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Maurus, the son of the Roman patrician Eutychius, entered the monastic world at a very young age when his father entrusted him to Saint Benedict, who at that time was shaping his communal experience at Subiaco. Along with him also received was Placid, the son of another nobleman, Tertullus. The two boys, noted for their docility and goodness of heart, soon became especially dear to the founder of Western monasticism; Maurus, being the elder, quickly assumed a position of trust beside his master.
The memorial of Pope Marcellus I, commemorated by the Roman Martyrology on January 16, belongs to one of the most complex phases in the history of the early Church. The sources that mention him are few and often conflicting, so that his figure emerges more through fragments than through a linear narrative. What is certain is that he was Bishop of Rome at the beginning of the fourth century, that his pontificate was brief, and that he was buried along the Via Salaria, in the Cemetery of Priscilla, after dying while away from the city.
Margaret of Hungary was born in 1242, probably in the castle of Turóc, the daughter of King Béla IV and Queen Maria, of Byzantine origin. Her birth was linked to a dramatic moment for the kingdom: Hungary had been devastated by the Mongol invasion, and the royal family had taken refuge in Dalmatia. On that occasion, the sovereigns made a vow that, if a daughter were born, they would consecrate her to God as a sign of gratitude for the nation’s deliverance.
Saints Marius, Martha, Audifax, and Abachus are remembered by the Catholic Church as martyrs of the early centuries of Christianity, and their liturgical memorial falls on January 19. The information concerning them is scarce and fragmentary and comes mainly from ancient hagiographical texts, in particular from a Passio dating to Late Antiquity, which was reworked in subsequent centuries with edifying aims.
In the fourth century, in a Cappadocia marked by deep doctrinal and political tensions, the figure of Basil emerged, destined to leave a lasting imprint on the life of the Church. Born in 329 in Caesarea into a cultured and profoundly Christian environment, since childhood he received an education in which faith and classical culture did not appear as opposing realities, but as complementary instruments at the service of truth. His family, marked by extraordinary spiritual intensity, was the first ground in which his vocation matured.
Vincent of Saragossa (also known as Vincent of Tarragona) was born in Spain in the third century, probably in Huesca, although other traditions mention Valencia or Saragossa as his place of origin. Coming from a noble family—the son of the consul Eutychius and the matron Enola—he received a meticulous education in letters and religious formation. From a young age he was entrusted to Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, who appointed him archdeacon and charged him with preaching and assisting him in his pastoral duties.
Benedetta Bianchi Porro was born on August 8, 1936, in Dovadola, in the province of Forlì, the firstborn child of engineer Guido Bianchi Porro and homemaker Elsa Giammarchi. Although the delivery was normal, it involved severe hemorrhaging that led her mother to have her baptized immediately, giving her the name Benedetta.
On the day following the conversion of Saint Paul, the Churches of the West commemorate with special attention two of his close collaborators: Timothy and Titus, key figures of the apostolic mission and among the first bishops of the Church.
Sulpicius Severus was born in Aquitaine around the year 350 into a family of high rank. Like many young men of his time, he initially pursued a career in law, considered the quickest path to prestige and honors.
At the beginning of the fifth century, in the territory that would become the heart of future Paris, a woman was born who was destined to exercise a singular influence on the city’s religious and civic life. Geneviève grew up in a humble environment, yet from childhood she displayed an early inclination toward a consecrated life. While still a child, she was recognized as belonging to God and, once she reached maturity, she chose to live as a consecrated virgin without withdrawing into a monastery. Fully integrated into the urban and social fabric, she devoted her life to prayer, penance, and service to those in need.
Saint Martina, venerated as a virgin and martyr, lived in Rome in the 3rd century. She belonged to a Patrician family. According to tradition, she was persecuted for her Christian faith during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus.
The solemnity of the Epiphany is one of the oldest celebrations in Christianity. As early as the first centuries of the Church, it was experienced as the moment when Christ makes himself visible to the world. If Christmas is traditionally associated with the joy of the Lord’s birth, awaited and prepared for during the season of Advent, the Epiphany also expresses this same joy, broadening its meaning. For a long time, until the fourth century, January 6 was the principal date on which believers celebrated the Savior’s entry into human history. Far from replacing Christmas, the Epiphany completes it: it is the moment when Christ openly manifests himself, revealing himself to all peoples.
Saint Severinus of Noricum, born around 410, is a central figure Christianity of Late Antiquity. Recognized as a saint by both the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Churches, he devoted his life to the evangelization of the Roman province of Noricum, in present-day Austria, where he founded numerous monastic communities. The area he frequented most was the Danubian plain, between Carnuntum and the region of Passavia, today’s Passau.
The center of the veneration of Saints Julius and Aaron is Caerleon, a Celtic name meaning “City of the Legions” (Quadrata Legionum). Caerleon, located in southern Wales, was a fortress permanently occupied by the Second Augustan Legion from 75 to 431 AD.
The two were likely martyred during the Diocletian persecution, around the year 304.
Inspired by the example of his cousin Pietro, who was a few years older, Giovanni Becchetti entered the Augustinian convent in Fabriano, in the Marches region of Italy, at a very young age. We do not know the exact date of his birth, but it can be placed in the second half of the fourteenth century.
Saint Apollinaris, regarded as the first Bishop of Ravenna, lived around the middle of the 2nd century. Ancient inscriptions found in the area of Classe show that a well-organized Christian community already existed in Ravenna at a very early date.
Thomas, also called Didymus (which means “Twin”), was part of the small group of disciples chosen by Jesus from the very beginning of His public ministry. He was one of the Twelve Apostles, as emphasized by the Evangelist John. John also recounts several episodes that help us understand Thomas’s personality.
Isabella of Aragon, Queen of Portugal, distinguished herself through her dedication to promoting peace among rulers and her generosity toward the poor. After the death of her husband, King Denis, she chose to consecrate her life to God by joining the Third Order of Saint Clare in the convent of Estremoz, which she herself had founded.
“It is truly the mark of great hearts to serve others without expecting anything in return” so often said Saint Anthony Zaccaria.
He was born into a noble family in Cremona, Italy in 1502. Left fatherless at an early age, he was lovingly raised by his mother, who was herself still very young.
A martyr of the faith at only 12 years of age, Maria Goretti chose to die rather than give in to the sexual advances of a violent young man, her neighbor. Faced with his repeated attempts, she always firmly refused, wanting to remain pure. Eventually, blinded by passion, the young man fatally attacked her. But before dying, Maria forgave him and said she wished to have him with her in Heaven.
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