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On November 12, 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:

St. Josaphat Kunsevich of Vladimir [baptized Jan (John)] (Ukrainian/Lithuanian born in Poland, Basilian monk, convert from Ruthenian Orthodoxy, bishop of Vitebsk in Russia, bishop of Polotsk, sought unity of Eastern schismatics with pope, martyred [beaten and shot] by an Orthodox mob at about age 43 in 1623 [beatified 1643, canonized 1867] [incorruptible])

St. Anastasius of Pannonhalma [Astrik] [baptized Radla] (Bohemian [from what is now part of Czech Republic], Benedictine abbot, missionary in Hungary, archbishop, c. 1040)
Sts. Aurelius and Publius (bishops, martyred in 2nd century)
Sts. Benedict [Benedetto], John [Giovanni], Matthew [Matteo], Isaac [Isacco], and Cristino (Italian, Bendictine monks, missionaries to the Slavs, martyred in 1005)
St. Cadwallador (Welsh, chieftain, died at about age 30 c. 689)
Bl. Christopher of Portugal [Cristóvão] (Portuguese, missionary, martyred by Moslems in Sri Lanka, c. 1500)
St. Cumian the Tall (Irish, abbot, died at about age 75 c. 665)
St. Cunibert of Trier (Frankish, archbishop of Cologne, c. 633)
St. Emilian Cucullatus of La Rioja (Spanish, shepherd, hermit, abbot, d. 574)
St. Evodius of Le Puy (French, bishop, c. 560)
Bl. Gabriel Ferretti of Ancona (Italian, nobleman, Franciscan provincial, died at about age 80 in 1465 [beatified 1753])
St. Himerius (Swiss, monk, hermit, abbot, missionary, c. 610)
Bl. John Cini of Pisa [Giovanni] [nicknamed "della pace" (of peace)] (Italian, Franciscan tertiary, d. 1433 [beatified 1856])
Bl. Kamen Vitsjev of Strem [baptized Petâr], Bl. Paul Djidjov of Plovdiv [Pavel] [baptized Josef], and Bl. Josaphat Chichkov of Plovdiv [baptized Rober Matej (Robert Matthew)] (Bulgarian, priests [Augustinians of the Assumption], martyred by Communists in 1952 [beatified 2002]) [Approximate ages at death: 59, 33, and 68]
St. Lebuin of Deventer (British, Benedictine missionary monk in Netherlands, c. 773)
St. Livinus (Irish, bishop of Ghent in Belgium, tortured and martyred c. 650)
St. Machar of Iona (Irish, missionary, bishop of Aberdeen in Scotland, 6th century)
St. Namphasius (French, soldier, Benedictine monk, c. 800)
St. Nilus the Elder of Byzantium (from what is now Turkey, abbot on Mt. Sinai, theologian, bishop of Ankara, c. 430)
St. Paternus of Saint-Pierre-le-Vif (French, Benedictine monk, martyred c. 729)
St. Renatus of Angers (French, bishop in France and Italy, c. 422)
St. Rufus of Avignon (bishop, c. 200)
St. Sinell of Cleenish (Irish, abbot, 6th century)
St. Ymar of Reculver (British, Benedictine monk, martyred in Denmark c. 830)

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. Additional 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), November 12, 2004

Answers

[St. Josaphat, not long before being martyred:]
"You people of Vitebsk want to put me to death. You make ambushes for me everywhere, in the streets, on the bridges, on the highways, and in the marketplace. I am here among you as a shepherd, and you ought to know that I would be happy to give my life for you. I am ready to die for the holy union, for the supremacy of Saint Peter, and of his successor the Supreme Pontiff."

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 12, 2004.