Calendar of Saints

19 April	• yesterday • tomorrow

Pope Saint Leo IX

Also known as

• Apostolic Pilgrim
• Bruno of Egisheim
• Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg
• Pilgrim Pope

Profile

Son of Count Hugh of Egisheim. Cousin of Emperor Conrad II. Chapter canon of Saint Stephen's, Toul, France. Deacon. Soldier and officer in the imperial army. In 1021, while still in the military, he was chosen bishop of Toul, France, a position he held for 20 years. Commanded troops under emperor Conrad II in the invasion of Italy in 1026. Very disciplined himself, he brought order to the monasteries in his diocese, discipline to the clergy, and the Cluniac reform to many of his houses. Mediator between France and the Holy Roman Empire. Chosen 151st pope with the support of the Roman citizens and Henry III of Germany.

Leo brought his reforming, disciplinary ways to the Church as a whole, reforming houses and parishes, fighting simony, enforcing clerical celibacy, encouraging liturgical development and the use of chant. He brought Hildebrand, later Pope Saint Gregory VII, to Rome as his spiritual advisor. Fought the coming Great Schism between the Eastern and Western churches. He received the nickname of Pilgrim Pope due to his travels through Europe, enforcing his reforms, insisting that his bishops, clergy, and councils follow suit. Held synods at Pavia, Italy, in Rheims, France, in Mainz, Germany, and in Vercelli, Italy where he condemned the heresy of Berengarius of Tours. Authorized the consecration of the first native bishop of Iceland. Peacemaker in Hungary. Proposed that Popes be elected only by cardinals.

Leo's papacy was marred by his military action. He added new Italian regions to the papal states, and when Normans invaded these areas in 1053, he personally led an army to throw them out. This resulted in wide-spread criticism, defeat in the field, his capture at Civitella, and several months imprisonment at Benevento, Italy. He spent his time there well, learning Greek to better understand the writings of the Eastern Church, but his health suffered badly, and he died soon after his release.

Born

21 June 1002 at Eguisheim, Alsace, France as Bruno of Eguisheim-Dagsburg

Papal Ascension

12 February 1049

Died

19 April 1054 in Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy of natural causes

Canonized

• 1082 by Pope Saint Gregory VII
• 1887 by Pope Blessed Victor III

Patronage

Sessa Aurunca, Italy

https://catholicsaints.info/pope-saint-leo-ix/

Saint Alphege of Winchester

Also known as

• Alphege the Martyr
• Alphege of Canterbury
• Alfege, Alphage, Alphege, Alphegus, Elphege, Godwine, Ælfheah, Aelfheah, Elfego, Elfege

Additional Memorial

8 June (translation of his relics)

Profile

Born to the nobility but gave it up to become a young monk at Deerhurst Abbey in Gloucestershire, England. Monk, anchorite, and then abbot at Bath Abbey; known for his personal piety and austerity. Bishop of Winchester, England in 984. Built several churches, installed a cathedral organ so large that it could be heard a mile away, and his charity was so great that there were reported to be no beggars in his diocese. May have helped negotiate a peace treaty in 994 which ended some Viking raids.

Archbishop of Canterbury, England in 1006. Encouraged devotion to Saint Dunstan of Canterbury. Translated the relics of Saint Swithun to Canterbury. In 1011 Danes began raiding again, laid seige to Canterbury, sacked the town, and captured Alphege along with several other Church officials, all of whom were held for ransom. Reported to have healed many of sick Danes by praying over them and feeding them blessed bread. Alphege refused to approve the payment of ransom for himself, and after several months was murdered by angry drunken Vikings, the first archbishop of Canterbury to die violently. Saint Thomas Becket was praying for Saint Alphege's intercession just before he was murdered.

Born

• 954 in Weston, Somerset, England
• Anglo-Saxon

Died

• beaten with stones and ox bones, then struck on the head with the blunt edge of an axe on 19 April 1012 in Greenwich, Kent (part of modern London), England
• interred in Saint Paul's Cathedral
• re-interred in Canterbury by King Canute in 1023
• his shrine was re-built and expanded in the early 12th century by Saint Anselm of Canterbury
• remains found incorrupt in 1105
• after a fire in the cathedral in 1174, Alphege's relics were re-interred by the high altar

Canonized

1078 by Pope Saint Gregory VII

Patronage

• Greenwich, England
• kidnap victims
• Solihull, England

Representation

• bishop holding an axe
• bishop with an axe in his head
• carrying stones in his chasuble

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-alphege-of-winchester/

Saint Expeditus of Melitene

Also known as

Died

16 April 978 of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gerold-of-saxony/

Blessed James Duckett

Profile

Saint Apollonius the Priest

A group of Christians martyred in the persecutions of Decius. We know little more than the names - Aristo, Basso, Credula, Donato, Ereda, Eremio, Fermo, Fortunata, Fortunio, Frutto, Julia, Mappalicus, Martial, Paul, Venusto, Victorinus and Victor.

Died

250 in prison in Carthage, North Africa (modern Tunis, Tunisia)

https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-carthage-19-april/

Also celebrated but no entry yet

• Conrad of Ascoli
• Emma of Saxony
• Killian
• Loubouer
• Paphnutius of Jerusalem
• Timon the Deacon

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