Memorial of Saints (January 22)

Bl. Laura Vicuña was 10 years old when she defended her purity from the improper advances of a man - a hacienda owner in Mercedes, Chile. Educated by the Salesian Sisters since 8 years old, Laura learned to value holiness and chastity. After the incident with the hacienda owner, whom she and her mother worked for, they fled from him and from a possible life of concubinage. In 1904 A.D., Laura was beaten into unconsciousness when she refused to go back to the hacienda owner's house. She died a week later (died ca. 1904 A.D.).

St. Vincent Saragossa was a deacon martyred during the persecution of Christians under Dacian, governor of Spain, and under the reign of the Roman Emperor Maximian. Tradition relates his martyrdom as something gruesome - starved to death, racked and roasted on a gridiron. Vincent is the patron saint of Portugal (died ca. 304 A.D.).

St. Vincent Pallotti is the founder of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate - composed of priests, nuns and lay people. Known for his missionary spirit, Vincent organized trade schools for poor boys, worked among the poor, and was a sought-after confessor. St. Vincent brought back many to the Church (died ca. 1850 A.D.).

St. Anastasius was a soldier in the Persian army. Converted to Christianity, he left the army and was baptized in Jerusalem. He then decided to become a monk at Jerusalem in 621 A.D. Traveling to Palestine, he was arrested for preaching against pagan gods. Ordered to recant his Christian faith, Anastasius refused. Unshaken, he was tortured, strangled and then beheaded - the 69th martyr in the reign of King Chosroës in Bethsalre, Assyria (died ca. 628 A.D.).

St. Blesilla got married but her husband died seven months after. She contracted a fever but was cured. This experience led her to live a life of great austerity and holiness. She died suddenly at Rome when only twenty years of age (died ca. 383 A.D.).

St. Dominic of Sora was a Benedictine monk whose birthplace was in Foligno, Etruria, Italy. Nothing much is known of his life save for his building many monasteries in various parts of Italy (died ca. 1031 A.D.).

St. Berhtwald was also a Benedictine monk like Dominic of Sora. He became a bishop of Ramsbury in 1005 A.D. and was reputed to have the gift of visions and prophecies. He was also generous to Glastonbury and Malmesbury abbeys (died ca. 1045 A.D.).

St. Valerius of Saragossa was the bishop who educated St. Vincent the deacon. He was imprisoned because of the persecutions at that time in Spain and in the whole Roman Empire under Emperor Maximian. Nothing much is known of Valerius save for his return from exile (died ca. 304 A.D.).