The Roman Martyrology - October

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In the language of the Church, Birthday refers to the day on which a Saint enters heaven. However, the Blessed Virgin and St. John the Baptist are exceptions to this rule.

The First Day of October

• At Rheims, in France, St. Remigius, bishop confessor, who converted the Franks to Christ, regenerated Clovis, their king, in the sacred font of baptism and instructed him in the mysteries of faith. After he had been many years bishop, and had distinguished himself by his sanctity and the power of working miracles, he departed this life on the 13th of January. His festival, however, is kept on this day, when his sacred body was translated.
• At Rome, blessed Aretas and five hundred and four other martyrs.
• At Tomis, in Pontus, the holy martyrs Priscus, Crescens, and Evagrius.
• At Lisbon, in Portugal, the holy martyrs Verissimus, and his sisters, Maxima and Julia, who suffered in the persecution of Diocletian.
• At Tournay, St. Piaton, priest and martyr, who, with blessed Quinctinus and his companions, went from Rome to Gaul to preach the faith, and afterwards, in the persecution of Maximian, having consummated his martyrdom, passed from earth to heaven.
• At Thessalonica, St. Domninus, martyr, under the same Maximian.
• At Ghent, St. Bavo, confessor.
• At Orvieto, St. Severus, priest and confessor.

The Second Day of October

• The feast of the holy Guardian Angels.
• At Nicomedia, St. Eleutherius, soldier and martyr, with numberless others. They were falsely accused of having set fire to the palace of Diocletian and, by order of this most cruel emperor, were barbarously massacred in groups. Some were put to the sword, some consumed by fire, while others were precipitated into the sea. But the principal one, Eleutherius, having endured long tortures, and being found stronger after each one, terminated his victorious martyrdom by fire, as well-tried gold.
• In the vicinity of Arras, the martyrdom of blessed Leodegarius, bishop of Autun. After being subjected to various insults and torments for the truth, he was put to death by Ebroin, chief minister of Theodoric.
• Also, the holy martyr Gerinus, brother of the blessed Leodegarius, who was overwhelmed with stones in the same city.
• At Antioch, the holy martyrs Primus, Cyril, and Secundarius.
• At Constantinople, St. Theophilus, a monk, who was most cruelly scourged by Leo the Isaurian, for the defence of holy images, was driven into exile, and went gloriously to heaven.
• At Hereford, in England, St. Thomas, bishop and confessor.

The Third Day of October

• At Rome, near the spot called Ursus Pileatus, St. Candidus, martyr.
• The same day the holy martyrs Denis, Faustus, Cains, Peter, Paul, and four others, who suffered much under Decius; and under Valerian, being a long time subjected to torments by the governor AEmilian, merited the palm of martyrdom.
• Among the ancient Saxons (in Westphalia), two holy martyrs of the name of Ewaldus, who being priests and preaching Christ in that country, were seized by the Pagans and put to death. During the night a great light appeared for a long time over their bodies, showing where they were, and how distinguished were their merits.
• In Africa, St. Maximian, bishop of Bagay, who, after having frequently endured great cruelties from the Donatists, was finally cast headlong from a high tower, and left for dead. Illustrious by a glorious confession, he afterwards rested in the Lord.
• In Palestine, St. Hesychius, confessor, disciple of St. Hilarion, and the companion of his travels.
• In Belgium, in the diocese of Namur, St. Gerard, abbot.

The Fourth Day of October

• At Assisi, in Umbria, the birthday of St. Francis, confessor, founder of the Order of Minorites, whose life, filled with holy deeds and miracles, was written by St. Bonaventure.
• At Corinth, the birthday of the Saints Crispus and Cams, who are mentioned by the apostle St. Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians,
• In Egypt, the holy martyrs Mark and Marcian, brothers, and an almost countless multitude of both sexes and of all ages, who merited the blessed crown of martyrdom, some after being scourged, and others when they had suffered horrible torment, after being delivered to the flames. Some were precipitated into the sea ; some others were beheaded; many were starved to death; others were fastened to gibbets; while others were suspended by the feet with their heads downward.
• At Damascus, St. Peter, bishop and martyr, who, being accused before the king of the Agarenians of teaching the faith of Christ, had his tongue, hands, and feet cut off, and being fastened to a cross, ended his martyrdom.
• At Alexandria, the holy priests and deacons Caius, Faustus, Eusebius, Chseremon, Lucius, and their companions. Some of them were martyred in the persecution of Valerian ; others, for serving the martyrs, received the reward of martyrs.
• At Athens, St. Hierotheus, disciple of the blessed apostle Paul.
• At Bologna, St. Petronius, bishop and confessor, celebrated for learning, miracles and sanctity.
• At Paris, St. Aurea, virgin.

