| 16 August |
• yesterday • tomorrow |
| Optional Memorial of Saint Stephem of Hungary |
• Apostolic King
• Stephen the Great
• Istvan
20 August (translation of relics)
Born to a pagan family, but was baptized at age 10 with his father. King of the Magyars in Hungary. Married to Blessed Gisella of Ungarn, sister of emperor Saint Henry II. Evangelized both their peoples. Saint Astricus served as his advisor. Stephen united the Magyars into a single nation, suppressing revolts led by pagan nobles. Crowned king on Christmas Day 1001 by Emperor Otto III by authority of Pope Sylvester II. Organized dioceses, and founded monasteries. Father of Saint Emeric; brought Saint Gerard Sagredo to tutor his son.
969 at Esztergom, Hungary
15 August 1038 at Szekesfehervar, Hungary
1083 by Pope Saint Gregory VII
• against the death of children
• bricklayers
• Hungary
• kings
• masons
• stone masons
• stonecutters
• king with sword and banner of the cross
• king offering his crown to the Blessed Virgin Mary
• king on horseback with banner of the cross
• king holding a church in his hands
• king holding a standard or banner with the Blessed Virgin Mary
My beloved son, delight of my heart, hope of your posterity, I pray, I command, that at every time and in everything, strengthened by your devotion to me, you may show favor not only to relations and kin, or to the most eminent, be they leaders or rich men or neighbors or fellow-countrymen, but also to foreigners and to all who come to you. By fulfilling your duty in this way you will reach the highest state of happiness. Be merciful to all who are suffering violence, keeping always in your heart the example of the Lord who said, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak. Finally be strong lest prosperity lift you up to much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you may never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that ;you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death. All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown, and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain to the heavenly kingdom. - from Saint Stephen's advice to his son
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-stephen-of-hungary/
Roc, Rocco, Roche, Rochus, Rock, Rocke, Rollock, Rollox, Roque, Seemirookie
French noble who early developed a sympathy for the poor and sick; reported to have been born with the image of a red cross on his breast. Orphaned at age 20, he gave his fortune to the poor, and became a mendicant pilgrim; may have been a Franciscan tertiary. While on pilgrimage Roch encountered an area afflicted with plague. He stayed to minister to the sick, and affected several miraculous cures, usually by making the sign of the cross over them, but contracted the plague himself. He walked into a forest to die, but was befriended by a dog. The dog fed him with food stolen from his master's table, and Roch eventually recovered.
When Roch returned to Montpellier, France, he was arrested for being a spy. He languished in jail for five years, never mentioning his noble connections, cared for by an angel until his death.
1295 at Montpelier, France
• 1327 at Montpelier or Angleria, France of natural causes
• relics in Venice, Italy in the church of San Rocco; in Rome, Italy; and in Arles, France
• against cholera
• against diseased cattle
• against epidemics
• against knee problems
• against plague
• against skin diseases and rashes
• bachelors
• dogs
• falsely accused people
• invalids
• relief from pestilence
• surgeons
• tile makers
• Tagbilaran, Philippines, diocese of
• Constantinople
• 24 other assorted cities around the world
• angel
• bread
• dog
• pilgrim with staff, often displaying a plague sore on his leg
• pilgrim with a dog
• pilgrim with a dog licking the plague spot
• pilgrim with a dog carrying a loaf of bread in its mouth
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-roch/
Brother Enrique of Almazora
The son of Vicente García and Donna Concepción Beltrán, Enrique was baptized on the day of his birth. As he grew, he was known as a pious child, spending all his free time in church. He entered the Seraphic Seminary of Massamagrell, Spain at age 14. Joined the Franciscan Capuchins on 13 August 1928, and made his profession on 17 September 1935. Deacon. Devoted to the study of sacred music, singing in the choir, and devotion to the canonical hours. Imprisoned and then martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
16 March 1913 in Almazora, Diocese of Tortosa, Valencia, Spain
• 16 August 1936 at La Pedrera on the road outside Castellón, Spain
• buried in Almazora, Diocese of Tortosa, Valencia, Spain
11 March 2001 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-enrique-garcia-beltran/
Armael, Armagil, Armagilus, Armahel, Armail, Armel, Arthmael, Arthfael, Artmaglus, Arthmail, Arzel, Erme, Ermel, Ermin, Ermyn, Hermel, Thiarmail
Cousin of Saint Samson of York and Saint Cadfan. Monk. Abbot. Founded Saint-Armel-des-Boscheaux and Plou-Ermel monasteries in Brittany in coastal France. The church of Saint Erme in Cornwall in England is dedicated to him.
