Memorial of Saints (February 27)

St. Leander of Seville was the brother of St. Isidore of Seville. Leander's works as bishop resulted in the conversion of the Visigoths and the Suevi. Since the king was against his work, Leander was exiled to Constantinople. It is to Leander that the Church received the formulation of the Nicene Creed in the West, and also a Rule for a community of nuns (died ca. 600 A.D.).

St. Gabriel Possenti entered the Passionist novitiate in 1856 A.D. Because of his devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, he took the religious name Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. He was known for his cheerfulness, and his commitment to prayer and penance. Gabriel was only twenty-four years old when he died of tuberculosis in Abruzzi, Italy (died ca. 1862 A.D.).

St. Alnoth was a cowherder who lived in the estate of a monastery at Northamptonshire, England. Alnoth grew in holiness in his state of life as a cowherder. He then decided to live the life of a hermit near Stowe. Because of the dangerous state of things where he lived, Alnoth was killed by a group of bandits (died ca. 700 A.D.).

St. John of Gorze inherited a wealthy estate upon the death of his father. John was attracted to religious life and visited several monasteries. He was to go on a second pilgrimage to Rome, but the bishop of the diocese where he studied sent him, and a companion to a run-down abbey in Gorze. John revitalized the abbey and became prior. Eventually, he was elected abbot of Gorze abbey in 960 A.D. (died ca. 974 A.D.).

Sts. Besas, Cronion and Julian were martyrs. Already crippled with gout, Julian was scourged and then burned to death. Cronion was martyred together with Julian. Both Cronion and Julian helped the martyred Christians during Decius' persecution of Christians. St. Besas was a soldier who defended Julian and Cronion when the two were to be executed. Because of Besas' defense, he was also martyred (died ca. 250 A.D.).

St. Thalelaeus lived as a hermit near Gala - probably an area near Cilicia, in Asia Minor where he was born. Thalelaeus was able to convert many to the Christian faith, especially those who wanted to worship at a pagan shrine near his hermit's shack. Since he was gifted also with the gift of tears by the Holy Spirit, he was surnamed Epiklautos - meaning "weeping much" (died ca. 450 A.D.).

St. Baldomerus was a locksmith in Lyons, France. Because of his reputation for holiness, the abbot of St. Justus ordained him to the minor order of the subdiaconate. Baldomerus' cell was next to the monastery of the abbot of St. Justus. It was in this cell that St. Baldomerus spent the rest of his life in prayer and meditation (died ca. 660 A.D.).

St. Anne Line was disowned by her father when she became a Roman Catholic, and married Roger Line - also a Roman Catholic. Because England separated from the Roman Church, Anne helped priests of the Roman Church to find shelter in England. Because of this, Anne was arrested and hanged - one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales (died ca. 1601 A.D.).