Home Page

St. Polycarp of Smyrna was converted by St. John the Apostle. He was a bishop and a respected Christian leader in the early second century. Circa the year 155, Romans tried to burn Polycarp alive in an arena, but St. Polycarp was miraculously safe. The mob then stabbed him, and St. Polycarp died a martyr. He is the patron saint against earaches because it is said he once stated he would rather not hear than hear heretical doctrines.

St. Peter Damian was born in Italy in 1007. He left his career as a professor to become a Benedictine monk. St. Peter Damian’s health suffered when he tried to replace sleep with prayer. The Vatican called on him to help make peace among clergymen. In 1828 he was declared a doctor of the church.

St. Leo of Catania lived circa 787. He was the bishop of Catania, Sicily. Known for his holiness and learning, he was called “the wonder-worker.”

St. Alexis Falconieri was born in the 13th century in Italy. Along with six companions, he joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin in Florence in 1225. After a vision of Mary in 1233, they formed a group dedicated to prayer. After a second vision, St. Alexis and his companions founded the Servants of Mary. St. Alexis was canonized in 1888.

St. Onesimus, as mentioned in St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon, was a slave of Philemon in Phrygia circa the year 90. St. Onesimus ran away and was eventually befriended by St. Paul, who converted St. Onesimus. St. Paul sent him back to Philemon with an epistle asking Philemon to free St. Onesimus, who eventually died a martyr.

Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Greek brothers and priests, were born in 827 and 826. The emperor sent them to Russia in 861 to convert the Khazars to Christianity. They began to convert Moravians in 863 using their native language. The brothers developed a Slavonic language that eventually became what is currently known as Cyrillic. They received criticism for using native tongues instead of Greek or Latin in the liturgy, which was banned. However, the brothers’ use of native tongues helped Christianity take hold in Slavic countries. They are patron saints of ecumenism.

St. Apollonia is the patron saint of dentists, tooth disease and toothaches. In Alexandria, Egypt, around the year 249, a group of non-Christians broke her teeth and told her to commit blasphemy or be burned alive. St. Apollonia jumped into the fire.

St. Richard was the father of three saints. He died during a pilgrimage from his home in England to Rome. People reported miracles at his tomb, and he was venerated by the citizens of the Italian town in which he died. Some called him the “king of the English.”

St. Paul Miki was born in Japan and joined the Jesuits in 1580. He preached despite an anti-Christian sentiment in the political atmosphere. Along with 25 other Catholics, he was crucified Feb. 5, 1597, in Nagasaki, Japan, during a persecution of Christians. He was canonized as a martyr of Japan in 1862 by Pope Pius IX.

St. Eutychius of Rome lived in the fourth century. He was left in prison for 12 days without food before he was thrown into a well.

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. This feast day commemorates the offering of the baby Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem.