St. Christopher, after learning about Christ from a hermit, struggled with prayer and fasting. Instead, he offered to serve by helping travelers cross a dangerous river. One day, a child asked for help crossing. As they reached midstream, the river rose, and the child became extremely heavy. With great effort, St. Christopher delivered the child safely. The child revealed that He was Christ, and St. Christopher had carried not only Him but the weight of the world. The child then disappeared. The name "Christopher," meaning "Christ-bearer," reflects this legend of carrying Christ across the river. St. Christopher ~220 - 251 Feast Day: July 25 Location: Lycia, Asia Minor Identifiers: Martyr Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Christopher found a hermit who taught him all about Christ, the King of Kings. The hermit suggested that he spend his life in prayer and fasting, a thing which St. Christopher, a large and probably often hungry man found difficult, he objected. The hermit suggested he then find something else that would please Christ. St. Christopher offered to work at a nearby river, and help travelers across. The fording was dangerous and many with less strength people had drowned. The hermit advised St. Christopher this would please Christ. One day, a child approached St. Christopher by the river and asked to be helped across. St. Christopher obliged. However, as he entered midstream, the river rose and the child's weight grew and became extremely heavy. It was only by great exertion that St. Christopher safely delivered the child to the other side. When St. Christopher asked the child why he was so heavy, the child explained that He was the Christ and when St. Christopher carried Him, he also carried the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. The child then vanished. The name "Christopher" means Christ-bearer, and may allude to the legend of the man carrying the Christ Child across the river. His Feast Day is July 25. Next Item Previous Item

Tranquillis was likely martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The Roman Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305) was severely anti-Christian and persecuted the Church and the early Christians. Many saints were martyred during this time and suffered greatly for their faith. Modern historians estimate that between 3,000 and 3,500 Christians were martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. St. Tranquilus 3rd - 4th Century Feast Day: July 6 Location: Rome, Italy Identifiers: Martyr Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone Tranquillis was likely martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The Roman Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305) was severely anti-Christian and persecuted the Church and the early Christians. Many saints were martyred during this time and suffered greatly for their faith. Modern historians estimate that between 3,000 and 3,500 Christians were martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Next Item Previous Item

Andrew, whose name is Greek for “courage” or “virility,” was the son of a Galilean fisherman named Jonas and the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew lived in Capernaum, and was a follower of St. John the Baptist before being called by Christ. He recognized Jesus as the Messiah and introduced him to his brother Simon Peter. With Peter, James the Elder, and John, Andrew formed the inner circle of Jesus’ Apostles. He was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patrae. Andrew was tied, not nailed, to his cross, so that his suffering would be prolonged. His martyrdom was believed to have taken place on November 30th in 60 AD. His feast day is November 30th. St. Andrew the Apostle 1st Century Feast Day: November 30 Location: Galilee & Patras (Patræ) in Achaea, Greece Identifiers: Apostle, Martyr Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone Saint Andrew was Saint Peter’s brother and was called with him. “As [Jesus] was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:18-20). Saint John the Evangelist presents Saint Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist. When Jesus walked by one day, John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus. “Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come, and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day” (John 1:38-39a). Little else is said about Saint Andrew in the Gospels. Before the multiplication of the loaves, it was Saint Andrew who spoke up about boy who had the barley loaves and fishes (see John 6:8-9). When the Gentiles went to see Jesus, they came to Philip, but Philip had recourse to Andrew (see John 12:20-22). Legend has it that Saint Andrew preached the Good News in what is now modern Greece and Turkey and was crucified at Patras. The Gospels give us little about the holiness of Saint Andrew. He was an Apostle. That is enough. He was called personally by Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to heal with Jesus’ power and to share his life and death. Saint Andrew was martyred and crucified. He asked to be nailed to a cross different from the Cross of Jesus. In his case it was a diagonal or X-shaped cross, which has thus become known as “Saint Andrew’s Cross.” Foley, Leonard, and Pat McCloskey. Saint of the Day. 7th ed., Franciscan Media, 2013. Next Item Previous Item

St. Desiderius was a Bishop and Martyr, he was also called Dizier. A native of Genoa, Italy, he became bishop of Langres, in France. When the Visigoths invaded the region, Desiderius pleaded for his people and was martyred. St. Desiderius of Langres d. 407 Feast Day: May 23 Location: Langres, France Identifiers: Martyr, Bishop Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Desiderius was a Bishop and Martyr, he was also called Dizier. A native of Genoa, Italy, he became bishop of Langres, in France. When the Visigoths invaded the region, Desiderius pleaded for his people and was martyred. Next Item Previous Item

The life of Mary, and the journey of her veil, are not highly documented and many details have been disputed over the years. Most information points to Mary having lived in Ephesus following the death and Resurrection of Jesus, where she lived with John until she experienced her “dormition”. The Apostles, upon realizing that Mary had been assumed into heaven, collected her belongings that remained, including her veil. Tracing the remaining journey of the veil is a tough task, but it appeared briefly amid wars and transitions of power, and today resides in the Chartres Cathedral in France. Veil of the Blessed Mother 1st Century Feast Day: January 1 Location: Jerusalem Identifiers: Mother of God Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of the Veil of Mary Through the faith and obedience of a young, teenaged girl from Jerusalem, the Savior of the World came to Earth. Mary, the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne, showed immense courage when visited by the archangel Gabriel, who brought the news that she would become the Mother of Jesus. And she continued to show that courage when she remained at the foot of her Son, as He hung upon the cross. As Roman Catholics, we have more theological doctrines, teachings, prayers, teachings, and devotions to Mary than any other faith group. We hold true four very important dogmatic beliefs: 1. that she is Theotokos, or Mother of God, 2. Her perpetual virginity, 3. The Immaculate Conception, and 4. Her Assumption into heaven. It is this fourth and final dogma that leads us to a relic from the Blessed Virgin Mary; we firmly believe that following her death, she was Assumed body and spirit up into heaven. Not a single first-class relic of Mary will ever be found. However, a few of her personal items remained here on Earth, which would be second-class relics. Of these, the most venerated around the world is the veil of Mary. Through many of the monumental moments of Jesus’ life, there was the veiled Mary – presenting Jesus in the temple, initiating the first public miracle at the wedding in Cana, and even praying with the Apostles following His death. It’s unlikely that the seamstress who weaved the silk thread into a beautiful veil could ever have guessed the miracles it would be present for, sitting upon Our Lady’s head. The life of Mary, and the journey of her veil, are not highly documented and many details have been disputed over the years, but the pieces of information that we do know point to Mary having lived in Ephesus following the death and Resurrection of Jesus. She lived with John, having been instructed by Jesus upon the cross to take Mary into his house, in what is now present-day Turkey. Her death is not recorded in the scriptures, but tradition told of her body being placed in a tomb in Jerusalem, where she experienced her “dormition”, meaning that Mary did not experience the violent separation of body and spirit that occurs due to the stain of original sin; but instead, Mary, free from original sin, “fell asleep” and was assumed, body and spirit into heaven. The Apostles, upon realizing that Mary had been assumed into heaven, collected her belongings that remained, including her veil. They were kept in Jerusalem until around the year 400, before St. Jerome, the secretary to Pope Damasus I, took the Mantle of Joseph and Veil of Mary back to Rome for safekeeping. Had St. Jerome not relocated these precious relics, they likely would have been destroyed during the Muslim invasions that soon followed in Jerusalem. Tracing the remaining journey of the veil is a tough task, but history tells of the veil being transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople around the year 800. After being presented by the Empress Irene to the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, it was then given to his descendant Charles the Bald, who gave the relic to a cathedral in Chartres, France. It was in Chartres that stories tell of the veil being taken from the church and paraded as a flag of war in the year 911, when the bandit Rollo and his henchmen were besieging the town. With the veil proudly raised above the city by the bishop, Rollo and his men were defeated, and the siege failed. The veil was placed in a reliquary, which began attracting pilgrims far and wide to pray near the veil. Since the veil was viewed to provide a divine protection, many pilgrims placed shirts up against the reliquary in order to wear them prior to going to war or giving birth. The cathedral in Chartres was badly damaged by a fire in the year 1194, and many feared the veil had been