive.
Also at Rome, the crowning of the holy martyrs Peter, Marcian, Jovinus, Thecla, Cassian, and others.
At Pentapolis in Libya, the birthday of the holy martyrs Theodore, bishop, Irenaeus, deacon, Serapion and Ammonius, lectors.
At Sirmium, the holy martyrs Montanus, priest, and Maxima. Because of their Christian faith they were drowned in a river.
Likewise, the holy martyrs Quadratus, Theodosius, Emmanuel, and forty others.
At Alexandria, the holy martyrs Eutychius and others. In the time of Constantius, under the Arian Bishop George, they were put to the sword for their Catholic faith.
On the same day, St. Ludger, Bishop of Munster, who preached the Gospel to the Saxons.
At Saragossa in Spain, St. Braulius, bishop and confessor.
At Treves, St. Felix, bishop.
The Twenty-seventh Day of March
St. John Damascene, priest, confessor, and Doctor of the Church, whose birthday is commemorated on May 6. A duplex feast.
At Drizipara in Hungary, St. Alexander, a soldier. Under the Emperor Maximian, after he had endured many sufferings for Christ, and had performed numerous miracles, he completed his martyrdom by being beheaded.
In Illyria, SS. Philetus, a senator, his wife Lydia, and his sons Maccdo and Theoprepius; also Amphilochius, a captain, and Chronides, a notary. After they had undergone many tortures for confessing Christ, they gained the crown of glory.
In Persia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Zanitas, Lazarus, Marotas, Narses, and five others. They were savagely cut to pieces in the reign Of Sapor, King of the Persians, and so merited the palm of martyrdom.
At Salzburg in Austria, St. Rupert, bishop and confessor, who spread the Gospel in a wonderful manner among the Bavarians and Austrians.
In Egypt, the hermit St. John, a man of great sanctity. Among other evidences of his virtue was the gift of prophecy by which he foretold to the Emperor Theodosius his victories over the tyrants Maximus and Eugene.
The Twenty-eighth Day of March
St. John of Capistrano, priest and confessor, of the Order of Friars Minor, of whom mention is made on October 23.
At Caesarea in Palestine, the birthday of the holy martyrs Priscus, Malchus, and Alexander. At the time of Valerian's persecution, all three dwelt on a little farm in the suburbs of Caesarea. When heavenly crowns of martyrdom were being offered in Caesarea, the three Christians were inflamed with the divine fire of faith. They presented themselves to the judge, and demanded why he raged so much for the blood of holy men. The judge at once had them delivered to the beasts to be devoured for the name of Christ.
At Tarsus in Cilicia, the holy martyrs Castor and Dorotheus.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Rogatus, Successus, and sixteen others.
At Norcia (in Italy), St. Spes, abbot, a man of wondrous patience. Pope St. Gregory relates that when he departed this life, his soul was seen by all the brethren ascending to Heaven in the form of a dove.
At Chalons in Gaul, the death of St. Guntram, King of the Franks. He so devoted himself to spiritual things that, leaving the pomps of the world, he bestowed his treasures on churches and the poor.
The Twenty-ninth Day of March
At Heliopolis in Lebanon, St. Cyril, deacon and martyr, at the time of Julian the Apostate. His body was ripped open and his liver plucked out by Gentiles who, like wild beasts, devoured it.
In Persia, the holy monks and martyrs Jonas and Barachisius, who were brothers. In the reign of Sapor, King of Persia, Jonas was squeezed in a vise until his bones were broken; then he was cut in two. Barachisius was choked to death by having boiling pitch poured down his throat.
At Nicomedia, the suffering of the holy martyrs Pastor, Victorinus, and their companions.
In Africa, the holy confessors Armogastes, a count, Masculas, an actor, and Saturus, procurator of the king's household. At the time of the Vandal persecution under Genseric the Arian King, they suffered many severe tortures and insults for the confession of the truth, and thus completed the course of their glorious strife.
In the city of Asti (in Italy), St. Secundus, martyr.
In the monastery of Luxeuil in Gaul, the death of the Abbot St. Eustasius, a disciple of St. Columban. He was the spiritual father of almost six hundred monks. Noteworthy for holiness of life, he was distinguished by his miracles.
The Thirtieth Day of March
At Rome, on the Appian Way, the suffering of blessed Quirinus, a tribune, who was the father of the virgin St. Balbina. He, with all his household, was baptized by Pope St. Alexander who was in his custody. When, in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian, this unconquerable soldier of Christ was handed over to the judge Aurelian and remained firm in the confession of his faith, his tongue was cut out; he was stretched on the rack, his hands and feet were cut off, and at last he won the fight for martyrdom, by the sword.
At Thessalonica, the birthday of the holy martyrs Domninus, Victor, and their companions.
At Constantinople, the commemoration of many holy martyrs of the Catholic faith in the time of Constantius. They were killed by Macedonius the heresiarch who subjected them to unheard-of kinds of torture. Among other cruelties, he mutilated faithful women by pressing them between the heavy lids of chests, and burning them with red-hot irons.
In the town of Senlis in Gaul, the death of St. Regulus, Bishop of Arles.
At Orleans in Gaul, St. Pastor, bishop.
At Syracuse in Sicily, St. Zosimus, bishop and confessor.
On Mount Sinai, St. John Climacus, abbot.
At Aquileria in Spain, St. Peter Regalatus, priest and confessor, of the Order of Friars Minor, born in Valladolid. He restored regular discipline in the Spanish monasteries. The Sovereign Pontiff, Benedict XIV, added his name to the list of the saints.
At Aquino, St. Clinius, confessor.
The Thirty-first Day of March
At Thecua in Palestine, St. Amos the Prophet. The priest Amasius repeatedly flogged him, and the priest's son Ozias drove an iron spike through his temples. Half dead, the prophet was carried back to his own land where he died and was buried with his forefathers.
In Persia, St. Benjamin, deacon. As he would not cease to preach the Word of God, he was tortured under King Yezdegerd by having sharp reeds forced under his nails, and a thorny stake driven through his abdomen, thus completing his martyrdom.
In Africa, the martyrs Theodulus, Anesius, Felix, Cornelia, and their companions.
At Rome, St. Balbina, virgin, daughter of St. Quirinus the martyr. She was baptized by Pope St. Alexander, and chose Christ as her Spouse in her virginity. Having completed her trial in this world, she was buried near her father on the Appian Way.
NOTES 1. "Caea" is due to the error of a mediaeval scribe; it should read Nicaea (in Bithynia).
2. He was so called because of his childlike disposition and his humility.
3. A mile outside of Rome, on the Via Tiburtina, was a tract of land known as the Ager Veranus. It was owned by a noble Christian widow, Cyriaca, who gave it to the Church. it was used by the Church as a cemetery and renamed the Cemetery of Cyriaca. The present Basilica of St. Lawrence-outside-the-Walls marks its location.-- Ferretto, Note Storico-Bibliografiche di Archeologia Cristiana, p. 119.
4. The Marsi were a tribe living around Lake Fucino. Theirs was one of the few dioceses named after a tribe instead of after a city.
5. He is so called in the Bible: See Mark, 15:43.
6. Philemon, 5:2; Colossians, 4:17.
7. Luke, 23:43.
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