portraitsofsaints

[portraitsofsaints]

The Holy Face of Jesus

Shrove Tuesday

Venerable Pope Pius XII granted that the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus be observed on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, he fulfilled the desire of Our Lord that His sorrowful Holy Face be contemplated in reparation for our sins.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Casimir of Poland, Prince of Poland

1458-1484

Feast Day: March 4

Patronage: Poland, Lithuania, against plague, bachelors, kings, princes, single laymen

Saint Casimir was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland. He rebelled against the riches of the royal court, living a simple life of purity, prayer, and compassion instead. When a teenager he was sent to Hungary to be their new king and lead a war that was a failure. Realizing how futile war was, he returned home a conscientious objector. He returned to prayer, study and helping the poor. He remained celibate his entire life, even under pressure to marry. Casimir died of tuberculosis at 23 and was buried with a copy of his favorite Latin hymn to Mary of whom he was very devoted.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Katharine Drexel

1858 -1955

Feast Day: March 3rd

Patronage: Philanthropists, racial justice

One of the 12 American Saints, St. Katharine Drexel was an American heiress, philanthropist, religious sister, educator, and foundress. Taking religious vows in 1891, she is known for her selfless service of the oppressed. Donating her life and considerable fortune to the betterment and education of others with an avid interest in Native American and African-American peoples. “The patient and humble endurance of the cross - whatever nature it may be - is the highest work we have to do.” ~ St. Katharine Drexel

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Blessed Charles the Good

1084 - March 2, 1127

Feast Day: March 2

Patronage: counts and crusaders

Blessed Charles the Good, also known as the Count of Flanders, was a warrior and crusader. He accompanied his grandfather in a crusade to the Holy Land and fought against the English. He succeeded Count Baldwin as the Count of Flanders after he died in 1119. By achieving a stable administration, he devoted himself to the welfare of his subjects, the poor, and fought against unethical marketing practices. While praying in the castle Church of St. Donatian on Ash Wednesday, he was murdered by his enemies.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Chloe of Corinth

1st c.

Feast Day: The First Sunday after February 23

Saint Chloe was a citizen of Corinth and a significant co-worker of the Apostle Paul and his missionary work in Corinth. When issues, quarrels and divisions happened in Corinth, Chloe, in great faith, appealed to St. Paul for his intervention.

(I Corinthians 1:11) For it hath been signified unto me, my brethren, of you, by them that are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint David of Wales

500-589

Feast day: March 1

Patronage: Wales, poets, and vegetarian

Saint David was a bishop who engaged in missionary work and founded monasteries in Wales. He and his monks practiced asceticism, silence and were vegetarians. In 550, he was elected Primate because of his defense of the faith, against Pelagianism. Legend has it that once when preaching a dove descended on his shoulder and the earth rose to lift him above the people, so he could be heard. Before he died he said, "Be joyful, keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.” He is the patron saint of Wales and one of the most famous British saints

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Gregory of Narek

Doctor of the Church

c.950 - c.1005

Feast Day: February 27 (Roman Rite) October 13 (Armenian Rite)

Saint Gregory of Narek, the son of an Armenian Bishop, was raised and lived most of his life in the Monastery of Narekavank in Turkey, teaching, and writing. Gregory was a priest/monk, poet, theologian, mathematician, and scientist. He wrote the Encyclopedia of Prayer for all Nations, that’s considered a classic in Armenian literature. The Book of Lamentations, his masterpiece, was completed just before he died at age 90. Today he’s known as “the Watchful Angel in Human Form” because of the many miracles started with prayer. Pope Francis proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church in 2015

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

St. Anne Line

1567 - 1601

Feast day: February 27

Patronage: converts, widows, childless people

Saint Anne Higham/Line was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. After losing her husband she became very active in sheltering Catholic priests. Finally arrested she was condemned to death and executed during the reign of Elizabeth I for harboring a priest.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

St. Gabriel Possenti

1838 - 1862

Feast Day: February 27

Patronage: Abruzzi, Italy, Catholic Action, clerics, students, young people

One of thirteen children, St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows was led by Our Lady to give up ambitions of a secular career to enter the Passionist Congregation. His life was given to prayer, sacrifice, and a devotion to Our Lady and the contemplation of her sorrows over the suffering of Jesus. Many miracles are attributed to him after his death. Pope Benedict XV named him as a patron for young people.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Walburga

c.710 - 779

Feast Day February 25

Patronage: against coughs, famine, plague, dog bites, rabies, hydrophobia, storms, and sailors