The Fifth Day of October

• At Messina, in Sicily, the birthday of the holy martyrs Placidus, monk, disciple of the blessed abbot Benedict, and of his brothers Eutychius and Victorinus, and Flavia, virgin, their sister; also of Donatus, Firmatus, deacon, Faustus, and thirty other monks, who were murdered for the faith of Christ by the pirate Manuchas.
• The same day, the birthday of blessed Thraseas, bishop of Eumenia, who ended his career by martyrdom at Smyrna.
• At Treves, the holy martyrs Palmatius and his companions, who suffered martyrdom in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Rictiovarus.
• The same day, under the emperor Diocletian and the ex-consul Domitius, St. Charitina, a virgin, who was exposed to the fire and thrown into the sea; but escaping uninjured, she had her hands and feet cut off, her teeth plucked out, and finally she yielded her spirit in prayer.
• At Auxerre, the departure from this life of the saintly deacon Firmatus and the virgin Flaviana, his sister.
• At Ravenna, St. Marcellinus, bishop and confessor.
• At Valence, in France, St. Apollinaris, a bishop, who was renowned in life for virtues, and in death for miracles and prodigies.
• The same day, St. Attilanus, bishop of Zamora, who was ranked among the saints by Urban II.
• At Leon, in Spain, St. Froilanus, bishop of that city, renowned for his zeal in spreading the monastic life, for his liberality to the poor and other virtues, and for miracles.
• At Rome, St. Galla, widow, daughter of the consul Symmachus, who, after the death of her husband, remained many years near the church of St. Peter, applying to prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and other pious works. Her most happy death has been described by pope St. Gregory.

The Sixth Day of October

• In Calabria, St. Bruno, confessor, founder of the Carthusian Order.
• At Laodicea, the blessed bishop and martyr Sagar, one of the first disciples of the apostle St. Paul.
• At Capua, the birthday of the holy martyrs Marcellus, Castus, Emilius, and Saturninus.
• At Agen, in France, the birthday of St. Faith, virgin and martyr, whose example encouraged blessed Caprasius so much that he happily terminated his combat by martyrdom.
• Also, St. Erotis, martyr, who, being inflamed with the love of Christ, triumphed over the violence of the flames.
• At Treves, the commemoration of almost numberless martyrs, who were put to death for the faith in various manners, under the governor Rictiovarus, in the persecution of Diocletian.
• At Auxerre, St. Eomanus, bishop and martyr.
• At Oderzo, St. Magnus, bishop, whose body rests at Venice.
• At Naples, the decease of St. Mary Frances of the Five Wounds of Our Lord, a nun of the Third Order of St. Francis. On account of her reputation for virtues and the working of miracles, she was placed among the holy virgins by Pius IX.

The Seventh Day of October

• The feast of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the commemoration of Our Lady of Victory, which the sovereign Pontiff, St. Pius V., on account of the great naval victory gained by the Christians on this day, ordered to be kept annually.
• At Rome, on the Ardeatine road, the demise of St. Mark, pope and confessor.
• In the province of the Euphrates, the holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, noble Romans, in the time of the emperor Maximian. Bacchus, being scourged with rough whips until his body was completely mangled, breathed his last in the confession of Christ. Sergius had his feet forced into shoes full of sharp-pointed nails, and, remaining unshaken in the faith, he was sentenced to undergo capital punishment. The place where he reposes is called after him Sergiopolis, and, on account of the signal miracles wrought in it, is honored by a great concourse of Christians.
• At Rome, the holy martyrs Marcellus and Apuleius, who at first followed Simon Magus, but seeing the wonders which the Lord performed by the apostle Peter, abandoned Simon, and embraced the apostolical doctrine. After the death of the Apostles, under the ex-consul Aurelian, they won the crown of martyrdom, and were buried near the city.
• Also, in the province of the Euphrates, St. Julia, virgin, who endured martyrdom under the governor Marcian.
• At Padua, St. Justina, virgin and martyr, who was baptized by the blessed Prosdocimus, disciple of St. Peter. As she remained firm in the faith of Christ, she was put to the sword by order of the governor Maximus, and thus went to God.
• At Bourges, St. Augustus, priest and confessor.
• In the diocese of Rheims, St. Helanus, priest.
• In Sweden, the translation of the body of St. Bridget, widow.

The Eighth Day of October

• ST Bridget, widow, who, after visiting many holy places by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, died at Rome on the 23d of July. Her body was taken to Sweden on the 7th of this month.
• The same day, the birthday of the blessed Simeon, an aged man, who, as we read in the Gospel, took our Lord Jesus in his arms.
• At Caesarea, in Palestine, in the reign of Decius, St. Reparata, virgin and martyr, who, refusing to sacrifice to idols, was subjected to various kinds of torments, and finally struck with the sword. Her soul was seen to leave her body in the shape of a dove, and ascend to heaven.
• At Thessalonica, St. Demetrius, a proconsul, who, for having brought many to the faith of Christ, was pierced with spears by order of the emperor Maximian, and thus ended his martyrdom.
• In the same place, St. Nestor, martyr.
• At Seville, in Spain, St. Peter, martyr.
• At Laodicea, in the time of Diocletian, St. Artemon, a priest, who gained the crown of martyrdom by fire.
• In the diocese of Laon, St. Benedicta, virgin and martyr.
• At Ancona, Saints Palatias and Laurentia, who were sent into exile in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Dion, and sank under the weight of toil and misery.
• At Rouen, St. Evodius, bishop and confessor.
• At Jerusalem, St. Pelagia, surnamed the Penitent.

