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Gregory of Tours, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Gregory of Tours, Saint, 538–94, French historian, bishop of Tours (from 573), b. Clermont-Ferrand, of a prominent family. He had a distinguished and successful career as bishop. Gregory wrote accou...

Margaret Mary, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Margaret Mary, Saint, 1647–90, French nun of the Visitation Convent of Paray-le-Monial, Saône-et-Loire dept., France. Her family name was Alacoque. Jesus appeared to her in a number of visions. In ...

Cecilia, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Cecilia, Saint səsĭlˈyə, –sēl– [key], 2d or 3d cent., Roman virgin martyr. An ancient and famous account of her life is factually valueless. As patron of music, she is represented at the orga...

Bernard of Menthon, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Bernard of Menthon, Saint măNtôNˈ [key], d. 1081?, Italian churchman, founder of the Alpine hospices of Saint Bernard. His life was spent working among the people of the Val d'Aosta. Also known as ...

Raphael

(Encyclopedia)Raphael răfˈēəl, rāˈ– [key], archangel. He is prominent in the book of Tobit, as the companion of Tobias, as the healer of Tobit, and as the rescuer of Sara from Asmodeus. Milton made him a fe...

Sebastian, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Sebastian, Saint, fl. 3d cent.?, Roman martyr. Little is known of his life. According to tradition he was an officer of the Praetorian guards much favored by Emperor Diocletian, who did not know that ...

Joseph Barsabas, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Joseph Barsabas, Saint bärˈsəbəs [key], surnamed Justus, Matthias' competitor for the place among the disciples left vacant by Judas Iscariot. Lots were drawn, and Matthias won. Feast: July 20. ...

Benedict the Black, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Benedict the Black, Saint, d. 1589, Sicilian friar. Born a slave, he became a hermit and later a Franciscan lay brother. Although illiterate, his humility and extraordinary powers as spiritual directo...

Philip, Saint, one of the seven deacons chosen by the Twelve Apostles

(Encyclopedia)Philip, Saint, one of the seven deacons chosen by the Twelve Apostles. He is also called St. Philip the Evangelist and St. Philip the Deacon. He evangelized Samaria and later converted an important eu...

Rose of Lima, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Rose of Lima, Saint, 1586–1617, Peruvian Dominican tertiary and mystic, the first canonized saint of the New World, patron of South America and the Philippine Islands. Despite her family's attempt t...