Saints with Feast for the month of October
Therese Martin: the "Little Flower," died 30 Sept. 1897 of tuberculosis in Carmel of Lisieux at age 24; born in Alencon; contemplative who, in her biography, "The Story of a Soul" urged all to follow "the little way"; proclaimed doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II, 19 October 2001; patroness of the missions, of France. (October 1)
also on October 1: Remigius, bishop and confessor; Romanus the Melodist; Melorus Melar or Mylor, martyr; Bavo or Allowin
Guardian Angels: Observed since the 16th c. in Spain, Pope Clement X in 1670 assigned this memorial to the first free day following Michaelmas day. (October 2)
also on October 2: Eleutherius, martyr; Leodegarius or Leger, bishop and martyr
on October 3: Hesychius; The Two Ewalds, martyr; Gerard of Brogne, abbot; Froilan and Attilanus, bishop; Thomas of Hereford, bishop
Francis: (died 3 Oct 1226); noted for his charismatic personality, deep compassion for all, and love for God's creation; renounced wealth to follow "Lady Poverty"; deacon; founded the Order of Friars Minor (today numbering 17,900), the Poor Clares and the Third Order; wrote Canticle of the Sun; received the stigmata 14 Sept. 1224; canonized only two years after his death; patron of ecologists and of Italy. (October 4)
also on October 4: Ammon; Petronius, bishop
on October 5: Apollinaris of Valence, bishop; Galla, widow; Magenulf or Meinulf; Flora of Beaulieu, virgin; Aymard of Cluny, abbot
Bruno (died 1101): at la Grande Chartreuse (or Charter House) near Grenoble; sought "to seek God assiduously, to find God promptly, and to possess God fully"; founded (1084) the Carthusians, today numbering about 360 religious, whose motto is "while the world changes, the cross stands firm." (October 6)
also on October 6: Faith, virgin and martyr; Nicetas of Constantinople; Mary Frances of Naples, virgin
on October 7: Our Lady of the Rosary; Mark, pope; Justina, virgin and martyr; Osyth, virgin and martyr; Artaldus or Arthaud, bishop
on October 8: Marcellus, martyr; Simeon; Pelagia the Penitent; Thaïs; Reparata, virgin and martyr; Demetrius, martyr; Keyne, virgin
Denis, or Dionysius (died 258): first bishop of Paris;
martyred with the presbyter, Eleutherius, and the deacon,
Rusticus, on Montmartre (or "mount of martyrs"); patron
of Paris and France. (October 9)
John Leonardi: (died 1609) at Lucca; founded (1574) the
Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Mother of God (today
numbering about 60 members) to further education in Christian
doctrine; helped found the Propaganda Fide, the Vatican
Congregation in charge of missionary activity (known as the
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples). (October 9)
also on October 9: Demetrius of Alexandria, bishop;
Publia, widow; Andronicus and Athanasia; Savin; Gislenus or
Ghislain, abbot; Gunther; Louis Bertrand
on October 10: Francis Borgia, confessor; Gereon and
Companions, martyrs; Eulampius and Eulampia, martyrs; Maharsapor,
martyr; Cerbonius, bishop; Paulinus of York, bishop; Daniel and
Companions, martyrs
on October 11: Andronicus, Tarachus and Probus, martyrs;
Nectarius, bishop; Canice or Kenneth, abbot; Agilbert, bishop;
Gummarus or Gommaire; Bruno the Great of Cologne, bishop;
Alexander Sauli, bishop; Maria Desolata (Emmanuela Torres
Acosta), virgin
on October 12: Maximilian, bishop and martyr; Felix and
Cyprian and Companions; Edwin, martyr; Ethelburga of Barking,
virgin; Wilfrid, bishop
on October 13: Edward the Confessor; Faustus, Januarius,
and Martial, martyrs; Comgan, abbot; Gerald of Aurillac; Coloman,
martyr; Maurice of Carnoë, abbot
Callixtus I (died 222): incurred ire of Tertullian and
Hippolytus (13 Aug) over lapsi controversy; organized
the first official Christian cemetery in Rome and instituted
Ember day fasts. (October 14)
also on October 14: Justus of Lyons, bishop; Manechildis,
virgin; Angadrisma or Angadrême, virgin; Burchard, bishop;
Dominic Lauricatus
on October 15: Theresa of Avila, virgin and doctor of
the Church; Leonard of Vandoeuvre, abbot; Thecla of Kitzingen,
virgin; Euthymius the Younger, abbot
Hedwig (died 1243): born in Bavaria; duchess of Silesia
and mother of seven; peacemaker dedicated to the poor and
prisoners; as a widow, retired to a Cistercian convent.