The Ninth Day of October

• At Paris, the birthday of the holy martyrs Denis the Areopagite, bishop, Rusticus, priest, and Eleutherius, deacon. Denis was baptized by the apostle St. Paul, and consecrated first bishop of Athens. Then going to Rome, he was sent to Gaul by the blessed Roman Pontiff Clement, to preach the Gospel. He proceeded to Paris, and after having for some years faithfully filled the office entrusted to him, he was subjected to the severest kinds of torments by the prefect Fescenninus, and at length, being beheaded with his companions, completed his martyrdom.
• The same day, the commemoration of the holy patriarch Abraham, father of all believers.
• At Julia (now Borgo-San-Donnino), near Parma, on the Claudian road, St. Domninus, martyr, under the emperor Maximian. As he was trying to escape the raging persecution, he was overtaken by his pursuers, and being transpierced with a sword, died gloriously.
• At Cassino, St. Deusdedit, abbot, who was cast into prison by the tyrant Sicardus, and being there consumed with hunger and misery, yielded up his soul.
• In Hainaut, St. Gislenus, bishop and confessor, who, resigning his See, led the monastical life in a monastery built by himself, and was distinguished by many virtues.
• At Valencia, in Spain, St. Louis Bertrand, of the Order of Preachers, who, being filled with the apostolic spirit, confirmed, by the innocence of his life and the working of many miracles, the Gospel which he had preached in America.
• At Jerusalem, the Saints Andronicus, and Athanasia, his wife.
• At Antioch, St. Publia, abbess, who, whilst Julian the Apostate was passing by, sang with her religious these words of David: "The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold;" and: "Let them that make them, become like unto them." By the command of the emperor, she was struck on the face and severely rebuked.

The Tenth Day of October

• Feast day of St. Francis Borgia.
• At Rome, blessed John Leonard!, confessor, founder of the Congregation of Clerks Regular of the Mother of God. He was illustrious by his labors and miracles, and through his instrumentality missions were established by the Propaganda.
• In the island of Crete, blessed Pinytus, most noble among the bishops. He was bishop of Gnosia, and flourished under Marcus Antoninus Verus and Lucius Aurelius Commodus. He left in his writings, as in a mirror, a vivid delineation of himself.
• At Cologne, in the persecution of Maximian, St. Gereon, martyr, with three hundred and eighteen others, who patiently bowed their necks to the sword for the true religion.
• In the neighborhood of the same city, the holy martyrs Victor and his companions.
• At Bonn, in Germany, the holy martyrs Cassius and Florentius, with many others.
• At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs Eulampius, and his sister, the virgin Eulampia, who, hearing that her brother was tortured for Christ, rushed through the crowd, embraced him and became his companion. Both were cast into a caldron of boiling oil, but being quite uninjured, they terminated their martyrdom by decapitation with two hundred others, who, impressed by the miracle, had believed in Christ.
• At York, in England, the holy bishop Paulinus, disciple of the blessed pope Gregory. Being sent thither by that pope with others to preach the Gospel, he converted king Edwin and his people to the faith of Christ.
• At Piombino, in Tuscany, St. Cerbonius, bishop and confessor, who, as St. Gregory relates, was renowned for miracles, both during life and after death.
• At Verona, another St. Cerbonius, bishop.
• At Capua, St. Paulinus, bishop.
• At Rome, St. Francis Borgia, Superior General of the Society of Jesus, celebrated for the austerity of his life, the gift of prayer, and for the firmness with which he renounced the dignities of the world, and refused those of the Church.

The Eleventh Day of October

• At Tarsus, in Cilicia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus, who endured a long and painful imprisonment, during the persecution of Diocletian, and being three times subjected to diverse punishments and tortures, finally obtained a glorious triumph for the confession of Christ by having their heads struck off. --In Vexin, in the time of the governor Fescenninus, the passion of the holy martyrs Nicasiuc, bishop of Eouen, Quirinus, priest, Scubiculus, deacon, and Pientia, virgin.
• Also, the martyrdom of the Saints Anastasius, priest, Placidus, Genesius, and their companions.
• In Thebais, St. Sarmata, disciple of the blessed abbot Anthony, who was put to death for Christ by the Saracens.
• At Besancon, in France, St. Germanus, bishop and martyr.
• At Uzes, in Narbonese Gaul, St. Firminus, bishop and confessor.
• In Ireland, St. Kenny, abbot.
• At Lier, in Belgium, the departure from this life of St. Gummarus, confessor.
• At Kennes, St. AEmilian, confessor.
• At Tarsus, in Cilicia, the holy women Zenaides and Philonilla, sisters, who were relatives of the blessed apostle Paul, and his disciples in the faith.
• At Verona, St. Placidia, virgin.
• At Calotium, a place now in the diocese of Asti, but formerly in that of Pavia, St. Alexander Sauli, bishop and confessor, of the congregation of Barnabites, a man illustrious by birth, learning and miracles.

