The martyrdom of St. Berard and his companions in 1219 had inflamed many of the religious of the Order of Friars Minor with the desire of preaching the Gospel in non-Christian lands; and in 1227, the year following St. Francis's death, six religious of Tuscany, Agnellus (Agnello), Samuel, Donulus, Leo, Hugolinus (Ugolino), and Nicholas, petitioned Brother Elias of Cortona, then...

Saint Denis was a legendary 3rd-century Christian martyr and saint. According to his hagiographies, he was bishop of Paris in the third century and, together with his companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, was martyred for his faith by decapitation. Some accounts placed this during Domitian's persecution and identified St Denis of Paris with the Areopagite who was converted by St Paul and...

St. Simeon is styled a confessor. He is the man who held the infant Jesus, the upright and devout man of Jerusalem who looked forward to the consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25). As Luke wrote: “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord.  He came in the Spirit into the Temple; and when the parents brought in...

St. Libaire was born into an imperial Roman patrician family which provided the Church with many saints. She was the daughter of Baccius Lientrude and sister of Saint Amée, Saint Francule, Saint Gontrude, Saint Hoilde, Saint Lintrude, Saint Menne, Saint Ode, Saint Pusinne and Saint Suzanne. She worked for her family as a shepherdess, spending her time with the flocks spinning, praying and...

St. Bruno (1030-1101) was born to a noble and prominent family in Cologne, Germany. He was well educated and excelled in his studies, and became a priest around the year 1055. He went on to direct and teach at the episcopal school at Reims for many years, earning a reputation as a learned scholar. After also serving as the chancellor of his archdiocese, he and a few companions left their...