When he died at the age of 23, Louis was already a Franciscan, a bishop, and a saint! Louis’s parents were Charles II of Naples and Sicily, and Mary, daughter of the King of Hungary. Louis was related to Saint Louis IX on his father’s side and to Elizabeth of Hungary on his mother’s side. Louis showed early signs of attachment to prayer and to the corporal works of mercy. As...

St. Agapitus was a fifteen year old boy who was caught up in the persecutions of the Christians in Antioch. According to his legend Agapitus, who may have been a member of the noble Anicia family of Palestrina, was condemned to death under the prefect Antiochus and the emperor Aurelian, for being a Christian. He was thrown to the wild animals in the local arena at Palestrina. The beasts...

Beatrice was the daughter of the Count of Viana and sister of Saint Amedeus of Portugal. She was raised in the household of Princess Isabel, and accompanied her to Castile when she married John II of Castile. Beatrice spent much of her life as a courtier, but tired of it. She retired to a Cistercian convent in the city of Toledo, and dedicated the rest of her life to God. Around 1484, Beatrice...

Stephen I, also known as King Saint Stephen (c. 975 – 15 August 1038), was the last Grand Prince of the Hungarians between 997 and 1000 or 1001, and the first King of Hungary from 1000 or 1001, until his death in 1038. The year of his birth is uncertain, but many details of his life suggest that he was born in, or after, 975, in Esztergom. He was given the pagan name Vajk at birth, but...

Even though he was a Jesuit for less than a year when he died, Stanislaus Kostka (Stanislaw Kostka, 1550-1568) is known for his youthful holiness and iron determination to follow God's call despite family obstacles. He was a Polish noble by birth (his father being castellan of Zakroczym and a senator of the realm) and was destined for public life. In 1564 his parents sent Stanislaus and...