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On February 16, 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. Aganus of Airola (Italian, Benedictine abbot, died at about age 50 in 1100)
Bl. Bernard Scammacca of Catania [Bernardo] (Sicilian, Dominican priest, prophet, mystic, died at about age 57 c. 1487 [beatified 1825])
Sts. Elias, Jeremy, Isaias, Samuel, and Daniel (Egyptian, tortured and martyred by beheading in Palestine in 309)
St. Faustinus of Brescia (Italian, bishop, d. 381)
St. Gilbert of Sempringham (English, priest, founder of Order of Sempringham [only specifically English order -- now called "Gilbertines"] for men and women, died at about age 105 in 1189 [canonized 1202])
St. Honestus of Nimes (French, priest in Spain, martyred in 270)
Bl. Joseph Allamano of Castelnuovo d'Asti [Giuseppe] (Italian, priest, founded Consolata Society for Foreign Missions, died at age 75 in 1926 [beatified 1990])
St. Julian and companions (Egyptian, early martyrs)
St. Juliana of Nicomedia (from Asia Minor [now called Turkey], virgin, martyred [burned, boiled in oil, and beheaded] in Italy in 305)
St. Onesimus of Colossae (from Asia Minor, runaway then freed slave of Sts. Philemon and Apphia [see Pauline epistle to Philemon], possibly martyred by stoning in Spain c. 90)
Bl. Philippa Mareri of Cicoli (Italian, hermitess, Poor Clare abbess, died when under age 50 in 1236 [beatified 1806])
Sts. Porphyrius and Seleucius, of Caesarea (Palestinian, martyred [Porphyrius torn by hooks, disemboweled, and burned -- and Seleucius beheaded] in 309)

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), February 16, 2005

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), February 16, 2005.