St. Maria Goretti was born in 1890 in Italy. In 1902, when St. Maria was 12, she was attacked by a farm-hand named Alessandra Serenelli. He tried to rape the young girl, but she fought him and yelled that it was a sin. Serenelli choked and stabbed her. St. Maria survived the attack for two...Read More

The Protomartyrs of Rome lived in the first century. Nero accused these Christian men and women of burning Rome, although Nero was the actual culprit. Some martyrs were fed to wild animals, some were crucified and others were burned at banquets. They are called the Protomartyrs of Rome because they died before Ss. Peter and...Read More

St. Audrey, a princess, was born circa 640. She married but was widowed three years later. Although St. Audrey took a vow of virginity, she married again for political reasons. Her second husband became impatient with her vow and tried to convince the local bishop, St. Wilfrid of York, to release her from it. Instead,...Read More

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born to a noble family on March 9, 1568, in Lombardy, Italy. His kidney disease caused him to spend a lot of time in bed, but the saint considered it a blessing because it gave him plenty of time for prayer. He joined the Jesuits when he was 18 years old....Read More

Blessed John Dominic was born in Florence, Italy, in 1356. He joined the Dominican order when he was 17 years old. He became a priest and preached in Venice, Italy, for a dozen years. Blessed John Dominic was a great supporter of Christian education for youths. He served as confessor and advisor to Pope Gregory...Read More

St. Ephrem of Syria was born circa 306. He converted to Christianity and was baptized at age 18. A deacon and preacher, he may have gone to the Council of Nicaea in 325. During a persecution of Christians in his land St. Ephrem led believers to Edessa, where he founded a school of theology. The...Read More

St. Erasmus was the bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. During Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians, St. Erasmus fled and was supposedly fed by a raven in order to keep hiding. The first time he was captured, an angel rescued him. The second time he was captured circa 303, he was martyred and became one of...Read More

St. Ferdinand III of Castile was born to a royal family near Salamanca, Spain, in 1198. He became king of Castile in 1217 and king of Leon in 1230. Later he became king of Palencia, Valladolid and Burgos. St. Ferdinand founded the University of Salamanca and rebuilt the Cathedral of Burgos. The saint also founded...Read More