The Twelfth Day of October

• At Rome, the holy martyrs Evagrius, Priscian, and their companions.
• At Ravenna, on the Lauretine road, the birthday of St. Edistius, martyr.
• In Lycia, St. Domnina, martyr, under the emperor Diocletian.
• In Africa, four thousand nine hundred and sixty six holy confessors and martyrs, in the persecution of the Vandals under the Arian king Hunneric. Some of them were bishops, some priests and deacons, with a multitude of the faithful accompanying them, who were driven into a frightful wilderness for the defence of the Catholic truth. Many of them were cruelly annoyed by the Moorish leaders, and with sharp-pointed spears and stones forced to hasten their march, whilst others, with their feet tied, were dragged like corpses through rough places and mangled in all their limbs. They were finally tortured in different manners, and won the honors of martyrdom. The principal among them were the bishops Felix and Cyprian.
• At Cilly, in Styria, St. Maximilian, bishop of Lorch.
• At York, in England, St. Wilfrid, bishop and confessor,
• At Milan, St. Monas, bishop. He was chosen as head of that church, because a miraculous light from heaven surrounded him whilst they were deliberating on the choice of a bishop.
• At Verona, St. Salvinus, bishop.
• In Syria, St. Eustachius, priest and confessor.
• At Ascoli, St. Seraphinus, confessor, of the Order of Minorite Capuchins, distinguished by holiness of life and humility. He was enrolled among the saints by the Sovereign Pontiff, Clement XIII.

The Thirteenth Day of October

• In England, St. Edward, king, who died on the 5th of January. He is specially honored on this day, on account of the translation of his body.
• At Troas, in Asia Minor, the birthday of St. Carpus, disciple of the blessed apostle Paul.
• At Cordova, in Spain, the birthday of the holy martyrs Faustus, Januarius, and Martial. First tortured on the rack, then having their eyelashes shaven, their teeth plucked out, their ears and noses cut off, they finished their martyrdom by fire.
• At Thessalonica, St. Florentius, a martyr, who, after enduring various torments, was burned alive.
• In Austria, St. Colman, martyr.
• At Ceuta, in Morocco, seven martyrs of the Order of Friars Minor, Daniel, Samuel, Angelus, Domnus, Leo, Nicholas, and Hugolinus. For preaching the Gospel and refuting the errors of Mahomet, they were reviled, bound, and scourged by the Saracens, and finally won the palm of martyrdom by being beheaded.
• At Antioch, the holy bishop Theophilus, who held the pontificate in that church, the sixth after the blessed apostle Peter.
• At Tours, St. Venantius, abbot, and confessor.
• At Subiaco, in Italy, St. Chelidonia, virgin.

The Fourteenth Day of October

• At Rome, on the Aurelian road, the birthday of blessed Callistus, pope and martyr. By order of the emperor Alexander, after being a long time kept in prison without food, and daily scourged with rods, he was finally hurled from the window of the house in which he had been shut up, and cast into a well, and thus merited the triumph awarded to conquerors.
• At Caesarea, in Palestine, St. Fortunata, virgin and martyr, during the persecution of Diocletian. After having been subjected to the rack, to fire, to the teeth of beasts and other torments, she gave up her soul to God. Her body was afterwards conveyed to Naples, in Campania.
• Also, the Saints Carponius, Evaristus, and Priscian, brothers of the said blessed Fortunata, who having their throats cut, obtained likewise the crown of martyrdom.
• Also, the Saints Saturninus and Lupus.
• At Rimini, St. Gaudentius, bishop and martyr.
• At Todi, St. Fortunatus, bishop, who, as is mentioned by blessed Gregory, was endowed with an extraordinary gift for casting out unclean spirits.
• At Wurtzburg, St. Burchard, first bishop of that city.
• At Bruges, in Belgium, St. Donatian, bishop of Rheims.
• At Treves, St. Rusticus, bishop.
• The same day, the departure out of this world of St. Dominic Loricatus.
• In Italy, St. Bernard, confessor.

The Fifteenth Day of October

• At Avila, in Spain, St. Theresa, virgin, mother and mistress of the Carmelite Brothers and Sisters of the Strict Observance.
• At Rome, on the Aurelian road, St. Fortunatus, martyr.
• At Cologne, the birthday of three hundred holy martyrs, who terminated their combat in the persecution of Maximian.
• At Carthage, St. Agileus, martyr, on whose birthday St. Augustine preached his panegyric.
• In Prussia, St. Bruno, bishop of the Euthenians and martyr, who, preaching the Gospel in that region, was arrested by impious men, had his hands and feet cut off and was beheaded.
• At Lyons, St. Antiochus, bishop, who entered the heavenly kingdom after having courageously fulfilled the duties of the high station to which he had been called. At Treves, St. Severus, bishop and confessor.
• At Strasburg, St. Aurelia, virgin.
• At Cracow, St. Hedwiges, duchess of Poland, who devoted herself to the service of the poor, and was renowned for miracles. She was inscribed among the saints by pope Clement IV., and Innocent XI. permitted her feast to be celebrated on the 17th of this month.
• In Germany, St. Thecla, abbess.

