Saint Frumentius was also called Amharic Abba Salama. He was the first bishop of Axum and he brought Christianity throughout Ethiopia.
Saint Frumentius had a brother, Aedesius. They were both captured in 340. They served as civil servants at the court of the King of Axum. When the king passed away, Saint Frumentius became part of the queen’s court. He served as the royal administrator and also tutored the crown prince.
He was eventually ordained as bishop and he initiated the adaptation of Greek Christianity’s biblical-liturgical texts into Ethiopic symbols and language.
Saint Evaristus was born in Jerusalem and lived there for most of his life. He eventually became a Pope, the fifth one. He succeeded St. Clement, and served from 97-107.
A biography was published centuries ago which mentioned that he divided the districts of Rome to give bishops and leaders more control over their followers. The districts are called parishes. Seven men were nominated to serve as deacons and they would work in every district.
He was usually referred to as a martyr, his martyrdom was not exactly proven.
Saints Crispin and Crispianus are brothers born into a noble family. They were able to flee during the persecution. They ended up at Soissons and worked on evangelizing Gaul. They supported themselves while preaching by making shoes at night. Through their earnings, they were able to help the poor as well.
Saints Crispin and Crispianus inspired a lot of people to convert because of their charity and piety. However, their success did not sit well with the governor of Gaul then. They were tortured but they survived. But in 286, they were beheaded, martyred under the Emperor.
Saint Anthony was born in Catalonia, Spain, in 1807. At the age of 28, he was ordained as a priest. However, due to his health, he was prevented to enter the Order. Despite this, he still became one of the most popular preachers in Spain.
At 42, he founded a religious institute of missionaries which is now known as the Claretians. He also established the Religious Publishing House, since he has always been interested in the Catholic Press.
He died at the age of 63 while in exile near the border of Spain.
Saint John of Capistrano was considered to be one of the greatest Franciscan preachers of the 15th century. His preachings attracted a great crowd even during the time wherein there is religious apathy and confusion.
At the age of 26, he was made into a governor of Perugia. However, after the battle against Malatestas, he was imprisoned. He was released and at the age of 30, he joined the Franciscan novitiate. Four years later, he was ordained as a priest. He helped in reuniting the Greek and Armenian Churches.
In 1453, Saint John of Capistrano was commissioned to a crusade for the defense of Europe. They finally gained victory under General John Hunyadi, the siege of Belgrade was lifted. In October 23, 1456
Born as Karol Jozef Wojtyla, St. John Paul II was the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years. He was the bishop and head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005, making his pontificate the third longest in history.
He travelled to many countries as part of his efforts to promote understanding among different nations and religions. He campaigned against political oppression. He also criticized the materialism of the West. He issued to groups that had been wronged by Catholics and emphasized nonviolent activism.
In the last years of his life, he was forced to reduce his activities as Pope due to his illness, Parkinson’s disease.
According to a medieval story, Saint Ursula was a Christian princess in Britain. She did not wish to be married to a pagan prince and so the king granted her a period of three years to postpone the marriage. She instead went on a voyage with her ten ladies in waiting and a thousand maidens. They sailed from the North sea, Rhine and then to Rome. Legend says that Saint Ursula and her companions in the voyage were all murdered because she refused to marry the chief of the pagan Huns.
Saint Ursula was considered the leader of the eleven thousand that was brought by the Romans from Britain. The relics of Saint Ursula and her companions were held by many churches. Saint Ursula is the patron saint of young teachers.
Saint Paul of the Cross was born in 1694 and was named Paul Daneo. He was from Italy and lived as a soldier for a brief period of time. But then he turned to solitary prayer and developed his devotion to Christ. Because of his devotion, he demonstrated compassion and support for a preaching ministry.
The Congregation of the Passion was found by Saint Paul in 1720. The members of the congregation shared his devotion and combined it with preaching to the poor and practicing penances. In 1747, Saint Paul was elected as superior general of the congregation and spent his life in Rome, thereafter.
Saint Paul of the Cross was one of the most popular preachers during his time. He died in 1775 and was canonized in 1867.
Saint Peter of Alcantara was from a noble family, with his father being a governor of Alcantara. He was a law student at Salamanca University. At the age of 16, he joined the discalced friars. Before being ordained as a priest, he was already named as the Superior. He was a very successful preacher.
Saint Peter has always practiced a life of penance which was quite apparent in his food and clothing choices. There was talk about reforming the Church but for Saint Peter the reform began with himself.
Peter was permitted to form a group of Franciscans who followed the Rule of St. Francis in 1554. By the end of the 19th century, the friars have joined with the discalced friars to form the Order of Friars Minor.
Saint Peter of Alcantara’s preaching allowed many people to join the religious life. He was canonized in 1669.
There is not much information about his life. He is known as Saint Luke the Evangelist. He wrote a major portion in the New Testament – the Gospel According to Saint Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Paul refers to him as “our beloved physician”.
Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem, and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion.