Memorials of Saints Celebrated in the Month of November

Solemnity of All Saints: Originating in the 4th c. Eastern feast of all Martyrs, and attested to by St. Ephrem (died 373 A.D.), Pope Gregory IV established this commemoration for all the Saints of the Roman Church in 835 A.D. Originally celebrated on Easter Friday, it came to be held in Rome on 13 May; later, in the 9th c. A.D., it was transferred to 1 Nov., the date of its celebration in Ireland where it countered the Celtic pagan feast of the Druids. (November 1)

Martin: (died 1639 A.D.); born in Lima of a Spanish father and a black slave mother; O.P. lay brother who humbly ministered to the poor and the sick, especially African slaves; devoted to the Holy Eucharist; a close friend of Rose of Lima; patron of social justice and of peoples of mixed races. (November 3)

Charles Borromeo (died 3 Nov. 1584 A.D.): at age 46; cardinal and secretary of state at age 22 for his uncle, Pope Pius IV; implemented reforms of Trent in his diocese of Milan; founder of seminaries; considered a model pastor by many bishops, including Francis de Sales; held five provincial councils and 11 diocesan synods; patron of catechists and of catechumens. (November 4)

Leo: (died 461 A.D.); eminent pastor and preacher; defender of the Roman primacy; combatted Pelagianism and Manichaeism; his Tome on Christ's two natures was adopted by the Council of Chalcedon 451 A.D.; many of his prayers are found in the Sacramentary; saved Rome from marauding Huns and Vandals. (November 10)

Martin of Tours: (died 397 A.D.); from Pannonia (in Hungary); soldier turned Christian at 18; disciple of St. Hilary; at Liguge, founded the first monastery in the West; bishop of Tours; first non-martyr with annual feast in the Western Church; patron of soldiers, winegrowers, and of France. (November 11)

Josaphat Kuncevych (died 1623 A.D.); born in Poland, raised Ukranian Orthodox, becoming a Basilian monk of the Ruthenian Rite at Vilna; bishop of Polotsk; his fidelity to the Roman See and his desire for union between the Ukranian Church and Rome led to his murder at Vitebsk; first formally canonized saint of the Eastern Rite (1867 A.D.). (November 12)

Albert (died 1280 A.D. at Cologne): from Swabia; O.P. master of philosophy, theology and the natural sciences, especially Aristotle; teacher of St. Thomas; Provincial of the German Dominicans (1254-1257 A.D.), becoming bishop of Regensburg; prolific writer (38 quarto volumes in print); wrote on the cult of the Sacred Heart; patron of scientists. (November 15)

Margaret: (died 1093 A.D.); from Hungary; wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland and mother of eight; helped root out paganism; her love for the poor became legendary; patroness of Scotland. (November 16)

Gertrude: (died 17 Nov 1301 A.D.); born in Thuringia; Benedictine mystic who wrote on the meaning of suffering, the Sacred Heart, the Trinity, and God’s love, most important work: Legatus Memorialis Abundantiae Divinae Pietatis (The Herald of Divine Love). (November 16)

Elizabeth of Hungary (died 1231 A.D. at age 23); wife of Louis VI of Thuringia and mother of 3; as a widow, she became a Franciscan tertiary, dedicated to the needs of the poor and the sick; canonized only 4 years after her death; patroness of the Franciscan Third Order and of Catholic charities. (November 17)

Cecilia or Cecily: (died 3rd c.? A.D.); known from her legendary Passio, a poem which exalts Christian virginity; honored in Rome since 5th c. A.D.; mentioned in the Roman canon; patroness of sacred music because of the song of God in her heart. (November 22)

Clement I: (died c. 100 A.D.); under Trajan; fourth bishop of Rome; wrote famous epistle to the Corinthians; mentioned in the Roman Canon. (November 23)

Columban or Columbanus: (died 615 A.D.); Irish monk and missionary to France; wrote a strict monastic rule and Penitential; founded monasteries at Luxeuil, Bobbio, and elsewhere; exiled to Italy for denouncing court immortality and lax bishops; died at Bobbio. (November 23)

Andrew was one of 117 people who were martyred in Vietnam between 1820-1862 A.D. The last of the martyrs were 17 laypersons, one of them a 9-year-old, executed in 1862 A.D. (November 24)

Catherine of Alexandria: this martyr was a learned woman of the early fourth century, who, following her conversion at the age of eighteen, preached the Gospel throughout Alexandria in Egypt. While imprisoned by the emperor Maximus, she converted both the empress and the leader of the armed forces and for this she was martyred. (November 25)

Memorial of Saints (November 7)

St. Engelbert was appointed archbishop of Cologne in 1217 A.D. He governed the diocese well, encouraged monastic life, and was very generous with the poor. Deeply involved in the politics of his time, he denounced his cousin Frederick (Count of Isenberg), for getting the property of the nuns which St. Engelbert administered. Frederick retaliated by killing his cousin, St. Engelbert (died ca. 1225 A.D.).

