Memorial of Saints (November 27)

St. Maximus of Riez became a monk at Lérins (off the coast of Cannes, France) under St. Honoratus. When Honoratus was named bishop of Arles, Maximus was named abbot. St. Maximus attracted many to the monastery because of its reputation for holiness. When he was offered the see of Fréjus (in modern southeastern France), he refused; but he reluctantly had to accede to be bishop of Riez. Maximus was a good and holy administrator who worked in his see till his last years (died ca. 460 A.D.).

St. Virgil was an Irish monk who went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in ca. 743 A.D. He spent two years in France, went to Bavaria, and then was appointed bishop of Salzburg, Austria, in ca. 765 A.D. Virgil rebuilt the cathedral at Salzburg and sent missionaries to Carinthia - the southern state of Austria which borders Italy and Slovenia. Because of his good missionary works, St. Virgil is venerated to this day as the apostle of the Slovenes (died ca. 784 A.D.).

St. James the Persian was the friend of the pagan king of Persia. Tradition says that he wanted to abandon his Christian faith when the local bishop provoked the anger of the King against his Christian community. James' apostasy distressed his wife and his mother. But when his friend the king died, the entreaties of his wife and mother moved James to return to the faith. The new king however who replaced James' friend summoned James, and condemned him to death. St. James suffered a most gruesome martyrdom; but, witnesses say he miraculously remained calm and cheerful throughout the execution (died ca. 421 A.D.).

St. Secundinus was sent to assist St. Patrick in the mission at Ireland. He became the first bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, and then auxiliary bishop of Armagh. Secundinus wrote several hymns - composing one in honor of St. Patrick (Audites, omnes amantes) and Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite (died ca. 447 A.D.).

St. Cungar became a monk and then founded a monastery near Yatton, Somerset. When the Saxons invaded his land, he fled to South Wales and founded a church near Cardiff. Cungar then accompanied St. Cybi to Ireland, and later to Anglesey (an island off the northwestern tip of Wales) where he founded a church at Llangefni (died ca. 6th century A.D.).

St. Fergus went to Scotland as a missionary and settled at Strathearn, Perthshire. Founding several churches there, he became a bishop of the Scots and attended a synod in Rome in 721 A.D. (died ca. 8th century A.D.).