Saint Walburga was born into a saintly noble English family. When she was 11 years old she was sent to Wimborne Abbey to be educated and eventually, becoming a nun there. At the request of her uncle, St. Boniface, she left England and traveled to Germany to evangelize the pagans. While traveling there, a huge storm threatened the ship and through her intercession, the storm was calmed. While in Germany she became the abbess of the double monasteries of Heidenheim and Hahnenkamm. After she died many miracles occurred like healing the sick and dying and comforting the distressed. In 893, St. Walburga's relics were found moistened with water-clear drops, a fragrant oil, that healed an epileptic boy.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

St. Ethelbert of Kent

560-616

Feast Day: February 25

Saint Ethelbert was the first Christian English king, converted by St. Augustine of Canterbury. Ethelbert’s leadership led to over a 1000 conversions including King Sabert of East Saxon and was a critical event that led to England’s Christian national identity. He supported St. Augustine’s evangelical missionary work and built St Andrew's Cathedral in Rochester and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. In 604, he issued the first written laws to England. He died of natural causes.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP

November 4, 1806 - February 23,1864

Feast Day: February 23

Father Samuel Mazzuchelli was born in Milan, Italy and entered the Dominican Order of Preachers in 1830. He came to the American frontier as a missionary and was assigned to the Northwest Territory (Middle America). As a teacher and preacher, he ministered to the immigrants and native American tribes, some hadn't seen a priest for 50-100 years, and he then administered the sacraments to them. The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters were also founded by him. As a talented architect, he designed and built more than 24 churches and civic buildings before his death at 57 from pneumonia.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Polycarp

60-156

Feast day: February 23 (New), January 26 (Trad)

Patronage: earaches, dysenters

Saint Polycarp was a disciple of St. John the Apostle and considered one of the three Chief Apostolic Fathers of the Church. As Bishop of Smyrna (Turkey), he protected the Catholic Church against the influences of heresies that Jesus was fully human and He was incarnate. His miraculous martyrdom was recorded by Irenaeus. The Romans tried to burn him alive but the flames arched around his glowing body instead, then they stabbed him, in which his blood put out the fire. Before he died of the stab wounds he said, ”I bless you Father for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ."

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Margaret of Cortona

1247-1297

Feast day: February 22

Patronage: against temptations; falsely accused people; homeless people; insanity; loss of parents; mental illness; midwives; penitent women; single mothers; people ridiculed for their piety; reformed prostitutes; sexual temptation; single laywomen

When St. Margaret was 7 her mother died. Leaving an unhappy home at 17 she ran away with a man and bore him a son. She wanted to marry him as he had promised, but he refused. One day she was led to his murdered body by his dog. This crime shocked Margaret into a life of prayer and penance. After 3 years she joined the Third Order of Saint Francis and began regular communications with God.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Fatima Children

Feast Day: February 20

Patronage: bodily ills, captives, people ridiculed for their piety, prisoners, sick people, against sickness

Francisco Marto (June 11, 1908 – April 4, 1919), his sister Jacinta Marto (March 11, 1910 – February 20, 1920) and their cousin Lucia Santos ( 1907–2005) Known as the children of Fatima witnessed three apparitions of an angel in 1916 and several apparitions of theBlessed Virgin Mary in 1917. The siblings were victims of the great 1918 influenza epidemic that swept through Europe that year. These 2 little souls suffered much before they died and offered it all for the conversion of sinners.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Conrad of Piacenza

1290-1351

Feast Day: February 19

Patronage: Noto, Sicily, hermits, against hernias

Saint Conrad of Piacenza was born and married into nobility. He was the cause of a terrible forest fire that destroyed farms and fields, while on a hunt to flush out game. An innocent man was accused and condemned to death for this accident. St. Conrad overcame his cowardice and confessed and paid for the damages. Afterward, he and his wife agreed to enter religious life, he as a hermit and she as a Poor Clare. Once when he visited a bishop to make a general confession, he was surrounded by fluttering birds who escorted him home. He lived as a hermit for 36 years and his body was found incorrupt in 1485.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase.(website)

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Bernadette Soubirous

1844-1879

Feast Day: February 18 (new), April 16 (trad.)

Patronage: Bodily illness

Marie-Bernarde Soubirous was a miller's daughter born in Lourdes, France. She is best known as the seer of the Marian apparition know as Our Lady of Lourdes, where Mary Identified herself as the Immaculate Conception. She joined the Sisters at Nevers at the age of 22 and spent the rest of her brief life there. She contracted tuberculosis and died of the illness at the age of 35. Her body has remained incorrupt.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)