Codex Sanctorum — The codex of saints
Friday, August 14 we celebrate
Maximilian Kolbe
Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, priest, and missionary, a martyr of charity, who voluntarily sacrificed himself at Auschwitz in place of a fellow prisoner.
Feasts to come
-
Adalbert of Prague A 10th-century bishop and missionary, he attempted to evangelize Hungary and Poland before being martyred while trying to convert the pagan… -
Adelaide of Burgundy Queen who became empress in the 10th century, she was married to a Germanic sovereign and received the crown in Rome. Widowed, she ensured… -
Adelina of Mortain A monastic figure of the 12th century, the first Benedictine abbess of a community known as the «White Ladies». Sister of an order's… -
Æthelthryth of Ely A queen twice married and twice a virgin, whose name gave English the word “tawdry”.
-
Agatha of Catania Sicilian virgin martyr of the 3rd century, tortured for refusing a pagan governor, patroness against volcanic eruptions and breast diseases. -
Agnes of Rome A virgin-martyr of Rome, she is celebrated for her commitment to purity and faith, even in the face of persecution at a young age. -
Albert the Great A German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop. He was a leading figure of medieval scholasticism and the teacher of Thomas… -
Alda of Siena After a vision of three nails she carved one from olive wood — and it became her sign.
-
Alexander the Acemete A 5th-century monk, he founded a monastic order in Constantinople famous for its practice of perpetual prayer, where choirs of monks would… -
Alexander of Alexandria Bishop and Patriarch, he is primarily known for his confrontation with Arius and the defense of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism. -
Alix Le Clerc Lorraine religious sister, co-founder with Saint Peter Fourier of the Congregation of Notre Dame, dedicated to the free education of young… -
Aloysius Gonzaga Heir to a marquisate he ceded to his brother in order to join the Jesuits, he died at twenty-three nursing plague victims. -
Alphonsus Liguori An Italian Catholic bishop, spiritual writer, composer, musician, artist, poet, lawyer, scholastic philosopher, and theologian. He founded… -
Amadeus IX of Savoy An epileptic duke who sold his plate for his poor and let his wife govern. -
Amata of Assisi The niece and disciple of a great 13th-century founding saint, she left a life of luxury to join her aunt in a monastery living in the most… -
Ambrose of Milan A Doctor of the Church and bishop, he was a staunch opponent of Arianism and influenced the conversion of St. Augustine. -
Andrew The brother of Saint Peter, he was the first apostle called by Jesus and was martyred on an X-shaped cross. -
Andrew Dũng-Lạc and the Martyrs of Vietnam A hundred and seventeen martyrs of a century of persecution, canonised together in 1988.
-
Andrew Kim Taegon The first native Korean Catholic priest, martyred for his faith at the age of 25. -
Angela Merici Italian religious educator, founder of the Company of St. Ursula in 1535, dedicated to the education of girls. -
Angela of Foligno Franciscan mystic and author, known for her profound conversion after a worldly life and her intense visions of Christ's Passion. -
Anne The mother of the Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus, according to Christian tradition. She is a model of motherhood and faith. -
Anselm of Canterbury This philosopher and theologian formulated the famous ontological argument for the existence of God in his work, the Proslogion. -
Anthony of Padua A Portuguese Franciscan friar acclaimed for his powerful preaching and expert knowledge of scripture, he is popularly invoked for finding… -
Anthony the Great Father of Monks and Egyptian hermit, he is considered the founder of Christian monasticism and the model for anchorites. -
Anthony Mary Zaccaria A physician turned priest, dead at thirty-six after founding three religious families. -
Apollonia of Alexandria A virgin martyr who was tortured by having all her teeth violently pulled out or shattered. She is the patroness of dentistry. -
Aquila and Priscilla tentmakers A Jewish artisan couple expelled from Rome, with whom Paul lodged and worked. -
Aristides of Athens Christian philosopher of the 2nd century, he was one of the first Christian apologists, having presented an Apology of the Christian faith… -
