Jmj

On January 3, 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:

Bl. Alan de Solminihac of Saint-Aquilin [Alain] (French, Augustinian superior, bishop for 23 years, visited all 800 parishes at least nine times, died at age 66 in 1659 [beatified 1981])
Pope St. Antherus (Greek, elected to papacy in 235, reigned just 43 days until martyrdom on this day in 236)
Sts. Athanasius and Zosimus of Cilicia (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], tortured but survived, hermits, c. 303)
St. Bertilia of Maroeuil (French, noblewoman, patron of poor and sick, widow, c. 705)
St. Blitmund of Bobbio (Italian, abbot in France, d. 660)
Sts. Cyrinus, Primus, and Theogenes, of Cyzicus (soldiers, martyred in Asia Minor in 320)
St. Daniel of Padua (Italian, convert from Judaism, deacon, martyred in 168)
Sts. Finlugh of Derry and Fintan of Doon (Irish, brothers, abbots, 6th century)
Sts. Florentius of Vienne I and II (French, bishops, one martyred c. 275, the other died c. 374)
St. Geneviève of Paris (French, shepherdess, virgin, visionary, saved Paris from barbarians, died at about age 78 c. 500)
St. Gordius of Caesarea (Cappadocian [from part of what is now Turkey], centurion, martyred by beheading in 304)
Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara of Kainakary (Indian, priest and vicar general of Syro-Malabar church, co-founder and first prior-general of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, died at age 65 in 1871 [beatified 1986])
Sts. Narses and Joseph of Subagord (Persian, bishop and disciple, martyred)
St. Peter Balsam of Aulana (Palestinian, martyred by crucifixion c. 291)
St. Peter Absalon of Caesarea (Palestinian, martyred [buried alive] c. 311)
Sts. Theopemptus and Theonas of Nicomedia (from Asia Minor, bishop and layman, martyred in 284)
St. Wenog (Welsh)

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), December 24, 2004

Answers

I will deeply appreciate any literature on BL.Kuriakose Elias

-- kuriakose a.k (kurien_ak@hotmail.com), January 03, 2005.