Feast Day: August 18 St. Helena was born in Colchester, England. She embraced Christianity late in life; but her incomparable faith and piety greatly influenced her son Constantine, the first Christian emperor, and served to kindle a holy zeal in the hearts of the Roman people. Forgetful of her high dignity, she delighted to assist at the Divine Office amid the poor; and by … [Read more...]
St. Agapetus
Feast Day: August 18 St. Agapetus suffered in his youth a cruel martyrdom at Palestrina, twenty-four miles from Rome, under Aurelian, about the year 275. His name is famous in the ancient calendars of the Church of Rome. Two churches in Palestrina and others in other places are dedicated to God under his name. Adapted from the Lives of the Saints by Fr. Alban Butler first … [Read more...]
St. Eusebius
Feast Day: August 14 St. Eusebius opposed the Arians, at Rome, with so much zeal. He was imprisoned in his room by order of the Emperor Constantius, and sanctified his captivity by constant prayer. Another Saint of the same name, a priest and martyr, is commemorated on this day. In the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, before they had published any new edicts against the … [Read more...]
St. Hyacinth
Feast Day: August 16 St. Hyacinth was aglorious apostle of Poland and Russia and was born of noble parents in Poland about the year 1185. In 1218, being already Canon of Cracow, he accompanied his uncle, the bishop of that place, to Rome. There he met St. Dominic, and received the habit of the Friar Preachers from the patriarch himself, of whom be became a living copy. So … [Read more...]
St. Philip Benizi
Feast Day: August 23 St. Philip Benizi was born in Florence, on the Feast of the Assumption, 1233. That same day the Order of Servites was founded by the Mother of God. As an infant at the breast, Philip broke out into speech at the sight of these new religious, and begged his mother to give them alms. Amidst all the temptations of his youth, he longed to become himself a … [Read more...]