The Sixteenth Day of October

• In Africa, two hundred and seventy holy martyrs crowned together.
• In the same country, the Saints Martinian and Saturnian with their two brothers. In the reign of the Arian king Genseric, while the persecution of the Vandals was raging, they were slaves belonging to a man of that race, and being converted to the faith of Christ by Maxima, a slave like themselves, they manifested their attachment to the truth with such courage, that they were beaten with rough clubs and lacerated in all parts of their bodies to the very bone. Although this barbarous treatment was continued for a considerable period, their wounds were each time healed over night, wherefore they were at length sent into exile. There they converted many barbarians to the faith, and obtained from the Roman Pontiff a priest and other ministers to baptize them. Finally they were condemned to die by being dragged through thorns, with their feet tied behind running chariots. Maxima being miraculously delivered after enduring many tribulations, became the Superioress of a large monastery of virgins, where she ended her days in peace.
• Also, the Saints Saturninus, Nereus, and three hundred and sixty five other martyrs.
• At Cologne, St. Eliphius, martyr, under Julian the Apostate.
• Also, St. Bercharius, abbot and martyr.
• Near Bourges, St. Ambrose, bishop of Cahors.
• At Mayence, St. Lullus, bishop and confessor.
• At Treves, St. Florentinus, bishop.
• At Arbon, in Switzerland, St. Gall, abbot, disciple of blessed Columban.
• On Mount Cassino, blessed Victor III., who succeeded Gregory VII. in the papal chair and threw new lustre round the Holy See by the signal triumph he gained over the Saracens through the divine assistance. The veneration paid to him from time immemorial Pope Leo XIII. approved and confirmed.
• At Muro, in Lucania, St. Gerard Majella, a professed lay brother in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Pius X., on account of his reputation for miracles ranked him among the saints.

The Seventeenth Day of October

• The feast day of St Margaret Mary Alocoque.
• At Antioch, the birthday of St. Heron, disciple of blessed Ignatius. Being made bishop after him, he religiously followed his master's footsteps, and, as a true lover of Christ, died for the flock entrusted to his keeping.
• The same day, the martyrdom of the Saints Victor, Alexander, and Marian.
• In Persia, St. Mamelta, martyr, who, being converted from idolatry to the faith by an angel, was stoned by the Gentiles and cast into a deep lake.
• At Constantinople, during the reign of Constantine Copronymus, St. Andrew of Crete, a monk, who was often scourged for the worship of holy images, and finally, after having one of his feet cut off, breathed his last.
• At Orange, in France, St. Florentinus, bishop, who died leaving a reputation for many virtues.
• At Capua, St Victor, a bishop, distinguished for erudition and sanctity.

The Eighteenth Day of October

• The birthday of blessed Luke, evangelist, who, after having suffered much for the name of Christ, died in Bithynia, filled with the Holy Ghost. His relics were taken to Constantinople, and thence conveyed to Padua.
• At Antioch, St. Asclepiades, bishop, one of the celebrated troop of martyrs who suffered gloriously under Macrinus.
• In the diocese of Beauvais, St. Justus, martyr, who, being but a boy, was put to death in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Rictiovarus.
• At Neocaesarea, in Pontus, the holy and learned bishop Athenodorus, brother of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, who underwent martyrdom in the persecution of Aurelian.
• In Mesopotamia, on the bank of the Euphrates, St. Julian, hermit.
• At Rome, the birthday of St. Paul of the Cross, confessor, founder of the Congregation of the Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, whom Pius IX. canonized on account of his remarkable innocence of life and his penitential spirit, assigning the 28th of April as the day of his festival.
• At Rome, St. Tryphonia, at one time wife of the Caesar Decius. She was buried in a crypt, near St. Hippolytus.

The Ninteenth Day of October

• At Arenas, in Spain, St. Peter of Alcantara, confessor, of the Order of Minorites, who was cononized by Clement IX. on account of his admirable penance and many miracles.
• At Rome, the birthday of the holy martyrs Ptolemy and Lucius, under Marcus Antoninus. The former, as we learn from the martyr Justin, having converted an immodest woman to the faith of Christ, and taught her to practise chastity, was accused by a profligate man before the prefect Urbicius, and condemned to languish a long time in a filthy dungeon. At length, as he declared by a public confession that Christ was his master, he was led to execution. Lucius disapproving the sentence of Urbicius, and avowing freely that he was a Christian, received the same sentence. To them was added a third, who was condemned to suffer a like punishment.
• At Antioch, the holy martyrs Beronicus, the virgin Pelagia and forty-nine others.
• In Egypt, St. Varus, soldier, under the emperor Maximinus. He used to visit and comfort seven saintly monks detained in prison, when one of them happening to die, he wished to take his place, and having suffered with them cruel afflictions, he obtained the palm of martyrdom.
• At Evreux, St. Aquilinus, bishop and confessor.
• In the diocese of Orleans, the departure from this world of St. Veranus, bishop.
• At Salerno, St. Eusterius, bishop.
• In Ireland, St. Ethbin, abbot.
• At Oxford, in England, St. Frideswide, virgin.

