Feast of St. Amalberga of Maubeuge, Merovingian nun, relative of Blessed Pepin of Landen, married to Witgar and the mother of five saints – Emebert, Reineldis, Pharaildis, Ermelindis and Gudula. Amalberga joined the Benedictine monastery in Maubeuge, Hainaut, France.

Feast of St. Pantaenus the Philosopher, Greek theologian and missionary stoic philosopher, head of the  catechetical school in Alexandria, Egypt. St. Pantaenus influenced the development of Christian theology.

Feast of St. Maria Goretti, Italian virgin-martyr,one of the youngest canonized saints, canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950. Patron of chastity, rape victims, girls, youth, teenage girls, poverty, purity and forgiveness.

Feast of Sts. Fragan & Gwen, the parents of Sts. Jacut, Guithem and Winwaloe and Feast of St. Antonio Maria Zaccharia, medical doctor, priest and cofounder, Clerics Regular of Saint Paul (the Barnabites) in 1530. Popularized the 40 Hours devotion. Patron The Barnabite order.

Feast of St. Phocas the Gardener, martyr. Phocas was a gardener living at Sinope, on the Black Sea, who aided persecuted Christians during the Diocletianic persecutions. Patron of gardeners, hospitality, agricultural workers, farmers, sailors and mariners.

Feast of St. Otto of Bamberg, medieval German bishop, missionary, chaplain to the Polish court, emperor’s chancellor and papal legate.  Supervised the construction of Speyer Cathedral and negotiated the peace treaty – the Concordat of Worms.  Called the Apostle of Pomerania.

Feast of St. Otto of Bamberg, medieval German bishop, missionary, chaplain to the Polish court, emperor’s chancellor and papal legate.  Supervised the construction of Speyer Cathedral and negotiated the peace treaty – the Concordat of Worms.  Called the Apostle of Pomerania.

Feast of St. Theobald of Provins,  hermit and monk. Patron of farmers, winegrowers, shoemakers, belt makers, charcoal-burners and bachelors.

Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.  Peter – patron of bakers, bridge builders, butchers, fishermen.  Paul – patron of missionaries and theologians.

Feast of St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr. Greek cleric who guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France. Bishop of Lugdunum (Lyon), his best-known work is On the Detection and Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis, ending the spread of Gnosticism.