south Wales
c.550
• Benedictine abbot receiving royal envoys
• wearing armor and a chasuble, leading a dragon with a stole around its neck (legend says he did that and ordered the dragon to dive into a river)
• with a chained demon
• against colic
• against fever
• against gout
• against headaches
• against rheumatism
• hospitals
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-armagillus-of-brittany/
Raised to be a soldier, but when he accidentally killed a man Laurence was so overcome with remorse that he put his aside his arms and made a pilgrimage of penance to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. Benedictine monk at Subiaco, Italy. Lived 34 years as a hermit in the ruins of a mountain monastery founded by Saint Benedict. Known for this austerity; if visitors left offerings, he gave them to the poor. His reputation for holiness attracted a small community of would-be spiritual students. The title loricatus because he wore a coat of chain mail next to his skin as an act of penance; the future Pope Gregory IX finally persuaded him to give it up. Wrote a book of prayers that has survived.
c.1190 in Apulio, Italy
• 1243 at Subiaco, Italy
• relics, including an orginal manuscript of his prayer book and his armor breastplate, enshrined at Saint Benedict's Cave at Subiaco
1778 by Pope Pius VI (cultus confirmed)
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-laurence-loricatus/
Fan Hui, Luosa
Unmarried lay woman. A convert, she took the name Rosa. She served as an active and enthusiastic catechist. When the anti–Christian forces of the Boxer Rebellion moved into the area of her village, she and her friends spent the night of the Feast of the Assumption in prayer. They were all arrested the following morning. Because she was known to be so active in her faith, Rosa was beaten and repeatedly stabbed as an example to the others; she was repeatedly ordered to renounced Christianity, and she repeatedly refused. Martyr.
c.1855 in Fannjiazhuang, Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Zhili, Wujiao Hebei Province, China
beaten and thrown into a river to drowned on 16 August 1900 in Fannjiazhuang, Apostolic Vicariate of Southeastern Zhili, Wujiao Hebei Province, China
1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-rosa-fan-hui/
Priest in the diocese of Saint-Dié, France. Imprisoned on a ship in the harbor of Rochefort, France and left to die during the anti-Catholic persecutions of the French Revolution. One of the Martyrs of the Hulks of Rochefort.
5 December 1748 in Serécourt, Vosges, France
16 August 1794 aboard the prison ship Washington, in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France of infections brought on by untreated open sores
1 October 1995 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-jean-baptiste-menestrel/
Carmelite in Florence, Italy. Priest. Professor of theology at Florence and Frascati, Italy. First member of the reformed observance of Our Lady of the Wood. Prior of several houses. Noted preacher. Eventually retired to the Carmelite house in Florence, and spent his last years in prayer.
1377 at Florence, Italy
17 August 1438 at Florence, Italy
7 March 1761 Pope Clement XIII (cultus confirmed)
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-angelus-agostini-mazzinghi/
10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Young boy in the diocese of Fukuoka, Japan. Son of Blessed Thomas and Maria Gengoro. Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. Martyred at the age of two in the persecutions of governor Yetsundo.
1618 in Japan
• 17 or 18 August 1620 in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan having been crucified upside down soon after sunrise on 16 August
• body burned and ashes scattered
7 May 1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-iacobus-bunzo-gengoro/
10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Layman catechist in the diocese of Fukuoka, Japan. Married to Blessed Magdalena Kiyota Bokusai. Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. Martyred in the persecutions of governor Yetsundo.