The Twentieth Day of October

• In Poland, St. John Cantius, priest and confessor. Being glorious for virtues and miracles, he was inscribed among the saints by the Sovereign Pontiff, Clement XIII.
• At Abia, near Aquila, in Abruzzo, the birthday of blessed Maximus, deacon and martyr, who, through the desire of suffering, presented himself to the persecutors that sought him. After answering with great constancy, he was racked and tortured, then beaten with rods, and finally he died by being precipitated from an elevated place.
• At Agen, in France, St. Caprasius, martyr. As he was hiding himself in a cavern to avoid the violence of the persecution, the report of the blessed virgin Faith's courage in suffering for Christ animated him to endure torments, and he prayed to God that, if he were deemed worthy of the glory of martyrdom, clear water might flow from the rock of his cavern. God having granted his prayer, he went with confidence to the scene of combat, and after a valiant struggle, merited the palm of martyrdom under Maximian.
• At Antioch, St. Artemius, imperial officer. Although he had filled high stations in the army under Constantine the Great, Julian the Apostate, whom he had reprehended for his cruelty towards Christians, ordered him to be beaten with rods, subjected to other torments, and finally beheaded.
• At Cologne, the martyrdom of the holy virgins Martha and Saula, with many others.
• At Minden, the birthday of St. Felician, bishop and martyr.
• At Paris, the holy martyrs, George, deacon, and Aurelius.
• In Portugal, St. Irene, virgin and martyr.
• In the diocese of Rheims, St. Sindulphus, confessor.

The Twenty-First Day of October

• In Cyprus, the birthday of the holy abbot Hilarion. His life, full of virtues and miracles, was written by St. Jerome.
• At Cologne, the birthday of the Saints Ursula and her companions, who gained the martyrs' crown by being massacred by the Huns for the Christian religion and their constancy in keeping their virginity. Many of their bodies were deposited at Cologne.
• At Ostia, St. Asterius, priest and martyr, who suffered under the emperor Alexander, as we read in the Acts of the blessed pope Callistus.
• At Nicomedia, the birthday of the Saints Dasius, Zoticus, Caius, and twelve other soldiers, who, after suffering various torments, were submerged in the sea.
• At Maronia, near Antioch, in Syria, St. Malchus, monk.
• At Lyons, St. Viator, deacon of blessed Justus, bishop of that city.
• At Laon, St. Cilinia, mother of blessed Kemigius, bishop of Rheims.

The Twenty-Second Day of October

• At Jerusalem, the blessed bishop Mark, a celebrated and learned man, who was the first Gentile that governed the chuch of Jerusalem. His brief episcopate was rewarded by the palm of martyrdom, under the emperor Antoninus.
• At Adrianople, in Thrace, the birthday of the holy martyrs Philip, bishop, Severus, priest, Eusebius, and Hermes, who, after being imprisoned and scourged, were burned alive, in the time of Julian the Apostate.
• Also, the holy martyrs Alexander, bishop, Heracilus, soldier, and their companions.
• At Fermo, in the Marches, St. Philip, bishop and martyr.
• At Huesca, in Spain, the holy virgins Nunilo and Alodia, sisters, who endured martyrdom by being condemned to capital punishment by the Saracens for the confession of the faith.
• At Cologne, St. Cordula, one of the companions of St. Ursula, who, being terrified at the torments and slaughter of the other virgins, hid herself, but soon repenting, came forward the next day, and last of all received the crown of martyrdom.
• At Hierapolis, in Phrygia, St. Abercius, bishop, who flourished under the emperor Marcus Antoninus.
• At Rouen, St. Melanius, bishop, who was ordained by pope St. Stephen, and sent thither to preach the Gospel.
• In Tuscany, St. Donatus, of Scotland, bishop of Fiesoli.
• At Verona, St. Verecundus, bishop and confessor.
• At Jerusalem, St. Mary Salome, who, as we read in the Gospel, piously attended to the burial of our Lord.

The Twenty-Third Day of October

• In the territory of Ossuma, in Spain, near Cadiz, the holy martyrs Servandus and Germanus, in the persecution of Diocletian, under the lieutenant Viator. After being subjected to scourging, imprisonment in a foul dungeon, want of food and drink, and the fatigue of a very long journey, which they had to perform loaded with fetters, they at length reached the term of their martyrdom by having their heads stricken off. Germanus was buried at Merida, and Servandus at Seville.
• At Antioch, in Syria, the birthday of the holy priest Theodore, who was arrested in the persecution of the impious Julian. After being racked, after suffering many severe torments, and the burning of his sides with torches, as he persevered in the confession of Christ, he was put to the sword, and thus consummated his martyrdom. --At Granada, in Spain, blessed Peter Paschasius, bishop of Jaen and martyr, of the Order of Mercedarians. He suffered on the 6th of December.
• At Constantinople, St. Ignatius, bishop, who, for having reproved the emperor Bardas for putting away his wife, was subjected by him to many insults and driven into banishment. Being restored to his See by the Roman Pontiff Nicholas, he finally rested in peace.
• At Bordeaux, St. Severin, bishop of Cologne and confessor.
• At Rouen, St. Romanus, bishop.
• At Salerno, St. Verus, bishop.
• In Picardy, St. Domitius, priest.
• In Poitou, St. Benedict, confessor.
• Near Villack, in Hungary, St. John of Capistran, confessor, of the Order of Minorites, illustrious by the sanctity of his life, and his zeal for the propagation of the Catholic faith. By his prayers and miracles, he routed a most powerful army of Turks and forced them to raise the seige of Belgrade.