(October 16)
Margaret Mary (died 17 Oct. 1690) at age 43; French
Visitandine mystic who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, a feast which helped free the Church from the spirit of
Jansenism; promoted first Friday devotion. (October 16)
also on October 16: Martinian and Companions and Maxima;
Gall; Mommolinus, bishop; Bercharius, abbot; Lull, bishop;
Anastasius of Cluny; Bertrand of Comminges, bishop;
Gerard Majella
Ignatius: (died c. 107) under Trajan in Rome's
amphitheater; from Syria; Apostolic Father known as the second
successor of St. Peter in Antioch; wrote seven letters to local
communities on church unity and structure, esp. the
monoepiscopacy; first to use the term "Catholic Church" as a
collective designation for Christians; mentioned in the Roman
Canon. (October 17)
also on October 17: John the Dwarf; Anstrudis or
Anstrude, virgin; Nothelm, bishop; Seraphino, confessor;
Richard Gwyn, martyr
Luke (died 1st c.): Syrian physician from Antioch and
companion of Paul; authored c. 70-85 Acts of the Apostles and
the gospel for the gentile Christians; it speaks of God's mercy,
universal salvation, love of the poor and marginalized, absolute
renunciation, prayer and the Holy Spirit; represented by a
winged ox (cf. Ezekiel 1); patron of the medical profession,
painters, artists, sculptors and butchers. (October 18)
also on October 18: Justus of Beauvais, martyr
John de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and companions: French
Jesuit and oblate missionaries to the Hurons and Iroquois of
North America, (died 1642-1649); Isaac was tomahawked to death
by Iroquois on 18 Oct. 1646 near Albany; John was savagely
mutilated and slain 16 Mar. 1649 near Georgian Bay; other
martyrs were Antony Daniel, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier,
Noel Chabanel and oblates Rene Goupil and Jean de la Lande;
secondary patrons of Canada. (October 19)
also on October 19: Paul of the Cross, priest; Peter of Alcantara, confessor; Ptolemaeus and Lucius, martyrs; Cleopatra, widow, and Varus; Ethbin; Aquilinus, bishop; Frideswide, virgin; Philip Howard, martyr
on October 20: Caprasius, martyr; Artemius, martyr; Acca, bishop; Andrew of Crete, martyr; Maria Bertilla (Ann Francis Boscardin), virgin
on October 21: Hilarion, abbot; Malchus; Fintan or Munnu of Taghmon, abbot; Condedus; John of Bridlington
on October 22: Abercius, bishop; Philip of Heraclea, bishop; and Companions, martyrs; Mallonius or Mellon, bishop; Nunilo and Alodia, virgins and martyrs; Donatus of Fiesole, bishop
John of Capistrano (died 1456): OFM; reformer of the Franciscans and Poor Clares; preached devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus; sought an end to the Western Schism; animated resistance against the Turks at the battle of Belgrade (1456); patron of military chaplains. (October 23)
also on October 23: Theodoret, martyr; Severinus or Seurin, martyr; Severinus Boethius, martyr; Romanus of Rouen, bishop; Ignatius of Constantinople, bishop; Allucio
Anthony Claret: (died 1870); from Catalonia; vigorous reforming bishop of Santiago, Cuba; founded (1849) the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians), today numbering about 2,900 members; fostered credit unions and the apostolic press. (October 24)
also on October 24: Felix of Thibiuca, bishop and martyr;
Proclus, bishop; Aretas and the martyrs of Najran and Elesbaan;
Senoch, abbot; Martin or Mark; Maglorius or Maelor, bishop;
Martin of Vertou, abbot; Ebregislus or Evergislus, bishop
on October 25: Chrysanthus and Daria, martyrs; Crispin and Crispinian, martyrs; Fronto and George, bishops; Gaudentius, bishop
on October 26: Lucian and Marcian, martyrs; Rusticus of Narbonne, bishop; Cedd, bishop; Eata, bishop; Bean, bishop
on October 27: Frumentius, bishop; Otteran or Odhran, abbot
Simon (died 1st c.): called the "Canaanite" and also "the Zealot," an anti-Roman party; possibly preached in Egypt and Persia; mentioned in the Roman canon. (October 28)
Jude, or Thaddeus ("Courageous") (died 1st c.): may have preached in Palestine and Persia; mentioned in the Roman Canon; patron of those in despair, or in hopeless situations (perhaps because of the similarity of his name with that of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and despaired.) (October 28)
also on October 28: Anastasia and Cyril, martyrs; Fidelis
of Como, martyrs; Salvius or Saire; Faro, bishop
on October 29: Narcissus of Jerusalem, bishop; Theuderius or Chef, abbot; Colman of Kilmacduagh, bishop; Abraham of Rostov, abbot
on October 30: Serapion of Antioch, bishop; Marcellus, martyr; Asterius, bishop; Germanus of Capua, bishop; Ethelnoth, bishop; Alphonsus Rodriguez
on October 31: Quentin or Quintinius, martyr; Foillan, abbot; Wolfgang, bishop
