BLESSED ANGELUS OF BORGO OF SANSEPOLCRO

Blessed Angelus of Borgo San Sepolcro,
Also known as
Angelus of Angelus de Scarpetti
Angelus of Sansepolcro

FEAST DAY: 15 February
Born at Borgo San Sepolcro modern Sansepolcro, Italy

Died 1306 at Borgo San Sepolcro modern Sansepolcro, Italy

Beatified 27 July 1921 by Pope Benedict XV


cultus approved in 1921.



Born into the Scarpetti family, Angelus entered the Augustinian Friars and became a fellow-student of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino.Missionary to England where he preached and built monasteries. Known as a miracle worker.  He was famed as a wonder-worker: once, it is narrated, he asked pardon for a man condemned to death and was refused this request but after the man's execution he raised him to life again.

BLESSED ANDREW OF CONTI.OFM

Blessed Andrew of Conti, OFM



Also known as
Andrew of Segni
Andrew of Anagni
Andrew of Comitibus

Feast day :February 15
1 February Piglio, Italy
3 February Franciscans
Born 1240 in Anagni, Italy


Died
1 February 1302 at his Mount Scalambra hermitage near Piglio, Italy of natural causes
interred in the church of San Lorenzo of the Mount Scalambra convent
tomb damaged by bombing on 12 May 1944
relics re-enshrined in the same church on 8 February 1945

Beatified
11 December 1724 by Pope Innocent XIII (cultus confirmed)

Patronage against demons
 As he is called from his birthplace, was a nephew of Pope Alexander IV. He became a Franciscan lay-brother and remained in that position although offered a cardinal's hat by Pope Boniface VIII .

   Member of the royal family of Anagni, Italy. Nephew of Pope Alexander IV. Franciscan lay-brother. Hermit in the Apennines mountains in Italy. Known as a mystic, he was routinely visited and attacked by demons his whole life. Pope Boniface VIII wished to make him a cardinal, but Andrew declined, citing his inadequacy and his love of solitude.

SAINT CLAUDE DE LA COLOMBIERE

St. Claude La Colombiere
St. Claude de la Colombière, S.J.
Feast day: February 15
Religious, priest and confessor
Born 2 February 1641 Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon, Dauphiné, Kingdom of France
Died  15  February 1682
Paray-le-Monial, Duchy of Burgundy, Kingdom of France
Beatified By: Pope Pius XI on June 16, 1929

Canonized By: Pope John Paul II on May 31, 1992



Saint Claude de la Colombire Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon, 2 February 1641 Paray-le-Monial, 15 February 1682 was a Roman Catholic priest and the confessor of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. His feast day is the day of his death, 15 February. He was a missionary and ascetical writer, born of noble parentage at Saint-Symphorien-d'Ozon , between Lyon and Vienne, in 1641.


Claude de la Colombiere is best known for his association with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and the devotion of the Sacred Heart, but his life has its own drama. He was sent to England after his spiritual direction of St. Margaret Mary was over and became embroiled in the Titus Oates "Popish Plot," was imprisoned, then banished from England. His story is part of the history of the seventeenth century.

 He was born near Lyons in 1641 and entered the Society of Jesus at Avignon. After his novitiate, he taught grammar and the humanities. Even before his ordination to the priesthood, he gained a reputation as a preacher. After completing his studies in Paris, he became tutor to the sons of Colbert, the financial minister of Louis XIV, but was dismissed from his post and returned to Avignon.


In 1675, after his solemn profession as a Jesuit, he was appointed superior at Paray-le-Monial, in which the convent of St. Margaret Mary was located. Here he became her spiritual director, encouraged her in the spread of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, and was described by our Lord as His "faithful and perfect friend."


Because of his remarkable gifts and judgment, he was sent to England, to be court preacher to the duchess of York, wife of the future James II, and took up residence in London. His radiant personality and splendid gifts were noted by everyone. When the alleged "Popish Plot" to assassinate King Charles II shook the country, Blessed Claude was accused of complicity in the plot and imprisoned. Through the intervention of Louis XIV of France, he was released, then banished from the country. He spent his last years at Paray-le-Monial, his health broken.