destroyed. However, three days after the fire, a procession of priests emerged from the church with the relic intact, having been rushed to a crypt beneath the cathedral for safety. The cardinal of the area declared this as a sign from Mary that she desired a “more magnificent church”, and reconstruction began immediately. Fast forward to the 14th century, when a lead box was discovered at the Basilica of St. Anastasia, where St. Jerome had served as the parish priest. Two miles from St. Peter’s, the boxes were opened, and the Veil of Mary and Mantle of St. Joseph were discovered. They were immediately enshrined in the chapel, and in the 1750’s, the bishop authorized the creation of relics from tiny pieces of the veil. Scientific tests on the veil found that the silk veil is of Syrian design and can be traced back to the 1st century. At one point, the fabric was thought to be that of a tunic, but after being unwound, it was discovered to in fact be a veil. Every year in August, on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the veil is processed with great reverence. With shared reverence, have in our reliquary a small thread of this very veil in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel. May this relic guide us closer to Jesus in order to grow in faith and love for Him, just as the wearer of this beautiful veil demonstrated every day of her life. Next Item Previous Item

St. Vincent Ferrer was a Spanish Dominican preacher born in Valencia in 1350. He joined the Dominicans in 1367 and gained fame for predicting grain shipments during a famine. Serving Cardinal Pedro de Luna, who later became anti-pope Benedict XIII, Vincent declined high offices. After recovering from a near-fatal illness following a vision, he began a successful preaching tour across Western Europe. A key figure in attempting to end the Great Western Schism, he advocated for Benedict XIII to resign. Vincent died in Vannes, Brittany, and was canonized by Pope Callistus III. St. Vincent Ferrer 1350 - 1419 Feast Day: April 5 Location: Spain Identifiers: Confessor, Dominican Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Vincent Ferrer was a Spanish Dominican preacher. A native of Valencia, he joined the Dominicans in 1367 and was sent to Barcelona to complete his studies. After teaching at Lerida, he returned to Barcelona, where he earned fame for predicting accurately the timely arrival of grain ships during a famine. During the coming years, he became a member of the retinue of Cardinal Pedro de Luna, then a papal legate to the court of Aragon and the future antipope Benedict XIII. Vincent subsequently taught at the cathedral of Valencia. Summoned to Avignon, France, he took the position of confessor and apostolic penitentiary to antipope Benedict XIII, following de Luna’s irregular election as papal claimant in 1394. Vincent declined all offices and honors bestowed upon him by his patron, including the cardinalate. Vincent fell gravely ill and nearly died during a French siege of Avignon, recovering miraculously after beholding a vision of Christ, St. Dominic, and St. Francis of Assisi. In this vision, Vincent was told to go forth and preach, but he met resistance from antipope Benedict, who was reluctant to have him leave Avignon. In 1389, Benedict finally gave his permission, and Vincent launched upon a preaching tour across Western Europe. Eloquent and passionate, he attracted huge crowds of believers and was soon esteemed across Christendom. In Spain, he was named one of the nine judges to decide the succession to the crown of Aragon. King Ferdinand I, also known as Ferdinand the Just, was subsequently chosen. One of Vincent’s finest achievements was his effort to end the Great Western Schism, which had divided the Church since 1378. While he believed that Benedict XIII was the legitimate pontiff, Vincent nevertheless called publicly for him to step down for the good of the Church. He also spent much time preaching for an end to the schism in 1418. In his last years, he preached in northern France, including a sermon before the royal court at Caen in 1418. He died in Vannes, Brittany, and was canonized by Pope Callistus III. Next Item Previous Item

Saint John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyła on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland. Karol’s promising academic career was cut short by the outbreak of World War II, and by 1941, he was the lone surviving member of his family. He decided to enter the priesthood the following year, and he would go on to teach at Jagiellonian University, become the youngest bishop in the history of Poland, elected Pope in 1978 (263rd Pope), and canonized in 2014. His efforts towards Catholic interfaith relationships and advocacy of national and religious freedom encouraged millions of Catholics to “be not afraid.” St. John Paul II 1920 - 2005 Feast Day: October 22 Location: Poland & Italy Identifiers: Pope, Confessor Relic located in the: Right Reliquary Type of Relic: Piece of cincture Saint John Paul II was a universal shepherd – the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, his election in 1978 ushered in the first real “globally-oriented” papacy ever. His wisdom, compassion, and faith was spread around the globe through 104 apostolic adventures to 129 different countries. He broke down unprecedented barriers, stood unabashedly opposed to violence and oppression, and made a universal call to holiness that has inspired millions of faithful Catholics. The inspiring, cheerful saint known as John Paul II was born Karol Józef Wojtyła on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice, Poland, a town of about 8,000 Catholics and 2,000 jews located only 15 miles away from the future site of Auschwitz. He was the youngest of three children, born into a loving Polish family that would sadly experience immense suffering just a few years following his birth. His mother Emelia passed away before he had even received his First Communion, and by the time he was 12, he had also lost his older siblings Olga and Edmund. His father, Karol senior, was a lieutenant in the Polish army who Karol described in writings as a “deeply religious man” whose discipline and guidance was in a way his “first seminary, a kind of domestic seminary.” Young Karol would excel in academics, play soccer regularly, and enjoy the arts of drama and poetry. He would regularly help out Fr. Kazimierz Figlewicz, his first teacher in Catholicism, at Wadowice’s main Catholic church, which was right next door to the Wojtyła’s apartment. Karol graduated from secondary school as valedictorian and would move with his father to Kraków to attend the Jagiellonian University, studying Polish language, literature, theater and poetry. He performed in local theatrical productions, and met an important spiritual mentor, Jan Tyranowski, who was a local tailor that was in charge of youth ministry for the local church. Jan introduced the college-aged Karol to the Carmelite mysticism of St. John of the Cross, which would greatly influence Karol’s journey towards the priesthood and motivations that the church might improve the world. Karol’s promising academic career (he learned as many as 15 languages at Jagiellonian University!) was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. Nazi Germany invaded in September of 1939 and occupying forces closed his school. The two Wojtyłas joined thousands fleeing to the east, but after learning that the Russians had invaded Poland, they returned to Kraków. In order to avoid arrest and deportation, Karol worked in a stone quarry, with night shifts at a chemical plant, all the while still attending clandestine classes to continue his studies. Karol returned home from work on February 18, 1941 to find his father had died of a heart attack. Before his 21st birthday, Karol Wojtyła was his family’s lone surviving member. The very next year, he decided to enter the priesthood. While still working at the chemical factory, he began attending illegal seminary classes run by the Archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Sapieha. On August 5, 1944, Karol’s journey to the priesthood was nearly curtailed by a day known as “Black Sunday”, when the Gestapo rounded up more than 8,000 men and boys in Kraków to prevent an uprising similar to what was happening in Warsaw at the time. He hid in the basement of his uncle’s house, and would soon escape to the Archbishop’s palace, where he would remain for the rest of the war. Karol recalled witnessing numerous Nazi horrors during this time, including the murder of many priests, which alongside the teachings of St. John of the Cross, helped him embrace the redemption that could be gained through suffering, and the true meaning of the priesthood. On November 1st, 1946, the feast of All Saints Day, Karol was ordained a priest by Cardinal Sapieha. He immediately traveled to Rome to continue his doctoral studies, earning a doctorate in theology in 1948 and a doctorate in philosophy in 1953. He returned to Poland and began teaching in the Jagiellonian University. Soon after he was made assistant pastor of a parish in Niegowic. The young priest quickly became a spiritual leader and mentor for many, forming a circle of young adult friends who would go on kayaking and camping trips to celebrate Mass in the open, despite a ban on unapproved worship outside of churches by the communist regime. Karol continued to pray, write and teach ardently, impressing church leaders so much that in 1958, Pope Pius XII appointed him an auxiliary bishop of Kraków, the youngest bishop in the history of Poland. What followed next was a rapid ascension through the priestly hierarchy, largely in part from his participation and contributions during the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). In December 1963, Pope Paul VI named him archbishop of Kraków, and in 1967, he became a cardinal. As a cardinal, he made waves alongside Stefan Wyszyński, the archbishop of Warsaw, by declaring that “Christianity, not communism, was the true protector of the poor and oppressed.” He defied communist authorities by holding Masses in Kraków’s new industrial suburb, Nowa Huta, where he wanted to build a church. Despite their best attempts, nothing the communists could do seemed to slow Karol down, and he consecrated Nowa Huta’s Ark Church in 1977. The authorities forced the upstart cardinal archbishop to develop a public speaking style that would ultimately work against them – by attempting to deny Wojtyła access to the media, he in turn traveled far and wide to reach the people. This