Calendar of Saints - 26 February

26 February	• yesterday • tomorrow

Saint Victor the Hermit

Also known as

• Victor of Arcis
• Vittre, Vitre

Profile

Born to the nobility and raised in a pious, well-educated family. Priest. Hermit at Arcis-sur-Aube in the Champagne region of France. His life and wisdom caused many conversions. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux composed an Office and several hymns about him.

Born

6th century at Troyes, France

Died

• 6th-century at Saturniac (modern Saint-Vittre), diocese of Troyes, France of natural causes
• buried at the Benedictine monastery at Montiramey

Patronage

Arcis-sur-Aube, France

Readings

Now placed in heaven, he beholds God clearly, revealed to him, swallowed up in joy, but not forgetting us. It is not the land of oblivion in which Victor dwells. Heaven does not harden or straiten hearts but makes them more tender and compassionate; it does not distract minds, nor alienate them from us; it does not diminish, but it increases affection and charity; it augments bowels of pity. The angels, although they behold the face of their Father, visit, run, and continually assist us; and shall they now forget us who were once among us, and who once suffered themselves what they see us at present labor under? No: ‘I know the just expect me till you render to me my reward.’ Victor is not like that cup-bearer of Pharaoh, who could forget his fellow-captive. He has not so put on the stole of glory himself as to lay aside his pity, or the remembrance of our misery. - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-victor-the-hermit/

Saint Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz

Also known as

• Paula Montal Fornes
• Paola...

Profile

Daughter of Ramon and Vicenta Fornes Montal. Raised in a large and pious family in a small seaside village. Her father died when Paula was 10 years old. She worked as a seamstress and lace-maker, and helped raise her siblings, then helped in her parish to care for other children.

At age thirty, still single and devoting herself privately to God, she and her friend Inez Busquets opened a school in Gerona to provide a good education mixed with spiritual guidance. The school was such a success that she was able to found a college in May 1842, and another school in 1846. To staff and manage the schools, she founded the Daughters of Mary (Pious School Sisters; Escolapias) on 2 February 1847, and took the name Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz. Paula served as the leader of the congregation, and they received approval from Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1860. These schools have now spread to four continents.

Born

11 October 1799 at Arenys de Mar, near Barcelona, Spain

Died

26 February 1889 at Olesa de Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain of natural causes

Canonized

25 November 2001 by Pope John Paul II

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-paula-of-saint-joseph-of-calasanz/

Blessed Robert Drury

Also known as

Robert Drewrie

Additional Memorials

• 22 November as one of the Martyrs of England, Scotland, and Wales
• 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai

Profile

Studied at the English College, Rheims, France in 1588, and the English College, Valladolid, Spain in 1590. Ordained at Valladolid in 1593. Returned to England in 1593 to minister to covert Catholics around London, England. One of the signers of the loyal address of 31 January 1603 which acknowledged the queen as lawful sovereign on earth, but maintained their loyalty in religious matters to the Pope. When James I came to the throne, the king required them to sign a new oath which acknowledged his authority over spiritual matters. Robert refused, and was arrested in 1606 for the crime of being a priest. He was offered his freedom if he would sign the oath; he declined. Martyr.

Born

c.1567 at Buckinghamshire, England

Died

hanged, drawn, and quartered on 26 February 1607 at Tyburn, London England

Beatified

22 November 1987 by Pope John Paul II

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-robert-drury/

Blessed Martino Martini

Profile

Convert to Christianity. He joined the Franciscans, though he never made his solemn profession or became a friar. He did the most menial work around the convent of San Francesco in Lisbon, Portugal, going barefoot, living off little but bread and water, and spending all free time in prayer.

Legend says that when he was working as a cook for the house, he got so taken up in prayer that he neglected to cook breakfast for the house. Came later in the day when he needed to get cooking, he was again lost in his prayers; one of the friars came to check on him and found angels doing the cooking for him.

Born

late 12th century

Died

1249 in Lisbon, Portugal of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-martino-martini/

Saint Alexander of Alexandria

Also known as

Alessandro di Alessandria

Profile

Known as a pious youth. Bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in 313. Worked against Arianism, and excommunicated Arius when he preached in the area around Alexandria. Key figure in the Council of Nicaea in 325. Patriarch of Alexandria. Doctor of the Church.

Born

3rd century in northern Egypt

Died

February 326 at Alexandria, Egypt

Video

Saint Alexander of Alexandria

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-alexander-of-alexandria/

Blessed Piedad de la Cruz Ortiz Real

Also known as

Tomasa Ortiz Real

Profile

Founded the Congregation of Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Born

12 November 1842 in Bocairente, Valencia, Spain as Tomasa Ortiz Real

Died

26 February 1916 in Alcantrarilla, Murcia, Spain of natural causes

Beatified

21 March 2004 by Pope John Paul II

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-piedad-de-la-cruz-ortiz-real/

Saint Porphyrius of Gaza

Also known as

Porphyry

Profile

Born to wealth. Hermit in the desert of Skete, Egypt. Hermit in Palestine on the bank of the Jordan River. Ordained as a priest in Jerusalem. Reluctant bishop of Gaza, he took to this assignment with great zeal and devotion. He converted almost all of his diocese, and nearly eliminated paganism in it.

