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On February 26, 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. Agricola of Nevers (French, bishop, c. 594)
St. Alexander of Alexandria (Egyptian, bishop, excommunicated heretic Arius, key figure at Council of Nicaea, trained St. Athanasius, died at about age 75 c. 326)
St. Andrew of Florence (Italian, bishop, c. 407)
St. Dionysius of Augsburg (German, bishop, martyred c. 303)
St. Faustinian of Bologna (Italian, bishop, 4th century)
St. Fortunatus, Felix, and 27 companions (early martyrs)
St. Irene of Gaza (Egyptian, virgin, died at about age 20 in 490)
Bl. Isabelle of Longchamps (French, princess, sister of King St. Louis IX, lived with Poor Clare nuns, d. 1270 [beatified 1520])
Bl. Leo of Saint-Bertin (Belgian, Benedictine abbot, d. 1163)
Bl. Matilda of Spanheim [Mechtilde] (German, Benedictine hermitess, d. 1154)
St. Nestor of Perge (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], bishop of Magydos, martyred by crucifixion in 251)
Sts. Papias, Diodorus, Conon, and Claudian, of Pamphylia (from Asia Minor, shepherds, tortured and martyred c. 250)
St. Paula of St. Joseph of Calasanz Montal Fornes of Arenys de Mar [baptized Paula] (Spanish, seamstress, lace-maker, virgin, foundress of Daughters of Mary ["Pious School Sisters"], died at age 89 in 1889 [beatified 1993, canonized 2001])
Bl. Piety of the Cross Ortiz Real of Bocairente [Piedad de la Cruz] [baptized Tomasa] (Spanish, founded Congregation of Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, died at age 73 in 1916 [beatified 2004])
St. Porphyry of Thessalonica (Greek, hermit in Egypt and Palestine, bishop of Gaza, died at about age 66 in 420)
St. Quodvultdeus of Carthage [name means "What God wills"] (North African [from what is now Tunisia], bishop, died in Italy c. 450)
Bl. Robert Drury of Buckinghamshire (English, priest, martyred [drawn, hanged, and quartered] at about age 39 under James I in 1607 [beatified 1987])
St. Victor of Troyes (French, nobleman, hermit, priest, d. 7th century)

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), February 26, 2005

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 26, 2005.