1559 in Kiyota, Japan
• 17 or 18 August 1620 in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan having been crucified upside down soon after sunrise on 16 August
• body burned and ashes scattered
7 May 1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-simon-kiyota-bokusai/
10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Lay woman in the diocese of Fukuoka, Japan. Married to Blessed Simon Kiyota Bokusai. Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. Martyred in the persecutions of governor Yetsundo.
Kiyota, Japan
• 17 or 18 August 1620 in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan having been crucified upside down soon after sunrise on 16 August
• body burned and ashes scattered
7 May 1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-magdalena-kiyota-bokusai/
10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Lay woman in the diocese of Fukuoka, Japan. Married to Blessed Thomas Gengoro; mother of Blessed Iacobus. Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. Martyred in the persecutions of governor Yetsundo.
Kiyota, Japan
• 17 or 18 August 1620 in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan having been crucified upside down soon after sunrise on 16 August
• body burned and ashes scattered
7 May 1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-maria-gengoro/
10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Layman in the diocese of Fukuoka, Japan. Married to Blessed Maria Gengoro; father of Blessed Iacobus. Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary. Martyred in the persecutions of governor Yetsundo.
Kiyota, Japan
• 17 or 18 August 1620 in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan having been crucified upside down soon after sunrise on 16 August
• body burned and ashes scattered
7 May 1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-thomas-gengoro/
• 22 May as one of the Franciscan Martyrs of Japan
• 10 September as one of the 205 Martyrs of Japan
Franciscan priest, ordained in 1606. Missionary to Japan where he was noted for his quick mastery of the language. Arrested at Macao in 1615, he was imprisoned for three years, then executed for his faith. Martyr.
1578 at Prados, Spain
beheaded in 1618
1867 by Pope Pius IX
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-john-of-saint-martha/
Arsacio, Ursacius
Soldier in the imperial Roman army in the reign of Emperor Licinius. Convert to Christianity, which led to his arrest. Released, he lived as a hermit near Nicomedia. Miracle worker. Had the gift of prophecy; foretold the destruction of Nicomedia by an earthquake in 358.
Persian
• 24 August 358
• apparently died while praying
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-arsacius-of-nicomedia/
Married to emperor Diocletian, and a secret Christian. Through she was certainly unable to stop the massacre of Christians, she worked to help where she could to ease their persecutions and improve their lot.
Serena has been dropped from modern martyrologies due to its questionable nature and source documents.
late 3rd century
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-serena/
Theodulus, Theodore
First bishop of Valais, Switzerland, serving in the 4th century. Fought against Arianism and enshrined the relics of the Theban Legion.
Valais, Switzerland
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-theodule-of-grammont/
• Ralph de Flageio
• Radulfo, Rodolfo
Benedictine monk of Saint-Jouin-de-Marne. Helped Blessed Robert of Arbrissel found a new house. Founded the double monastery of Saint-Sulpice in 1092 in the diocese of Rennes, France, and served as its first abbot.
1129
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-ralph-de-la-futaye/
Rasbaldo, Rasbaldus
Hermit and monk in the area of Cenomanian Gaul (around modern Le Mans, France).
c.650 in Gaul (modern France) of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-frambaldo/
Deacon. Martyred by Goths during the sacking of Rome, he was murdered while distributing alms to starving Romans.
c.410
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-titus-the-deacon/
Thirty-three Christians martyred in Palestine; they are commemorated in old martyrologies, but the date and exact location have been lost.
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-palestine-16-august/
Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939. I have pages on each of them, but in most cases I have only found very minimal information. They are available on the CatholicSaints.Info site through these links:
• Blessed Amadeu Monje Altés
• Blessed Antonio María Rodríguez Blanco
• Blessed José María Sanchís Mompó
• Blessed Laurentí Basil Matas
• Blessed Plácido García Gilabert
• Martyrs of Balondillo
• Pietra di San Giuseppe Pérez Florido
• Ugolina of Vercelli
CatholicSaints.Info Portable Edition