Born

Greek

Died

420

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-porphyrius-of-gaza/

Blessed Adalbert of Tegernsee

Also known as

Adalbert of Warngau

Profile

Brother of Blessed Ottokar of Tegernsee. Count of Warngau (in modern Germany). Helped found the Tegernsee Abbey in Bavaria (in modern Germany), and served as its first abbot.

Died

• 8th century
• interred in the Tegernsee Abbey church of Saint Quirinus

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-adalbert-of-tegernsee/

Blessed Ottokar of Tegernsee

Also known as

Otkar, Oatkar

Profile

Brother of Blessed Adalbert of Tegernsee. Count of Tegernsee in Bavaria (in modern Germany). Helped found the Tegernsee Abbey, and entered it as a monk.

Died

• 8th century
• interred in the Tegernsee Abbey church of Saint Quirinus

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-ottokar-of-tegernsee/

Blessed Arnold of Stromberg

Also known as

Arnoldus

Profile

A servant of Blessed Walter of Himmerode, the two men joined the Cistercians together and spent their days as prayerful monks at the Heisterbach Abbey near Oberdollendorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Died

buried in a cemetery on the Stromberg mountain in Oberdollendorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany near the site of the Heisterbach Abbey

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-arnold-of-stromberg/

Blessed Michela Ranzi of Vercelli

Profile

Related to Blessed Demosthenes Ranzi, Blessed Angela Bartolomea dei Ranzi, Blessed Angela Isabella dei Ranzi and Blessed Candido Ranzi. Augustinian nun. Elected prioress of her monastery in Vercelli, Italy in 1485. Greatly admired by all who knew her for her purity, peity and devotion to the Rule of her Order.

Died

1493 of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-michela-ranzi-of-vercelli/

Blessed Ulrik of Obermarchtal

Also known as

Ulric, Ulrich

Profile

Premonstratensian canon at the Mönchsrot monastery in Memmingen, Germany. In 1171 he was assigned to the Obermarchtal Premonstratensian house in Swabia, Germany, and in 1179 was chosen its prior.

Born

early 12th century Germany

Died

26 February 1187 in Swabia, Germany of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-ulrik-of-obermarchtal/

Blessed Leo of Saint-Bertin

Profile

Benedictine monk of Anchin Abbey in Pecquencourt, France. Abbot of Lobbes Abbey in Belgium. Abbot of Saint-Bertin Abbey in Saint-Omer, France. From a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, he brought back a vial with the reputed blood of Jesus which is enshrined in the Blasius Chapel in Bruges, Belgium.

Died

1163 of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-leo-of-saint-bertin/

Saint Faustinian of Bologna

Also known as

Faustinianus, Faustinus

Additional Memorial

28 September as one of the Holy Bishops of Bologna, Italy

Profile

Fourth century bishop of Bologna, Italy during the period of the persecutions of Diocletian. A great administrator, he re-organized the diocese, and fought Arianism.

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-faustinian-of-bologna/

Saint Agricola of Nevers

Profile

Bishop of Nevers, France from 570 to 594.

Died

• c.594 of natural causes
• interred in a church that was later re-named for him
• most relics destroyed in the anti-Christian persecutions of the French Revolution
• some relics transferred to Nolay, France

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-agricola-of-nevers/

Saint Flavianus of Como

Also known as

Flaviano

Profile

Bishop of Como, Italy from 553 to 566.

Died

• 26 February 565 of natural causes
• interred in the presbytery of the basilica of Sant 'Abbondio in Como, Italy
• tomb re-discovered during remodeling work in 1587

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-flavianus-of-como/

Saint Irene

Profile

Raised a pagan. At about 14 years of age, she witnessed a mob abusing Saint Porphyrius for his faith. The violence sickened her, and she came to his rescue, causing enough trouble that the pagans left him alone. He recovered and brought her to Christianity.

Born

c.470

Died

490 of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/saint-irene/

Blessed Mechthild of Sponheim

Also known as

Mathildis, Matilda, Mechtildis

Profile

An anchoress in the German cities of Mainz and Sponheim.

Born

in the area of modern Germany

Died

26 February 1154 in Sponheim, Germany of natural causes

https://catholicsaints.info/blessed-mechthild-of-sponheim/

Saint Dionysius of Augsburg

Profile

May have been the uncle of Saint Afra of Augsburg. First bishop of Augsburg, Germany. Both baptized into the faith and later consecrated as bishop by Saint Narcissus of Gerona. Martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian.