Solemnity of All Saints
Naming people “saints” acknowledges that they led holy lives, did the work of God, and are now with God. A saint is anyone who lives with God, whether officially recognized or not. (Taken from "Good News Day by Day: Bible …
Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg (924-994)
Saint Wolfgang was born in Swabia, Germany, and attended school near the Abbey of Reichenau. While at school, Wolfgang met Henry, a young man of noble birth who would become the archbishop of Trier. Wolfgang remained in contact with Henry, …
Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez (1533-1617)
Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Segovia, Spain. He was the son of a wool merchant who died when Alphonsus was young, leaving the business to him. He married and had three children. Not long after, he found himself a …
Saint Frumentius (4th century-c.380)
Saint Frumentius was born in Lebanon. He and his brother, Saint Aedesius, were the only survivors of a shipwreck on the Red Sea. They were discovered and taken to the royal court of Aksum, Ethiopia, where they were made members …
Saint Anthony Claret (1807-1870)
Saint Anthony Claret was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1807. As the son of a weaver, he took up his father's craft, but began studying for the priesthood to become a Jesuit. He was not able to join the Jesuits …
Saint John of Capistrano (1386-1456)
Saint John was born in Capistrano, Italy, in 1385. He was the son of a former knight. He studied law, became a lawyer in the courts of Naples, and was eventually appointed the governor of Perugia. He was incarcerated after …
Saint Abercius Marcellus (d.200)
Saint Abercius Marcellus was the bishop of Hierapolis in what is modern-day Turkey as well as a missionary. He was incarcerated for a period of time because he created a danger to civil order by countering paganism. During his imprisonment, …
Saint Hilarion (c.291-371)
Saint Hilarion was born in Palestine. He converted to Christianity and felt a calling to a life of prayer and solitude. Hilarion spent time in Egypt with Saint Anthony, who also sought prayer and solitude. While living out his vocation, …
Saint Artemius (d.363)
Saint Artemius was a soldier under Emperor Constantine the Great. He was appointed as the imperial prefect of Egypt by Emperor Constantius, and used his influential position to spread the Arian heresy. During the reign of Julian the Apostate, Artemius …
Saint Luke (1st century)
Luke is one of the four Gospel writers, or Evangelists, of the New Testament, but, unlike the others, he also wrote a second volume entitled Acts of the Apostles. Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the compassion of Jesus and his concern for …
Saint Callistus I (d.223)
As a young slave, Pope Saint Callistus I was given the task of maintaining the collected funds which were given as alms by Christians. Callistus lost the funds he was supposed to be minding, and ran away from Rome. He …
Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066)
Saint Edward the Confessor was born a prince in England. His father was overthrown during the Danish invasion, and Edward and his brother were sent to be killed in Denmark. The officer in charge of the transport took pity on …
Saint Kenneth (c.525-c.599)
There are many legends surrounding Saint Kenneth. According to one popular legend, he was born in Glengiven, Ireland. He became a monk and was ordained a priest. Kenneth spent some time in Ireland preaching, and then went to share the …
Saint Francis Borgia (1510-1572)
Saint Francis Borgia was born into a noble family in Spain. He became a duke and lived happily with his wife and their eight children. Unlike many nobles in Spain at the time, Francis was a true man of God, …
Saint John Leonardi (1541-1609)
Saint John Leonardi was ordained a priest and became very passionate about ministering to prisoners and the sick. His commitment and devotion attracted other young men to assist him, and they later become priests themselves. John and his fellow assistants …
Saint Sergius the Martyr (d.303)
Saint Sergius was an officer in the Roman army under Emperor Maximian. He was well liked by the emperor until he admitted to being a Christian after he and his fellow officer, Bacchus, refused to enter a temple of Jupiter. …
Saint Bruno (c.1030-1101)
Saint Bruno was born in Cologne, Germany, in approximately 1030. He stood with Pope Gregory VII in his battle against the corruption and decadence of the clergy. Bruno was also involved in the removal of a scandalous archbishop by the …
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska was born in Poland in 1905. She was a member of a large family, and held odd jobs to help out before joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1925. As …
Saint Leodegarius (c.615-678)
Saint Leodegarius was the son of Saint Sigrada and the brother of Saint Gerinus. His born to a noble family in France and was brought up in the court of King Clotaire II. Leodegarius was a reforming bishop of Autun …
Saint Wenceslaus (c.907-929)
Saint Wenceslaus was born in 907 near Prague. His holy grandmother raised him and wanted to put him on the throne to replace his mother, an anti-Christian. Wenceslaus eventually took over the throne. During his reign, Saint Wenceslaus focused on …
Saint Vincent de Paul (1580-1660)
Vincent de Paul made a decision to serve the poor that changed his life and changed the world. He was born in France in 1581 into a peasant family. He progressed rapidly in school, and was ordained a priest at …
Sts. Cosmos and Damian (d.303)
Cosmos and Damian were killed for their Christian faith. Other than the fact that they were martyrs, we know little about them. Legend says that they were twins who were skilled doctors in Arabia. They are venerated in that part …
Saint Sergius of Radonezh (1314-1392)
Saint Sergius was born to a noble family in Russia. His baptismal name was Bartholomew. Sergius's family was impoverished when they had to flee to Rostov, near Moscow. After the death of his parents, Sergius became a hermit, along with …
Saint Pacifico of San Severino (1653-1721)
Saint Pacifico was born into a well-off family in San Severino, Italy. He was ordained, taught philosophy, and became an accomplished preacher. Pacifico was a severe man. He fasted at all times, wore a penitential shirt made of iron, and …