St. Ernest was abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Zwiefalten in Germany. He joined in one of the Crusades of the Church against the Moslems, and preached in Arabia and Persia. Captured by the Moors because of his zeal in preaching, he was tortured to death in Mecca (died ca. 1148 A.D.).

St. Herculanus was bishop of Perugia, Italy. When the pagan tribe of the Ostrogoths captured Perugia, St. Herculanus was beheaded by the leader of the Ostrogoths (died ca. 547 A.D.).

St. Florentius was an Irish priest who decided to live as a hermit at the foot of a mountain near Alsace, France. When he cured the blind and mute daughter of King Dagobert, the king helped Florentius found a monastery near Haslach. He eventually became bishop of Strasbourg and the founder of St. Thomas Monastery (died ca. 693 A.D.).

St. Willibrord was an Englishman sent with eleven companions to the missions in Friesland, northern Europe. In 695 A.D., he was made bishop of the Frisians with his diocese established at Utrecht (now in the Netherlands). Willibrord extended his missionary activities to Upper Friesland and to Denmark. This made him known as "the Apostle of the Frisians" (died ca. 739 A.D.).

Memorial of Saints (November 6)

St. Bertille entered the monastery of Jouarre, where she cared for the sick, the education of children, and the care of visitors to the monastery. Because of her efficiency, she was chosen to be the monastery's Prioress. When the Abbess of Chelles - another monastery - needed a group of nuns to lead her novices, she went to the Abbey of Jouarre to recruit a group of nuns. Bertille was chosen as leader of this group. Eventually, St. Bertille became the abbess of Chelles in 646 A.D. Because of her competence in administration (and her holiness), she attracted Queen Bathildis to also take the monastic habit in 665 A.D. (died ca. 692 A.D.).

Bl. Margaret of Lorraine married Duke René when she was twenty-five. In 1492 A.D., she was widowed and left with three children. She however devoted herself to administer well the ducal estate left by her husband. She also took time for works of charity. Then, after some time, she met St. Francis of Paola and was influenced by him. She lived austerely, and eventually entered a convent when all her children learned to be on their own. Years past and she soon left this convent with some companions, and founded a Poor Clare convent in Argentank, Brittany. Though she was offered the position of abbess, she declined it (died ca. 1521 A.D.).

St. Paul of Constantinople succeeded Alexander to the see of Constantinople in ca. 336 A.D. Paul had to contend with Arians who wanted to change the Church's orthodox teaching on the human and divine nature of Christ. Because of his orthodox stand, Paul was exiled to Pontus. He sought support from Pope Julius I, St. Athanasius, and the Western emperor Constans I. The continued struggle with the Arians caused him to experience further exiles: to Mesopotamia, to Emesa and then to Armenia. Tradition tells the story that Paul was strangled to death by the Arians in Cucusus, Armenia (died ca. 350 A.D.).

St. Leonard of Noblac became a monk at Micy. He lived as a hermit at Limoges, and was given land by his godfather, King Clovis I. Leonard founded Noblac monastery on the land granted to him. From this monastery, the town of Saint-Leonard developed. St. Leonard evangelized the areas surrounding the Noblac monastery and the town of Saint-Leonard. He is patron saint of women in labor (because of his help in the safe delivery of the King's wife), and prisoners of war (because every captive Leonard visited was released by King Clovis (died ca. 559 A.D.).

St. Melaine was born in Brittany. Nothing much is known of him save for his becoming a monk and his election as bishop of Rennes - in present-day western France. A very active bishop, St. Melaine participated well in the Council of Rennes. He also removed idolatry from his diocese and found much favor from King Clovis. He spent his last years in a monastery he built at his birthplace in Placet, Brittany (died ca. 530 A.D.).

St. Illtud is a Welsh saint. He married Trynihid and served in the army. When one of his friends was killed in a hunting accident, he and his wife lived as recluses. Illtud eventually left his wife to become a monk. But after some time, he returned to his eremitical life. As a hermit, he attracted many disciples and organized them into Llaniltud Fawr Monastery. This monastery eventually became a center of missionary activity in Wales. Many miracles were attributed to him - especially the cessation of a famine in Brittany (died ca. 535 A.D.).

St. Winnoc came from Britanny. Together with three companions, he became a monk at St. Peter's Monastery at Sithiu (Saint-Omer). After some time, he and his three companions were sent to found a monastery among the Morini, with him as abbot. This monastery became the center of their missionary work. Venerated for his holiness and miracles, St. Winnoc also built a church and a hospital (died ca. 717 A.D.).

St. Demetrian became a monk at St. Antony's monastery. When the abbot died, Demetrian succeeded as abbot, and served the monastery for forty years. Then, despite his objections, he became bishop of Khytri and administered his diocese for twenty-five years. When the Saracens made a raid on his country (Cyprus), he was able to persuade the invaders to release their Christian captives (died ca. 912 A.D.).

St. Barlaam of Khutyn gave away his inheritance to the poor after the death of his parents. He became a hermit at Khutyn on the Volga River. As disciples flocked to him because of his holiness, he organized them into a monastic community. His grave became a pilgrimage site where numerous miracles were reported to have occured (died ca. 1193 A.D.).