Calendar of Saints - 20 December

20 December	• yesterday • tomorrow

Saint Dominic of Silos

Also known as

Domingo of Silos

Profile

Born to a peasant family, he worked as a shepherd in his youth. Benedictine monk at San Millán de Cogolla monastery. Priest. Novice master. Prior of the house. Ordered by King Garcia III of Navarre to give him the monastery's lands, Dominic refused, and with two of his brother monks was driven from the house by force.

They sought protection from King Ferdinand I of Old Castile. They found a new home in the San Sebastian monastery at Silos, diocese of Burgos where Dominic was appointed abbot. Founded in 954, the house had fallen on hard times, had only six monks, and was in terrible shape physically, financially and spiritually. He turned around the house's spiritual life, straightened out its finances, rebuilt its structure. The house was soon a spiritual center noted for book design, printed art, its gold and silver work, and charity to the local poor. The rebuilt abbey cloisters survive to today, and are considered a great architectural treasure. Reported to heal by prayer. He got wealthy patrons to endow the monastery, and raised funds to ransom Christians taken prisoner by the Moors.

One of the most beloved of Spanish saints, there were churches and monasteries dedicated to him as early as 1085, and the monastery he rebuilt is now known as Saint Dominic's. Many miracles were attributed to his prayers after his death, especially with regard to pregnancy. Dominic's abbatial staff was used to bless Spanish queens and was kept by their beds when they were in labour. Blessed Joan de Aza de Guzmán prayed at his shrine to conceive the child whom she called Dominic, after the abbot of Silos, and who founded the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans).

Born

1000 in Cañas (modern Rioja), Navarre, Spain

Died

• 10 December 1073 in Silos, Spain of natural causes
• on 5 January 1076 his body was translated to the monastery church for veneration

Patronage

• against hydrophobia or rabies
• against insects
• against mad dogs
• captives and prisoners
• pregnant women
• shepherds

Representation

• abbot surrounded by the Seven Virtues
• chains, referring to prisoners and slaves
• mitred abbot enthroned with a book, a veil tied to his crozier

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-dominic-of-silos/

Blessed Vincent Romano

Also known as

• Vincenzo Romano
• Vincent Dominikus Romano
• Vincenzo Dominico Romano

Profile

Born to a poor but pius family. Educated in Naples, Italy where he studied the writings of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori and developed a devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Ordained in 1775. Village priest in Torre del Greco, Italy. Noted for his simple ways, his care of orphans, and his work with candidates for the priesthood. Worked to rebuild after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius of 1794, including re-building his church with his own hands. Oppressed by some French invaders of his area, and by some Italian political groups.

Born

3 June 1751 at Torre del Greco, Naples, Italy

Died

20 December 1831 at Torre del Greco, Naples, Italy of pneumonia

Beatified

17 November 1963 by Pope Paul VI at Rome, Italy

Canonized

on 6 March 2018, Pope Francis promugulated a decree of a miracle obtained through the intercession of Blessed Vincent

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-vincent-romano/

Blessed Michal Piaszczynski

Also known as

• Micheal Piaszczynski
• Michele Piaszczynski

Additional Memorial

12 June as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War II

Profile

Priest in the diocese of Lomza, Poland. Teacher and spiritual director at the Lomza seminary where he invited rabbis in order to promote inter-religious dialogue. As he was a Pole, Catholic, a priest, and a man who was friendly and sympathetic to Jews, he was imprisoned and murdered by Nazis. Martyr.

Born

1 November 1885 in Lomza, Podlaskie, Poland

Died

20 December 1940 in the prison camp in Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg, Oberhavel, Germany

Beatified

13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-michal-piaszczynski/

Blessed Lorenzo Company

Profile

Joined the Mercedarians as a young man. Commander of the convent of Santa Maria degli Angeli in El Puig, Spain. While on a mission to Tunisia in 1442 to redeem captives from slavery, he and Blessed Pierre Boffet were shipwrecked and imprisoned for ransom themselves. He spent 15 years in prison where he spent his time ministering to other prisoners. Released in 1457, he retured to Spain. Master-General of the Mercedarians on 23 June 1474. Miracle worker.

Born

1415 El Puig, Spain

Died

• 20 December 1479 in El Puig, Spain of natural causes
• interred in the church at El Puig

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-lorenzo-company/

Saint Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne

Profile

Friend of Saint Columbanus. Missionary to Switzerland. Built a monastery at Saint Ursanne in the Swiss Juras, and served as its abbot. He could not bear wine nor those who served it to him. Venerated at Basel, Switzerland; Besancon, France; and Mainz, Germany.

Born

Irish

Died

c.625

Patronage

against stiff neck

Representation

• abbot with three lilies in his hand
• abbot holding a book and fleur-de-lys, surrounded by fleur-de-lys

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-ursicinus-of-saint-ursanne/

Blessed Peter de la Cadireta

Profile

Dominican. Companion of Saint Raymond of Peñafort in Barcelona, Spain. Travelling preacher who worked against the Albigensians. Inquisitor for Spain from 1258 until his death. Prior of the Dominican convent in Urgell. Martyred for his faith and work.

Born

Moya, Catalonia, Spain

Died

• stoned to death by a group of heretics in 1277 at Urgell, Spain
• interred in the cathedral next to his two predecessors in the office
• relics translated to the church of Saint Dominic in Urgell

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-peter-de-la-cadireta/

Saint Hoger of Hamburg-Bremen

Also known as

Hogerus, Hojerus, Holger, Hotgerns, Huggar

Profile

Benedictine monk at New Corbie Abbey in Saxony, Germany. Archbishop of Bremen-Hamberg, Germany in 909. Known for insisting on strict discipline by his clergy and adherence to orthodox doctine by all the faithful.

Born

9th century

Died

• 20 December 916 in Bremen, Germany of natural causes
• buried in the church of Saint Michael, Bremen
• relics enshrined in the cathedral in Bremen in 1036

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-hoger-of-hamburg-bremen/

Saint Philogonius of Antioch

Also known as

• Filogonius
• Philogonus
• Philogonios

Profile

Married. Lawyer. Widower. Patriarch of Antioch in 319. One of the first to oppose Arianism. Saint John Chrysostom preached a beautiful eulogy on Philogonius.

Died

324 of natural causes

Patronage

lawyers

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-philogonius-of-antioch/

Saint Macarius of Arabia

Profile

Priest. With Saint Eugene, he was scourged and exiled into the Arabian desert for his faith. When they were strong enough, the two returned to preach the faith some more. Martyred in the persecutions of Julian the Apostate.

Died

stabbed with a sword in 362

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-macarius-of-arabia/

Blessed Peter Massalenus

Profile

As a layman, Peter made several pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Camaldolese Benedictine monk at San Michele di Murano, Venice, Italy in 1410. Known for his gift of mystical contemplation.

Born

1375 in Othoca, Sardinia

Died

1453 in Venice, Italy

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-peter-massalenus/

Saint Eugene of Arabia

Profile

Priest. With Saint Macarius, he was scourged and exiled into the Arabian desert for his faith. When they were strong enough, the two returned to preach the faith some more. Martyred in the persecutions of Julian the Apostate.

Died

stabbed with a sword in 362

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-eugene-of-arabia/

Saint Attala of Strasbourg

Profile

Niece of Saint Odilia of Alsace. Nun. Abbess at Strasbourg, France for 20 years. Known for her piety, prudence and charity.

Born

687

Died

741 of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-attala-of-strasbourg/

Blessed John de Molina

Profile

Mercedarian friar and commander of the convent of Saint Lazarus, Zarragoza, Spain. Noted for his personal piety, the austerity of his life, and his gift of prophecy.

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-john-de-molina/