The Twenty-Fourth Day of October

• ST. Raphael the Archangel.
• At Venosa, in Basilicata, the birthday of the holy martyrs Felix, African bishop, Audactus and Januarius, priests, Fortunatus and Septimus, lectors. In the time of Diocletian, after having been a long time loaded with fetters, and imprisoned in Africa and Sicily by the governor Magdellian, as Felix refused absolutely to deliver the sacred books, according to the emperor's edict, they finally closed their lives by being beheaded.
• At Nagran, in Arabia Felix, the passion of the Saint Aretas and his companions, to the number of three hundred and forty, in the time of the emperor Justin, under the Jewish tyrant Dunaan. After them was burned alive a Christian woman, whose son, five years old, confessed Christ lisping, and as he could neither by caresses nor threats be stopped, he rushed into the fire in which his mother was burning.
• At Cologne, St. Evergistus, bishop and martyr.
• At Constantinople, St. Proclus, bishop.
• In Bretagne, the departure from this life of St. Maglorious, bishop, whose body rests at Paris.
• In Campania, St. Mark, solitary, whose renowned actions have been recorded by St. Gregory.

The Twenty-Fifth Day of October

• At Rome, the holy martyrs Chrysanthus, and his wife Daria. After many sufferings endured for Christ, under the prefect Celerinus, they were ordered by the emperor Numerian to be thrown into a sandpit on the Salarian road, where, being overwhelmed with earth and stones, they were buried alive.
• Also, at Rome, the birthday of forty-six holy soldiers, who were baptized together by pope Denis, and soon after beheaded by order of the emperor Claudius. They were buried on the Salarian way, with one hundred and twenty-one other martyrs. Among them are named four soldiers of Christ Theodosius, Lucius, Mark and Peter.
• At Soissons, in France, in the persecution of Diocletian, the holy martyrs Crispin and Crispinian, noble Romans. Under the governor Rictiovarus, after horrible torments, they were put to the sword, and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom. Their bodies were afterwards conveyed to Rome, and entombed with due honors in the church of St. Lawrence, in Panisperna.
• At Florence, St. Minias, a soldier, who fought valorously for the faith of Christ and was gloriously crowned with martyrdom during the reign of Decius.
• At Torres, in Sardinia, the holy martyrs Protus, priest, and Januarius, deacon, who, being sent to that island by pope St. Caius, were put to death, under the governor Barbarus, in the reign of Diocletian.
• At Constantinople, the martyrdom of the Saints Martyrius, sub-deacon, and Marcian, chanter, who were murdered by the heretics, under the emperor Qonstantius.
• At Rome, St. Boniface, pope and confessor.
• At Perigueux, in France, St. Fronto, who, being made bishop by the blessed apostle Peter, converted to Christ, with a priest named George, a large number of the people of that place, and, renowned for miracles, rested in peace.
• At Brescia, the birthday of St. Gaudentius, bishop, distinguished by his learning and holiness.
• At Javols, St. Hilary, bishop.

The Twenty-Sixth Day of October

• At Rome, in the time of the emperor Adrian, St. Evaristus, pope and martyr, who enriched the Church of God with his blood.
• In Africa, the holy martyrs Rogatian, priest, and Felicissimus, who received the bright crown of martyrs, in the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus. They are mentioned by St. Cyprian in his epistle to the Confessors.
• At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs Lucian, Florius and their companions.
• The same day, St. Quodvultdeus, bishop of Carthage. By the Arian king Genseric, he and his clergy were put on board of leaking boats without oars or sails, but beyond all expectations he landed at Naples, and there in exile died a confessor.
• At Narbonne, St. Rusticus, bishop and confessor, who flourished in the time of the emperors Valentinian and Leo.
• At Salerno, St. Gaudiosus, bishop.
• At Pavia, St. Fulk, bishop.
• At Hildesheim, in Saxony, St. Bernward, bishop and confessor, who was ranked among the saints by Celestine III.
• Also, St. Quadragesimus, sub-deacon, who raised a dead man to life.

The Twenty-Seventh Day of October

• The vigil of the holy apostles Simon and Jude.
• At Avila, in Spain, the Saints Vincent, Sabina and Christeta, who were first stretched on the rack in such a manner that all their limbs were dislocated; then stones being laid on their heads, and their brains beaten out with heavy bars, they terminated their martyrdom under the governor Dacian.
• At Tilchatel, St. Florentius, martyr.
• In Cappadocia, the holy martyrs Capitolina, and Erotheides, her handmaid, who suffered under Diocletian.
• In India, St. Frumentius, bishop. While he was a captive there he was consecrated bishop by St. Athanasius, and preached the Gospel in that country.
• In Ethiopia, St. Elesbaan, king, who, after having defeated the enemies of Christ and sent his royal diadem to Jerusalem, in the time of the emperor Justin, led a monastical life, as he had vowed, and went to his reward.

The Twenty-Eighth Day of October

• The birthday of the blessed apostles Simon the Cananean, and Thaddeus, who is called Jude. Simon preached the Gospel in Egypt, Thaddeus in Mesopotamia. Afterwards, entering Persia together, they converted to Christ a numberless multitude of the inhabitants, and then underwent martyrdom.
• At Rome, in the reign of Claudius, St. Cyrilla, virgin, daughter of St. Tryphonia, who was pierced through the throat for the faith of Christ.
• In the same city, the holy martyrs Anastasia the Elder, virgin, and Cyril. In the persecution of Valerian, under the prefect Probus, Anastasia was bound with chains, buffeted, subjected to fire and scourging, and, as she remained immovable in the confession of Christ, her breasts were cut off, her nails plucked out, her teeth broken, and her hands, feet and head severed from her body. Bedecked with her sufferings as with so many jewels, she went to her spouse. At her request, Cyril gave her some water to drink, and for his reward became a martyr.
• At Como, St. Fidelis, martyr, under the emperor Maximian.
• At Mayence, St. Ferrutius, martyr.
• At Meaux, St. Faro, bishop and confessor.
• At Naples, St. Gaudiosus, an African bishop, who came to Campania because of the persecution of the Vandals, and closed peacefully his holy career in a monastery near that city.
• At Vercelli, St. Honoratus, bishop.

The Twenty-Ninth Day of October

• In Lucania, the holy martyrs Hyacinthus, Quinctus, Felician and Lucius.
• At Sidon, in Phoenicia, St. Zenobius, a priest. Whilst the last persecution was raging, by exhorting others to martyrdom, he was himself deemed worthy of it.
• The same day, the holy bishops Maximilian, martyr, and Valentine, confessor.
• At Bergamo, St. Eusebia, virgin and martyr.
• At Jerusalem, the birthday of blessed Narcissus, a bishop distinguished for holiness, patience and faith, who went to the kingdom of God at the age of one hundred and sixteen years.
• At Autun, St. John, bishop and confessor.
• At Cassiope, in the island of Corfu, St. Donatus, mentioned by the blessed pope Gregory.
• At Vienne, the departure from this world of blessed Theodore, abbot.

The Thirtieth Day of October

• In Africa, the birthday of two hundred and twenty holy martyrs.
• At Tangier, in Morocco, St. Marcellus, a centurion, who endured martyrdom by being beheaded under the vice-prefect Agricolaus.
• At Alexandria, in the reign of Decius, thirteen holy martyrs, who suffered with Saints Julian, Eunus and Macarius.
• In the same place, St. Eutropia, martyr, who visited the martyrs, and was so cruelly tortured with them that she breathed her last.
• At Cagliari, in Sardinia, St. Saturninus, martyr, who was beheaded under the governor Barbarus, during the persecution of Diocletian.
• At Apamea, in Phrygia, St. Maximus, martyr, under the same Diocletian.
• At Leon, in Spain, the holy martyrs Claudius, Lupercus, and Victorius, sons of the centurion St. Marcellus, who were condemned to decapitation, in the persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, under the governor Diogenian.
• At AEgea, in Cilicia, the martyrdom of the Saints Zenobius, bishop, and Zenobia, his sister, under the emperor Diocletian and the governor Lysias.
• At Altino, St. Theonestus, bishop and martyr, who was killed by the Arians.
• At Paris, St. Lucanus, martyr.
• At Antioch, St. Serapion, a bishop very celebrated for his learning.
• At Capua, St. Germanus, bishop and confessor, a man of great sanctity, whose soul, at the hour of death, was seen by St. Benedict taken to heaven by angels.
• At Potenza, in Basilicata, St. Gerard, bishop.
• At Palma, in the island of Majorca, St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, a lay brother of the Society of Jesus, whom Leo XII. beatified and Leo XIII. canonized on account of his remarkable humility and constant love of mortification.

The Thirty-First Day of October

• The vigil of All Saints.
• At Rome, the birthday of blessed Nemesius, deacon, and his daughter, the virgin Lucilla. As they could not be prevailed upon to abandon the faith of Christ, they were beheaded on the 25th of August by order of the emperor Valerian. Their bodies were buried by the blessed pope Stephen, and afterwards more decently entombed on this day, on the Appian road, by blessed Xystus. Gregory V. translated them into the sacristy of Santa Maria Nova, together with the Saints Symphronius, Olympius, tribune, Exuperia, his wife, and Theodulus, his son, who, being all converted by the exertions of Symphronius, and baptized by the same St. Stephen, had been crowned with martyrdom. These holy bodies were found there during the Pontificate of Gregory XIII., and placed more honorably beneath the altar of the same church, on the 8th of December.
• The same day, the Saints Ampliatus, Urbanus and Narcissus, who are mentioned by St. Paul in his epistle to the Romans. They were put to death by the Jews and Gentiles for the Gospel of Christ.
• At Saint-Quentin, in France, St. Quinctinus, Roman citizen and senator, who endured martyrdom under the emperor Maximian. By the revelation of an angel, his body was found incorrupt after the lapse of fifty-five years.
• At Constantinople, St. Stachis, bishop, who was consecrated first bishop of that city by the blessed apostle Andrew.
• At Milan, St. Antoninus, bishop and confessor.
• At Ratisbon, St. Wolfgang, bishop.

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