developed the future pope’s ability to skillfully communicate with large crowds, of which he would soon be seeing. In August 1978, a papal conclave was held to elect the successor of Pope Paul VI. Albino Luciani, an Italian Cardinal who was the first pope to have been born in the 20th century, was elected and took the name Pope John Paul I, only to pass away 33 days later. At the second conclave of 1978, it was Karol Wojtyła that the white smoke heralded, emerging as Pope John Paul II on October 16, 1978. He was the first pope ever from a Slavic country. At his installation Mass on October 22, 1978, he repeated the phrase “Be not afraid!”, which would become a recurring theme for him, along with his Episcopal motto, taken from the profound teachings of St. Louis de Montfort: “Totus Tuus – I am completely yours.” In his first year alone as Pope, John Paul II went on four different trips abroad – bouncing around the world between Mexico, Poland, Ireland, Turkey and the United States. At each stop, large crowds gathered to hear him preach and give counsel to leaders and laity alike, with his impassioned speeches calling upon every person to care for the poor and respect the dignity of every human person. He would become the most widely-traveled pope ever during his nearly 27-year pontificate (the third-longest reign in history), but his presence on the world stage never took precedence over his pastoral duties, writing 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions and 45 Apostolic Letters, alongside five books during his time as pope. He also emphasized the universal call to holiness by beatifying 1,338 people and canonizing 482 saints, which was more than all 263 previous popes combined. He also established World Youth Day, and the World Meeting of Families, both born from his concern and focus on marriage and the family. On May 13, 1981, the feast day of Our Lady of Fátima, the world was shocked by an attempted assassination on Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s square by a 23-year old Turkish man, Mehmet Ali Agca. Two years later, the world was shocked again by JPII, having recovered from his abdomen wound, made a personal visit to his attacker in prison to forgive him. The pope credited the Virgin of Fátima for guiding the bullet from his would-be assassin away from his vital organs. John Paul II continued with his missionary activities, holding meetings with government officials, religious leaders from other faiths, and countless other important individuals to impress on them the need for peace, the abolishing of materialism, and the beauty of interfaith initiatives. In 1986, despite the scorn of many, Pope John Paul II invited the leaders of all major religions to Assisi, Italy for a universal prayer service for world peace. By the mid 90’s, he had spent a considerable amount of time orchestrating acts of interfaith reconciliation – many involving general apologies for the sins committed by Catholics against others throughout history, including those during the Crusades, against indigenous peoples, non-Catholic christians, Muslims, Jews, and more. He would go on to become the first pope to ever enter a synagogue, where he embraced the chief rabbi at the Great Synagogue of Rome, as well as the first pope to enter a mosque, entering the Great Mosque of Damascus to pray at the shrine of St. John the Baptist in the company of the Muslim clerics. As the new millennium was ushered in, Pope John Paul II continued to change the world through his tireless ministry. His televised audiences captivated millions, his pastoral efforts established numerous dioceses, and he continued to travel even as the once-robust pope became slowed by Parkinson disease and a series of operations. When his aides would urge him to slow down, he would respond, “Si crollo, crollo” (“If I collapse, I collapse”). After 2003, he appeared in public only when seated, and by Easter 2005, he was unable to speak to the millions of pilgrims he blessed from his apartment window, due to a tracheotomy. Hundreds of thousands of young people kept vigil beneath the window of the papal apartment in April of 2005, as Pope John Paul II breathed his last. He died on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 5, 2005 at 9:37 pm. His last audible words were “Let me go to my Father’s house.” More than three million pilgrims traveled to Rome to pay their respects to JPII, whose witness of faith ignited the missionary hearts inside countless Catholics around the world. On April 28, 2005, a mere 23 days after John Paul’s passing, Pope Benedict XVI declared that the normal five-year waiting period needed before beginning causes of beatification and canonization would be waived for John Paul II, and on May 1, 2011, Pope John Paul II was beatified by Benedict, and finally canonized as Saint John Paul II on April 27, 2014. Saint John Paul II has a legacy unlike nearly any pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. His efforts towards Catholic interfaith relationships, understanding of political participation, advocacy of national and religious freedom, and stance on traditional church positions made an impact that will resonate for many generations to come. He was an endearing and prayerful pope, and is now in heaven among the communion of saints, beckoning to all Catholics young and old, to “be not afraid” and join him. Next Item Previous Item

Chiara Offreduccio was a teenager living in Assisi, Italy when she heard St. Francis preach, and a mission was sparked within her to live a life after the Gospel. That mission would lead her to start a religious order, defend her monastery from attack with only the Blessed Sacrament, and become Saint Clare of Assisi. With a passion for poverty, Clare chose to shed her attachments to this world and embark on a radical mission of holiness and simplicity. Her courageous life still guides the more than 20,000 Poor Clare sisters in over 70 countries to this day. Her feast day is August 11th. St. Clare of Assisi 1194 - 1253 Feast Day: August 11 Location: Assisi, Italy Identifiers: Virgin, Founder of Poor Clares, Franciscan Relic located in the: Left Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone In 1212 A.D., Francis of Assisi was preaching at a Lenten service at a church in Assisi, his message reached the ears of a teenager named Chiara Offreduccio, and a mission was sparked within her to live a life after the Gospel. That mission would lead her to found a religious order, defend her monastery from attack with nothing but the Blessed Sacrament, and become Saint Clare of Assisi. Born in Assisi, Italy on July 16, 1194, She was the oldest daughter to her wealthy parents, Favarone and Ortolana. Her mother was a devout woman who had traveled on multiple pilgrimages to Rome and the Holy Land, she passed her love of prayer down to Clare. She embraced prayer at a young age. She was 18 years old when Saint Francis of Assisi came to the church of San Giorgio in Assisi to preach, and the words that she heard would change her life. She asked Francis to help her further dedicate her life to God, and he vowed to help her. Clare refused to marry a man her parents arranged for her, and on Palm Sunday in the year 1212, she fled to the Porziuncula to meet Francis. She knew there was no turning back now that the message of Christ was ignited within her heart, and she exchanged her rich, fancy gown for a rough, woolen robe and veil, and had her golden hair sheared down to a short, cropped cut. She took vows dedicating her life to God, and the Second Order of Saint Francis had begun. Clare traveled to the convent of Benedictine nuns of San Paulo, but her father, enraged with her leaving their family and refusing to marry, attempted to force her to return home. He arrived at the monastery alongside her uncles and would’ve resorted to dragging Clare back to their castle, had she not clung desperately to the altar of the church, resisting any attempt to move her. Throwing back her veil to reveal her cropped hair, she professed that she would have “no other husband than Jesus Christ” and her family, recognizing her unbreakable will, left in defeat. Clare and her sisters relocated to the newly repaired San Damiano monastery. Clare’s aim was to live a simple, holy life filled with poverty and Jesus, and that quickly attracted more women who desired to be brides of Jesus in the bold way Clare was pursuing. They soon became known as the “Poor Ladies of San Damiano”, following a simple rule that Francis had established for them. Included in this rule was a focus on austerity, seclusion from the world, and deep poverty. Clare and her fellow sisters did not wear shoes, eat meat, or sleep in a bed, and they kept silent for the large majority of the day. Their lives were filled with manual labor and prayer, but their joy was undeniable. So committed to a life of abject poverty was Clare, that when officials such as King Gregory IX and the Pope himself suggested they tone down their practices, Clare responded “I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ.” Clare humbly served the Lord, but her sanctity and dedication to the Lord was apparent. Many stories tell of her returning from prayer with her face so shining that it dazzled those nearby. Popes, Cardinals and Bishops would travel to the church of San Damiano to consult with her but despite her growing notoriety (she was sometimes given the title “alter Franciscus” which translates to “another Francis”), she never left the cloistered walls of San Damiano. She would later defend her order valiantly in September of 1240 and June of 1241, when a pair of armies attempted to attack their monastery. Violent soldiers from Frederick II were on their doorstep ready to attack, when Clare went out to meet them with the Blessed Sacrament, displayed prominently in a monstrance. Raising up the monstrance to where the enemies could see it, she fell to her knees and begged God to save them. Struck by a sudden fear, the attackers fled as fast as they could, without laying hand on a single person in Assisi. Despite her health declining rapidly in her later years, Clare would devote herself to crafting her own rule of life for the Poor Clares, one that would remain faithful to the true mission of their order and be resilient to any attempts to water it down. On August 9, 1253, Pope Innocent IV visited Clare on her deathbed and declared that her rule would serve as the governing rule for the Poor Clares. It is believed to have been the first set of monastic guidelines written by a woman. Two days later, Clare passed