August 31 -- today's saints and blesseds

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Jmj

On August 31, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- "saints" and "blesseds" whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Aidan of Lindisfarne (Irish, monk, bishop in England, d. 651)
St. Albertino of Fonteavellana (Italian, Benedictine prior general, d. 1294)
St. Amatus of Nusco (Italian, Benedictine monk, bishop, reputed to have died at age 90 in 11th or 12th century)
St. Aristides of Athens (Greek, philosopher, c. 133)
St. Babolenus of Bobbio (Italian, Benedictine abbot, c. 640)
St. Caesidius and companions (Italian, priest and disciples, martyred in 3rd century)
St. Cyriaca of Rome (Italian, widow, martyred by scourging in 249)
St. Dominic del Val of Zaragoza ["Dominguito" (little Dominic)] (Spanish, altar boy, kidnapped and martyred [nailed to wall] at age 7 in 1250)
St. Optatus of Auxerre (French, bishop, c. 530)
St. Paulinus of Gascony (French, bishop of Trier, strong opponent of Arian heresy, d. 358)
St. Raymond Nonnatus of Portella [Ramon] (Spanish, Mercedarian priest, cardinal bishop of Barcelona, died at about age 36 in 1240 [beatified 1625, canonized 1657])
Bl. Richard Bere of Glastonbury (English, Carthusian monk, martyred [starved in prison] under Henry VIII in 1537)
Sts. Robustian and Mark (Italian, early martyrs)
Bl. Servite Martyrs (64 Servite friars [including 4 Italians] in Bohemia [part of today's Czech Republic], martyred [burned in a church] by Hussite heretics in 1420 [beatified 1918])
Sts. Theodotus, Rufina, and Ammia, of Cappadocia (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], martyred c. 270)
St. Waldef of Northampton (English, count, d. 1076)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Additional information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 31, 2004

Answers



-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 31, 2004.

"Nonnatus" was not St. Raymond's surname. It was a Latin nickname -- non natus -- meaning "not born" (i.e., not delivered naturally). Because he was born by Caesarian section -- which I imagine was rare in those days of little surgery and no injected anaesthetic -- he is a patron saint of expectant mothers, newborn infants, midwives, and obstetricians.

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), August 31, 2004.

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