| 23 May |
• yesterday • tomorrow |
• John Baptist de Rossi
• John Baptist Rossi
• John Baptist de Rubeis
One of four children born to Charles de Rossi and Frances Anfossi. Taken by a wealthy noble couple to Genoa, Italy for schooling. There he met some Capuchin friars who thought well of him, and helped him continue his education in Rome, Italy. Studied under the Jesuits at the Roman College at age 13. Member of the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and the Ristretto of the Twelve Apostles. Epileptic. His self-imposed acts of austerity nearly broke his health, and he never completely regained his strength. Studied philosophy and theology under the Dominicans. Ordained on 3 March 1721, assigned to Rome.
Helped start a hospice for homeless women near Saint Galla's hospice in Rome. Canon of Santa Maria, Cosmedin in 1737; he used his compensation from the position to purchase an organ for the church. Missioner and catechist to the teamsters, farmers, herdsmen, homeless, sick, beggars, prostitutes, and prisoners of the Campagna region. For many years, John was avoided hearing confessions for fear he would have a seizure in the confessional, but the bishop of Civitá Castellana convinced him it was part of his vocation. John relented, and soon became a sought after confessor in Rome; he once said that the shortest road to heaven was to guide others there by the confessional. Sought after preacher. Assigned as catechist to many government and prison officials, including the public hangman. Miracle worker. Always had a special devotion to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga.
22 February 1698 at Voltaggio, diocese of Genoa, Italy
• 23 May 1764 at Trinita dei Pellegrini, Italy of multiple strokes
• relics initially at Saints Trinita church
• relics translated to Saint John Baptist Rossi parish church in Rome, Italy in 1965
8 December 1881 by Pope Leo XIII
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-john-baptist-rossi/
William of Perth
William led a wild and misspent youth, but as an adult he had a complete conversion, devoting himself to God, caring especially for poor and neglected children. He worked as a baker, and gave every tenth loaf to the poor. He attended Mass daily, and one morning on his way to church he found an infant abandoned on the threshold. He named the baby David, and adopted him, and taught him his trade.
Years later he and David set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands. During a stop-over in Rochester, England the boy David turned on William, clubbed him, cut his throat, robbed the body, and fled. Because he was on a holy journey, and because of the miraculous cures later reported at his tomb, he is considered a martyr.
A local insane woman found William's body, and plaited a garland of honeysuckle flowers for it; she placed the garland on William, and then on herself whereupon her madness was cured. Local monks, seeing this as a sign from God, interred William in the local cathedral and began work on his shrine. His tomb and a chapel at his murder scene, called Palmersdene, soon became sites of pilgimage and donation, even by the crown. Remains of the chapel can be seen near the present Saint William's Hospital.
12th century at Perth, Scotland
• throat cut in 1201 at Rochester, England
• interred in the cathedral at Rochester
1256 by Pope Innocent IV
adopted children
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-william-of-rochester/
• Yefrasinnya Polatskaya
• Efrasinnia, Efrosin, Euphrasinne, Evfrosinia, Pradslava
Daughter of Prince Svyatoslav of Polotsk. Granddaughter of Prince Polacak Usiaslau. Entered the Convent of Holy Wisdom at Polotsk, a house founded by her aunt, at age 12; she was later joined by her sister, two nieces, and a cousin. Hermit in a cell in the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom. Book copyist; proceeds from the sale of the books were given to the poor. Founded a convent at Seltse. Pilgrim to Constantinople; received by emperor Manuel I and Patriarch Michael III. Pilgrim to the Holy Lands where she was received by the Crusader King Amaury I. Especially venerated by Belarussians, Ruthenians, Lithuanians, and Russians.
1110 at Polotsk, Belarus as Pradslava
• 1173 at the monastery of Mar Saba near Jerusalem of natural causes
• re-interred in the Monastery of the Caves at Kiev in 1187
• relics translated to Polotsk in 1910 at the Saviour-Efrosinia Convent
1984 by Pope John Paul II in Belarus
Belarus
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-euphrosyne-of-polotsk/
Michael the Confessor
Moved to Constantinople as a young man where he became a student of Saint Tarasius of Constantinople. Friend of Saint Theophylact of Nicomedia. Monk in a monastery on the Bosporus. Recalled to Constantinople by student of Saint Tarasius who ordained him. Bishop of Synnada, Phrygia (in modern Turkey) in 787. Part of the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. Imperial diplomat to caliph Harun al-Rashid in 806, to Pope Saint Leo III in 811, and Blessed Charlemagne in 812. Exiled in 814 and imprisoned in 815 by emperor Leo V for defending the use of icons.
826 in Eudokiadu, Turkey of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-michael-of-synnada/
• Guibertus of Gembloux
• Guibert of...
Born to the French nobility. Soldier who fought in several campaigns. Hermit on his estates at Gembloux, Brabant (in modern Belgium. Founded a monastery in Gembloux. Benedictine monk at Gorze Abbey near Metz, France. Though he wanted to retire from the world, he was forced to return to Gembloux several times to defend the rights of the foundation he established to support the monastery.
in the Lorraine region of France
962 at Gorze Abbey in France of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-guibertus-of-gorze/
• Desiderius of Genoa
• Desiderio, Dizier, Didier, Désiré
11 February (Hieronymian Martyrology)
Bishop of Langres, France. Supported the Acts of the Council of Serdica in 343. Killed by Vandal invaders while trying to negotiate with them for the people in his diocese. Martyr with many of his flock.
407 in Genoa, Italy
• beheaded near Langres, France
• buried in Langres
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-desiderius-of-langres/
12 June as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War II
Priest in the diocese of Wloclawek, Poland. Murdered by occupying Nazi forces for the crime of being a Catholic priest. Martyr.
3 March 1869 in Chruscienska Wola, Lódzkie, Poland
23 May 1940 in Witowo, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland
13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-wincenty-matuszewski/
12 June as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War II
Priest in the diocese of Wloclawek, Poland. Murdered by occupying Nazi forces for the crime of being a Catholic priest. Martyr.
6 January 1910 in Swierczyni, Wielkopolskie, Poland
23 May 1940 in Witowo, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Poland
13 June 1999 by Pope John Paul II
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-jozef-kurzawa/
Lisabetta
Poor Clare nun in the monastery of Santa Chiara in Mortara, Italy.
15th century Melegnano, Italy
23 May 1530 of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-elizabeth-of-melegnano/
Mercedarian friar. In 1380 he redeemed 198 Christians who had been enslaved by Muslim Moors in Oran, Algeria. Returning to the convent, he was known by brother Mercedarians for his personal piety.
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-cristoforo-soler/
• Eutychius of Norvia
• Eutizio of...
Sixth-century hermit and monk whose piety led many to God. Miracle worker. Abbot of a monastery in Valcastoria, Italy. Pope Gregory the Great wrote about him.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-eutychius-of-valcastoria/
Florentius of Norcia
Sixth-century hermit and monk whose piety led many to God. Miracle worker. Abbot of a monastery in Valcastoria, Italy. Pope Gregory the Great wrote about him.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-florentius-of-valcastoria/
Missionary to Russia. Monk at the Caves of Kiev. Bishop of Rostov in 1051 where he served for over 25 years.
Greek
1077 of natural causes
https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-leontius-of-rostov/
Epictetus, Epictritus
First bishop of Tuy, Galatia (in modern Spain).
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-epitacius-of-tuy/
Siacre, Siagrio
Monk at Lerins, France. Founded Saint Pons Monastery at Cimiez, France. Bishop of Nice, France in 777.
c.787
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-syagrius-of-nice/
Honoratus, Honore
Benedictine monk in the early 6th century. Abbot at Subiaco, Italy, leading a community formed by Saint Benedict.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-onorato-of-subiaco/
Monk. Abbot in Campi, Italy. Totally blind for 40 years, his eyesight was suddenly restored for the last 15 days of his life.
c.515
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-spes-of-campi/
Efébo
4th century bishop of Naples, Italy.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-euphebius-of-naples/
Sixth-seventh century abbot at Old-Leighlin, County Limerick, Ireland.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-goban-gobhnena/
First bishop of Braga, Portugal.
https://catholicsaints.info/saint-basileus-of-braga/
20 Mercedarian friars murdered by Huguenots for being Catholic. Martyrs.
1562 at the Mercedarian convent at Béziers, France
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-beziers/
A group of Christians tortured and martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian and Galerius. Their names and the details of their lives have not come down to us.
having their bones crushed, c.303 in Cappadocia (in modern Turkey)
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-cappadocia/
When a civil revolt erupted in Carthage in 259 during a period of persecution by Valerian, the procurator Solon blamed it on the Christians, and began a persecution of them. We know the names and a few details about 8 of these martyrs - Donatian, Flavian, Julian, Lucius, Montanus, Primolus, Rhenus and Victorius.
African
beheaded in 259 at Carthage (modern Tunis, Tunisia)
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-carthage-23-may/
A group of Christians martyred in Mesopotamia in persecutions by imperial Roman authorities. Their names and the details of their lives have not come down to us.
suffocated over a slow fire in Mesopotamia
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-mesopotamia/
A group of 19 Christians martyred together in the persecutions of the Arian Vandal King Hunneric for refusing to deny the Trinity. We know little more than a few of their names - Dionysius, Julian, Lucius, Paul and Quintian.
c.430
https://catholicsaints.info/martyrs-of-north-africa-23-may/
• Garcia of Cardenas
• Giulio of Porto
• Pontius of Condat
• Raymond Folch
• Strofan of Cluan-Mor
CatholicSaints.Info Portable Edition