away after receiving absolution from the Pope. Before she died, she turned to speak to one of the Franciscan brothers at her bedside and said, “Dear brother, ever since through His servant Francis I have known the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I have never in my whole life found any pain or sickness that could trouble me.” She was 59 years old. Just two years after her death, Pope Alexander IV canonized Clare as Saint Clare of Assisi on September 26, 1255. The examination of her miracles took just six days to complete. The Basilica of Saint Clare was finished in 1260, and her remains were transferred to a burial place beneath the high altar. In 1263, Pope Urban IV officially changed the title of the Order of Poor Ladies to the Order of Saint Clare. Saint Clare of Assisi had a passion for poverty; despite having ample opportunity to settle into a life of opulence, she chose instead to shed her attachments to this world and embark on a mission of holiness and simplicity. Her courageous resistance to the attacks by soldiers on their lives and politicians on their radical ideals made her an incredible leader, still guiding the more than 20,000 Poor Clare sisters in over 70 countries to this day. Next Item Previous Item

Aurelia was likely martyred during the reign of Diocletian. Aurelia and Neomisia were virgins captured by the Saracens. They were born in Asia and made a pilgrimage to Palestine and Rome. At Capua, they fell into the hands of the Sacracens, who had invaded that area but escaped suring a severe rainstorm. Aurelia and Neomisia took shelter at Macerata, near Anagni, Italy. They died there. Her feast day is September 25. St. Aurelia ~300 Feast Day: September 25 Location: Asia & Rome Identifiers: Virgin, Martyr Relic located in the: TBD Type of Relic: A piece of bone Aurelia was likely martyred during the reign of Diocletian. Aurelia and Neomisia were virgins captured by the Saracens. They were born in Asia and made a pilgrimage to Palestine and Rome. At Capua, they fell into the hands of the Sacracens, who had invaded that area but escaped suring a severe rainstorm. Aurelia and Neomisia took shelter at Macerata, near Anagni, Italy. They died there. Her feast day is September 25. Next Item Previous Item

St. Francis de Sales was a Catholic bishop and Doctor of the Church, renowned for his deep spirituality and gentle approach. Born in France, he became a priest and later the Bishop of Geneva, which was a center for the Protestant Reformation. Despite opposition, he reached many with his compassionate preaching and writings, emphasizing God’s love and accessible holiness. His most famous works, Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God, guide readers in spiritual growth. He co-founded the Visitation Order with St. Jane Frances de Chantal. St. Francis de Sales 1567 - 1622 Feast Day: January 24 Location: France Identifiers: Bishop, Doctor of the Church, Founder Relic located in the: Center Reliquary Type of Relic: A piece of bone St. Francis de Sales was a Bishop, founder, and Doctor of the Church, also the patron of the Catholic press. Francis was born in Avoy, in the Chateau de Sales. He studied at Annecy, in Parish (1581-1588), and the University of Padua (1588-1592), and received his doctorate in law at the age of 24. He chose to abandon a potentially brilliant secular career to enter the religious life, studying for the priesthood, despite the opposition of his family. Ordained in 1593, he became the provost of Geneva, Switzerland, and went to Chablais. There he undertook his first major mission: he went to the Chablais to preach among the Calvinists. His evangelizing labors lasted for four years and, in the face of great physical danger and challenges, he was largely successful in converting most of the inhabitants. In 1599, Francis was chosen as coadjutor bishop to Geneva. He succeeded in 1602, and became a leading figure in the Counter-Reformation and was famed for his wisdom and learning. An outstanding confessor, Francis directed Blessed Marie Acarie and St. Jane Frances de Chantal. He also founded schools and stabilized the Church in his region. With St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Francis founded the Order of the Visitation in 1610. He died at the Visitandine convent of Bellecour, Lyons, on December 28. Francis was the author of numerous and extremely popular devotional writings. Chief among these were the Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God. The Introduction began as a small manual for the use by Madame de Charmoisy, his cousin’s wife, and was intended to encourage the life of prayer and devotion. It was much respected by a wide cross section of European culture, including King James I of England. One of his most important maxims declared: “It is a mistake, a heresy, to want to exclude devoutness of life from among soldiers, from shops and offices, from royal courts, from the homes of the married.” He was called the “Gentle Christ of Geneva” while he lived and was revered in death. His beatification, held in St. Peter’s the year that he died, was the first formal beatification to be held in that basilica. He was canonized in 1653 and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1877. His feast day is January 24. Next Item Previous Item