Memorial of Saints (January 23)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Ildephonsus of Toledo, bishop
• Henry Suso, mystic
• Emerentiana, virgin and martyr
• Asclas, martyr
• Agathangelus and Clement, martyrs
• John the Almsgiver, patriarch
• Bernard or Barnard, bishop
• Lufthildis, virgin
• Maimbod, martyr

Blessed Henry Suso (ca. 1295-1366 A.D.) was the third great mystic produced by the German Dominicans in the 14th century A.D. After joining the Dominicans at an early age and influenced by Meister Eckhart, he aspired to an academic career. However, upon Eckhart's condemnation, Henry was attacked by his confreres. Henry gave up teaching, concentrated on preaching, and worked as an adviser to the Dominican nuns.

These are the written works of Blessed Henry Suso:

• The Little Book of Truth
• The Little Book of Wisdom
• The Little Book of Letters
• The Life of the Servant

The Life of The Servant is the work for which Blessed Henry is most known today. His The Little Book of Wisdom is also widely known. The Latin version of the writing is even more widely known than the German version, because the Latin version was translated into eight languages and had more than six hundred manuscripts - second to Thomas a Kempis' The Imitation of Christ.

Author's note: The three great German Dominican mystics are Meister Eckhart, Johannes Tauler, and Henry Suso. They were major writers in the 14th century German mystic movement.

Learn more on Saints in the Roman Calendar [January 24]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 24]

• St. Clems, Priest-Martyr
• St. Agathangel, Martyr

St. Agathangel or Agathangelus was the deacon of St. Clement (d. ca. 308 A.D.), who was bishop of Ancrya, Galatia. Agathangelus was converted by Clement. At a young age, Clement already devoted himself to the education of the young and poverty-stricken. Both St. Clement and St. Agathangelus were tortured for years because of their Christian faith. Both were reportedly miraculously saved from death many times until they were finally executed by sword at Ancrya.

Today in the history of Christianity in England

January 23, 1645 A.D. is the day of death of Mary Ward. Mary founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the period of anti-Catholic persecution in England. She was inevitably imprisoned. Upon her exile to the European continent, she continued in her efforts to secure papal approval for the Institute she founded. Her detractors worked to have the Institute suppressed. Imprisoned temporarily in a convent, she returned to England where she died in 1645 A.D. The Rule of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary was finally approved by Pope Clement XI in 1703 A.D. It had a marked infuence on religious life in the European continent.

Memorial of Saints (January 22)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Vincent, deacon and martyr
• Anastasius, martyr
• Blesilla, widow
• Dominic of Sora, abbot
• Berhtwald, bishop
• Valerius of Saragossa
• Vincent Pallotti, priest

St. Vincent Saragossa (d. ca. 304 A.D.) is the patron saint of Portugal. He was a deacon martyred under Dacian, governor of Spain, during the imperial reign of Maximian. How he was martyred came down to the faithful through pious stories. One account says that he was imprisoned, starved, and then racked and roasted on a gridiron. All this because he refused to hand over the sacred books and sacrifice to the pagan gods. Dying from that brutal treatment, he is now regarded also as the patron saint of vine growers and wine makers because of the protection he gives aginst frosts which often occur on, or near his feast, January 22.

St. Vincent of Pallotti (1795-1850 A.D.) was the son of a grocer before he was ordained at twenty-three. Receiving his doctorate in theology, he served in several parishes in his native city. He founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, also known as the Pallottines. He was canonized in 1963 A.D. by Pope John XXIII.

Related blog post:

• St. Stephen and the Martyrs of the Early Christian Eras, Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 22]

• St. Timothy, Apostle
• St. Anastasius, Venerable-Martyr of Persia

St. Anastasius the Persian (died ca. 628 A.D.) is commemorated both in the Roman Calendar and in the Byzantine Calendar on this day. He was a soldier in the Persian army whose original name was Magundat. He was attracted to Christianity when he saw the relics of the True Cross brought back to Persia during its sack of Jerusalem in 614 A.D. Converting to the faith, he was baptized in Jerusalem and took the name Anastasius. He became a monk at Jerusalem in 621 A.D. but was arrested when he began preaching against pagan worship. Tortured to shake him from his conviction to prevent pagan worship, he was strangled and then beheaded after 68 other Christians were martyred in his very presence.

Memorial of Saints (January 21)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Agnes, virgin and martyr
• Fructuosus of Tarragona, bishop and martyr
• Patroclus, martyr
• Epiphanius of Pavia, bishop
• Meinrad, martyr
• Alban Roe, priest and martyr

St. Agnes (d. ca. 305 A.D.) was killed at a very young age during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian. Her head is venerated in a chapel of the church at Sant'Agnese in Agonia on the Piazza Navona, and the rest of her remains are entombed in the church of the same name in the Via Nomentana.

St. Alban Bartholomew Roe (ca. 1583-1642 A.D.), whose original name was Bartholomew Roe, was a student at Cambridge when he met an imprisoned Catholic. He was so impressed by the Catholic's faith that he converted to Catholicism. He became a Benedictine monk in France (in 1612 A.D.) taking the name Alban. When ordained he was sent on a mission to England. St. Alban Roe was arrested many times: in 1615, 1618, and 1625 A.D. After serving 17 years in prison, he was tried and convicted for being a Catholic priest. Together with Blessed Thomas Reynolds, they were executed on January 21. Pope Paul VI canonized Alban Bartholomew Roe in 1970 A.D. as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

Citation from Wikipedia.org: Blessed Thomas Reynolds (1560-1642 A.D.) was beatified by Pope Pius XI on December 15, 1929 A.D. as one of the One Hundred and Seven Martyrs of England and Wales. These are a group of clergy and laypersons who were executed on charges of treason and related offences in the Kingdom of England between 1541 A.D. and 1680 A.D.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 21]

• Maximus, Confessor
• St. Neophitus, Martyr
• Sts. Eugene, Canidius, Valerian and Aquilas, Martyrs
• Meinrad

Today, the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches celebrate the feast of St. Maximus the Confessor (ca. 580-662 A.D.) and St. Meinrad (d. ca. 861 A.D.). In the Roman Calendar, St. Maximus the Confessor is commemorated on August 13 while St. Meinrad's commemoration coincides with the Byzantine Calendar.

St. Meinrad was a hermit at Einsiedeln, who after being a hermit for 25 years, was clubbed to death by robbers. St. Meinrad's hermitage was made into a regular Benedictine monastery and still exists today.

Related blog post:

• St. Maximus the Confessor, Abbot of Chrysopolis, Learn more