Athanasius of Alexandria Nicknamed the "Pillar of the Church", he was a fervent defender of Christ's divinity against Arianism and was exiled five times for his… -
Aubin of Angers Abbot and later bishop (529–550), known for his charity towards the poor and captives, he fought against dissolute morals and… -
August Chapdelaine French missionary and priest of the Paris Foreign Missions Society, martyred in China in 1856. He is one of the 120 Martyrs of China… -
Augustine of Hippo A brilliant philosopher and theologian from North Africa, his 'Confessions' detail a dramatic conversion and profound influence on Western… -
Augustine of Canterbury Sent by Pope Gregory the Great at the end of the 6th century, this Benedictine monk is considered the "Apostle to the English" for leading… -
Austremonius of Clermont First bishop of Clermont, one of the seven sent to evangelise Gaul. -
Barbara An early Christian martyr. Her legend says she was locked in a tower by her father. She is invoked against lightning and fire. -
Barnabas A companion of Saint Paul, known for his generosity and missionary journeys. He is a key figure in the early expansion of the Church. -
Bartholomew the Apostle One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, he is said to have been martyred by being flayed alive. -
Basil the Great A Greek bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia. He was an influential theologian who supported the Nicene Creed and opposed the heresies… -
Bede the Venerable English Benedictine monk, theologian, and historian, recognized as the 'Father of English History' and a Doctor of the Church. -
Benedict of Nursia Considered the father of Western monasticism, his 'Rule' provided a guide for communal living, balancing prayer and work. -
Benedict Daswa A South African schoolmaster stoned for refusing to pay a witch-doctor.
-
Benedicta of Assisi She succeeded Clare, inherited Francis’s breviary, and had the basilica built. -
Bénézet of Avignon He began a bridge over the Rhône and died a year before it was finished. -
Benjamin of Persia He was given his freedom on condition that he keep silent; he refused the condition. -
Bercharius of Montier-en-Der Stabbed by night by a monk he had himself baptised, he sent him to Rome to be forgiven.
-
Bernadette Soubirous A young girl from Lourdes, France, who reported eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary, leading to the establishment of a major Marian… -
Bernard of Clairvaux A French abbot and a major leader in the reform of Benedictine monasticism that caused the formation and expansion of the Cistercian Order. -
Bernardino of Siena A Franciscan preacher who held whole squares spellbound, and whom Pius XII gave to advertisers as their patron. -
Bertrand of Garrigues An early companion of an order’s founder, he received from him charge of a whole province and wept whenever he said mass.
-
Bibiana of Rome A Roman martyr of whom nothing is known, save that she gave Bernini his first statue of a saint. -
Blaise of Sebastea A physician who rose to the dignity of bishop in Armenia, martyred in the 4th century. He is called upon for healing and protection against… -
Blandina and Pothinus martyrs of Lyon Forty-eight Christians of Lyon put to death in 177, among them a slave girl the arena could not kill. -
Bonaventure of Bagnoregio A Franciscan friar, Doctor of the Church, and philosopher known as the 'Seraphic Doctor,' he was a leading figure in scholastic theology. -
Boniface of Mainz An English Benedictine monk who was a leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of the Frankish Empire during the 8th… -
Brice of Tours Raised in a monastery under Saint Martin, he was chosen to succeed him. His lavish lifestyle drew criticism, rumors, and even a serious… -
Bridget of Sweden After twenty years of marriage and eight children, this royal-blooded widow founded a new monastic order and is today one of the patron… -
Bridget of Kildare One of Ireland's patron saints, an abbess who founded several monasteries. She is associated with a cross made of rushes. -
Bruno of Cologne A renowned 11th-century professor, he left everything to seek God in solitude and founded an order of hermits in a mountain range near… -
Cajetan of Thiene A jurist turned priest, he founded an order of clerks living without begging or owning, and opened pawnbroking houses against usury.