St. John of Sahagun was educated by the Benedictine monks. He was ordained in 1445 A.D., then spent some years studying at the University of Salamanca. He did a lot of work the next decade, but fell ill and had a serious operation. After this serious illness, he entered the Augustinians in 1463 A.D. St. John worked well as an Augustinian, and was known for his gift of reading men's souls (died ca. 1479 A.D.).
St. Antonina was tortured and martyred during Diocletian's persecution of Christians. Tradition reports her martyrdom to have happened at Nicaea, Bithynia, during the governorship of Priscillian. Many places aside from Nicaea, Bithynia also claim the honor of her martyrdom. She is also known by the name Antonia - the name listed in the Roman Martyrology (died ca. 304 A.D.).
St. Onuphrius was an Egyptian hermit. Originally a monk in a large monastery in the Thebaid, he felt called to a solitary life. Onuphrius lived as a hermit for sixty years after leaving the monastery in the Thebaid. Paphnoutious, a monk who wanted also to be a hermit, met Onuphrius in the desert. While with St. Onuphrius, Paphnoutius learned of the old hermit's life and wrote a biography on the Saint (died ca. 400 A.D.).
St. Ternan was a monk at Culross Monastery in Scotland, and a disciple of St. Paliadus. He was consecrated bishop in 432 A.D. Ternan worked as a missionary among the Picts. He was known to have also founded the abbey of Culross in Fifeshire. This is where he spent the last years of his life (died 6th century A.D.).
St. Peter of Mount Athos fought against the Saracens in his youth, but was captured and imprisoned by them. He was released through the intercession of St. Simeon. Peter then went to Rome where he received the monastic habit from the Pope. He then went to Mount Athos in the Greek peninsula, and became the first Christian hermit there (died 8th century A.D.).
St. Leo III was a cardinal-priest before he was elected Pope on December 26, 975 A.D. Involved in a political conflict, he managed to escape an attempt on his life by fleeing to St. Erasmus Monastery. Leo III sought Charlemagne's protection, who sent a delegation to help him go back to Rome. Charlemagne helped Leo III against his enemies, then Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. When Charlemagne died in 814 A.D., Leo III's enemies rose up against him again. However St. Leo III prevailed against them (died ca. 816 A.D.).
St. Odulf was ordained, did parish work, and then became a canon at Utrecht in the Netherlands. He became known for his learning and eloquent preaching. He also became a missionary to Friesland - receiving much success. St. Odulf also built a church and a monastery at Stavoren. He spent his last years at Utrecht (died ca. 855 A.D.).
St. Eskil accompanied his relative St. Sigfrid on a missionary trip to Sweden. Upon arrival, he was consecrated bishop at Strängnäs and received success in his missionary work in Södermanland. Because the pagan practices were still strong in Strängnäs, St. Eskil was accused of magic when a pagan sacrificial altar was destroyed by lightning. St. Eskil was stoned to death and died a martyr for the Lord (died ca. 1080 A.D.).
St. Guy of Cortona was influenced by St. Francis of Assisi where the Saint visited his hometown at Cortona. Eventually, Guy expressed his desire to be a Franciscan. As required of all Franciscans, Guy abandoned his possessions - giving them to the poor. He donned the Franciscan habit and lived inside a small cell on a bridge over a stream. St. Guy was known among his townsmates to have raised back to life a girl who drowned and also to have multiplied food during a famine (died ca. 1245 A.D.).
St. Gaspar Bertoni was the founder of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Stigmatines) in 1816 A.D. During the twenty-year French occupation of northern Italy, St. Gaspar worked in hospitals for the sick and the wounded. He was also ordained chaplain to the Canossian sisters in 1800 A.D. (died ca. 1853 A.D.).
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