Jmj

Today, January 16, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

Sts. Berard, Peter, Otto, Accursius, and Adjutus ["First Franciscan Martyrs"] (Italian, Franciscan, three priests and two brothers, missionaries sent by St. Francis to evangelize Spain/Portugal/North Africa, tortured and martyred by Muslims [see details below] in Morocco in 1220)
Bl. Conrad of Mondsee (German, Benedictine abbot, martyred in Austria in 1145)
St. Dunchaid O'Braoin of Clonmacnoise (Irish, hermit, abbot, d. 988)
St. Ferreolus of Grenoble (French, bishop, martyred c. 670)
St. Fulgentius of Ecija (Spanish, bishop, brother of three saints, c. 633)
St. Fursey of Lagny (Irish, Benedictine abbot in France, visionary, c. 648 [incorruptible])
Bl. Gundisalvus of Amarante [Gonsalvo Pereira] (Portuguese, Dominican priest, hermit, d. 1259)
St. Henry of Cocket Island (Danish, Benedictine hermit, died on an English island in 1127)
St. Honoratus of Arles (French, abbot, archbishop, d. 429)
St. Honoratus of Fondi (Italian, Benedictine abbot, 6th century)
St. James of Tarentaise ["Apostle of Savoy"] (French, monk, missionary, bishop, c. 429)
Bl. Jane of Bagno (Italian, Camaldolese nun, d. 1105)
St. Karantoc
Pope St. Marcellus I (Roman, elected to papacy in 308, reigned until death in 309)
St. Melas (Egyptian, bishop, c. 385)
St. Priscilla (Roman, widow, provided lodgings to Pope St. Peter, 1st century)
St. Tatian (Italian, bishop, d. 650)
St. Triverius (French, hermit, c. 550)
St. Valerius of Sorrento (Italian, hermit, bishop, c. 453)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron saint -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John


-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), January 16, 2002

Answers

The First Franciscan Martyrs (see Sts. Berard and companions, above) were tortured and martyred by Moroccan Muslims on January 16, 1220.

They were scourged until their ribs were visible.
Then they had boiled oil and vinegar poured into the wounds.
Then their bodies were rolled on sharp stones and pottery fragments.
Then their heads were split in two by a sword.

Their relics were ransomed and are now in the monastery of the holy cross in Coimbra, Portugal.

-- (_@_._), January 16, 2002.

John, It hurts just to read it. God bless them.

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), January 16, 2002.

Yes, it does hurt, David S. It reminds us of the great things that grace and abandonment to God's will can accomplish. And now they reign gloriously with Jesus.
(My apologies for failing to capitalize "monastery of the holy cross" in the last sentence.)
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

Jmj

On January 16, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints and blesseds whose souls are now in heaven:

Sts. Berard of Carbio, Peter, Otto, Accursius, and Adjutus ["First Franciscan Martyrs"] (Italian, Franciscan, three priests and two brothers, missionaries sent by St. Francis to evangelize Spain/Portugal/North Africa, tortured and martyred by Moslems in Morocco in 1220 [canonized 1481])
.......... [The First Franciscan Martyrs were tortured and martyred by Moroccan Moslems on January 16, 1220.
............ They were scourged until their ribs were visible.
............ Then they had boiled oil and vinegar poured into the wounds.
............ Then their bodies were rolled on sharp stones and pottery fragments.
............ Then their heads were split in two by a sword.
............ Their relics were ransomed and are now in the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Coimbra, Portugal.]
Bl. Conrad of Mondsee (German, Benedictine abbot, martyred in Austria in 1145)
St. Dunchaid O'Braoin of Clonmacnoise (Irish, hermit, abbot, d. 988)
St. Ferreolus of Grenoble (French, bishop, martyred c. 670)
St. Fulgentius of Ecija (Spanish, bishop, brother of three saints, c. 633)
St. Fursey of Lagny (Irish, Benedictine abbot in France, visionary, c. 648 [incorruptible])
Sts. Fusca and Maura of Ravenna (Italian, young girl and her nurse, martyred in 250)
Bl. Gonzalo Pereira of Amarante [Gonçalo] (Portuguese, Dominican priest, hermit, d. 1259)
St. Henry of Cocket Island [Henrik] (Danish, Benedictine hermit, died on an English island in 1127)
St. Honoratus of Arles (French, abbot, archbishop, d. 429)
St. Honoratus of Fondi (Italian, Benedictine abbot, 6th century)
St. James of Tarentaise ["Apostle of Savoy"] (French, monk, missionary, bishop, c. 429)
Bl. Jane of Bagno (Italian, Camaldolese nun, d. 1105)
Bl. Joan Mary Condesa Lluch of Valencia [Juana María] (Spanish, founded Congregation of the Handmaids of Mary Immaculate, d. 1916 [beatified 2003])
Bl. Joseph Tovini of Cividate Camuno [Giuseppe] (Italian, married man, father of ten, local politician, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1897 [beatified 1998])
Bl. Joseph Vaz of Benaulim ["Apostle of Sri Lanka"] (Asian Indian, priest, missionary to Ceylon [Sri Lanka], d. 1711 [beatified 1995])
St. Liberata of Pavia (Italian, nun, 5th century)
Pope St. Marcellus I of Rome (Italian, elected to papacy in 308, reigned until death in 309)
St. Melas of Rhinocolura (Egyptian, bishop, tortured by Arian heretics, c. 385)
St. Priscilla of Rome (Italian, widow, provided lodgings to Pope St. Peter, 1st century)
St. Tatian (Italian, bishop, d. 650)
St. Triverius of Neustria (French, hermit, c. 550)
St. Valerius of Sorrento (Italian, hermit, bishop, c. 453)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@Hotmail.com), January 16, 2004.

Pope St. Marcellus I, Ora Pro Nobis.

-- jake (j@k.e), January 16, 2004.