Thought for the Day: Blessed Claude was an amazingly gifted man, and he recognized that his gifts should be put at the service of others. He spent himself in the service of Christ and was chosen to direct someone with an important mission to the Church. Let us emulate Claude and place our gifts at the service of others.

SAINT JOSEPH OF ANTIOCH

St. Joseph of Antioch

Joseph of Antioch

Also known as Josippus
Feast day: February 15

Death: unknown


 He is sometimes called Josippus.Saint Joseph was a deacon who, with seven others, is said to have suffered martyrdom at Antioch . 

SAINT FARANNAN

St. Farannan

Feast day: February 15

Death: 590



Abbot and Irish disciple of St. Columba on Iona, Scotland. He returned to Ireland to become a hermit at AllFarannan, now Allernan, Sligo.  He eventually returned to Ireland to lead an eremitical life at All-Farannan, now Allernan, Sligo, where he probably died .

SAINT EUSEBIUS

St. Eusebius
Eusebius of Aschia
Feast day: February 15

Death: 5th century



A hermit in Aschia, Syria. Saint Eusebius is venerated in the East.

SAINT JOVITA

St. Jovita



Feast day: February 15

Born to the nobility in 2nd century Italy, the younger brother of Saint Faustinus. Deacon. Zealous preacher in Brescia, Milan, Rome, and Naples. Tortured and martyred in the persecution of Emperor Hadrian.
Patron of Brescia
Born at Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Credera Rubbiano, Italy

Died with his brother, he was thrown to the lions, but the animals refused to touch the men
beheaded in 120 at Brescia, Italy
relics reported in Brescia, Rome, Verona, and Bologna
Death: 120



Faustinus and Jovita were brothers, nobly born and natives of Brescia. All the incidents in their reputed "Acts" are of doubtful authority, and we can only be sure of their names and martyrdom. According to the tradition of Brescia, they preached Christianity fearlessly while their bishop lay in hiding. Their zeal excited the fury of the heathens against them, then they were arrested by a heathen lord called Julian. They were tortured and dragged to Milan, Rome and Naples, and then brought back to Brescia. As neither threats nor torments could shake their constancy, the Emperor Hadrian, who happened to be passing through Brescia, commended them to be beheaded. The city of Brescia honors them as its chief patrons and claims to possess their relics.  On April 18 the Roman Martyrology names the martyr St. Calocerus, who figures largely in the legendary history of St. Faustinus and Jovita, whose heroic confession he is said to have witnessed when, as a court official, he accompanied Hadrian to his native city Brescia and was present in the amphitheatre. The constancy of the two confessors and the refusal of the wild beasts to touch them brought about his conversion, and he was baptized by Bishop Apollonius with twelve thousand other citizens. He was tortured and imprisoned in several Italian towns notably in Asti, where he instructed St. Secundus who visited him in gaol. Eventually, we are told, he was taken to Albanga in Liguria and beheaded on the seashore.

SAINT DOCHOW

St. Dochow
Also known as Dochau, Dogwyn
Feast day: February 15

Death: 473



Monastic founder from Wales, possibly a bishop. Dochow formed a monastery in Cornwall, England. The Ulster Annual describes him as a bishop. In the Ulster Annal, he is styled bishop. 

SAINT CRATON AND COMPANIONS

St. Craton and Companions

Feast day: February 15


 Died . 273.

  Martyr in Rome.  Craton, a philosopher and professor of rhetoric, , converted by St. Valentine, the bishop of Termi, Italy. Caught up in the persecutions, Craton was martyred in Rome togethe with his wife and family.

SAINTS WINAMAN , UNAMAN AND SUNAMAN

Sts. Winaman, Unaman & Sunaman

Feast day: February 15

Death: 1040



With Unaman and Sunaman, martyrs of Sweden. The nephews of St. Sigfrid of Wexiow, they followed in his missionary path, going to Sweden where they were martyred by local pagans.

   This trio of nephews of Saint Sigfrid of Wexlow, followed their uncle to the Swedish mission. The Benedictine monks were martyred at Wexlow (Vaxjo) by beheading. There bodies were buried deep in the forest but the heads, which had been thrown into the nearby lake, were recovered and enshrined in the church at Vasxjo until the Lutherans removed them. These three are venerated in Sweden.

SAINT AGAPE

Agape of Terni
St. Agape

Feast day: February 15

Death: 273
The maiden, Agape, was martyred at Terni, Italy. She belonged to a group of virgins formed by Saint Valentine into a community. From the 6th to the 12th century, there was a church at Terni dedicated to her, and she is listed in early martyrologies.

SAINT WALFRID

St. Walfrid

Walfrid della Gheradesca,
Also known as Gualfredo, Galfrido
Born in Pisa, Italy;
Feast day: February 15

Death: 765

cultus confirmed in 1861.

    Walfrid, the eldest of five children and one of the wealthier citizens of the area, had five or six children of his own. After some years of married life, Walfrid and his wife decided to establish separate Benedictine monasteries on adjoining hills near Pisa. Walfrid was joined by two other married men to found his abbey of Palazzuolo, between Volterra and Piombino, and one for their wives nearby. Novices joined the foundations in large numbers, among them Walfrid's daughter, Rattruda, and his favorite son, Gimfrid, who became a priest.


   Walfrid  became a prosperous and honored citizen. He married a wife to whom he was deeply attached, and they had five sons and at least one daughter. After a time, Walfrid and his wife Thesia felt that God was calling them to enter the religious life. Walfrid had two friends - A kinsman named Gunduald and a certain Fortis, a native of Corsica: like him they were living in the world, but were drawn to a closer service of God under monastic discipline. Together they discussed the future, and were led by a dream to choose Monte Verde, between Volterra and Piombino, as the site of their future monastery. They decided to follow the Benedictine Rule of Monte Casino and, besides their own Abbey of Palazzuolo, they built at a distance of about eighteen miles a convent for women, in which their wives and Walfrid's daughter Rattruda took the veil. The new foundation attracted many novices, and before long there were sixty monks including Walfrid's favorite son Gimfrid and Gunduald's only son Andrew, who became the third Abbott and wrote the history of St. Walfrid. Gimfrid was made priest, but in an hour of temptation he flew from the monastery, taking with him men, horses and papers which belonged to the community. Walfrid, greatly distressed, sent a search party after the fugitive. On the third day, when he was praying in the midst of his monks for his son's repentance and return, he besought God also to send Gimfrid a sign which would be constantly before him as a reminder and a warning for the rest of his life. That same day Wimfrid was caught and brought back penitent, but with the middle finger of his right hand so mutilated that he could never use it again. Walfrid ruled the Abbey wisely and well for ten years, and after his death, was succeeded by Gimfrid, who inspite of his earlier lapse became, as Andrew records, a great and good pastor. St. Walfrid's cultus was confirmed in 1861. His feast day is February 15th.

SAINT QUINIDIUS

St. Quinidius
Quinidius of Vaison
Feast day: February 15

Patron of Vaison-la-Romaine

Death: 579

Hermit and bishop. Quinidius was a hermit at Aix, Provence , France, until he was  raised to the episcopacy of the see of Vaison, also in Provence,  France. He is the second patron of Vaison-la-Romaine .

SAINT FAUSTUS

St. Faustus
Faustus of Glanfeuil

Feast day: February 15

Death: 6th century



An abbot believed to be a disciple of St. Benedictine at Monte Cassino, Italy He was the biographer of St. Maurus, according to the legendary Vita Sancti Mauri of Abbot Odo of Glanfeuil

SAINT GEORGIA

St. Georgia

Georgia of Clermont
Feast day: February 15

Death: 500



Young nun who became a hermit near Clermont, Auvergne, France.

SAINT EUSEUS

Euseus of Serravalle

St. Euseus


Feast day: February 15

Death: 14th century


A good cobbler of the Piedmont and, therefore, patron of shoemakers, Saint Euseus was a hermit who lived and died near Serravalle, Piedmont, Italy. He was a  patron saint of that trade.

SAINT DRUTHMAR

St. Druthmar

Feast day: February 15

Druthmar of Lorsch

Died 1046.
In 1014, Saint Druthmar, a Benedictine of Lorsch, was appointed abbot of Corvey, Saxony,in Germany, by emperor Saint Henry II. Fervor and good observance were marks of his rule.