Saint of the day

Saint of the day

June 17: Saints Blaise and Diogen, Martyrs

Witnesses to Christ unto giving their lives

Blaise (or Blastus) and Diogen (or Diogenes)  are two saints who have been venerated in Rome since antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages. Their commemoration is recorded in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum under the date of June 17.

Regarding Saint Blaise, some texts — including the Acts of the Martyr Saint Valentine — refer to a Roman Tribune named Blastus, who was condemned to death in 269 AD by Emperor Claudius Gothicus for his Christian faith. However, there is no conclusive evidence to confirm that this Blastus is the same saint remembered on this date.

June 16: Quiricus and Julita, Martyrs

Mother and son united in faithfulness to Christ

Quiricus and Julita were two martyrs of the 4th century: a mother and her three-year-old son, killed together in Tarsus, in what is now Turkey. Julita was a noblewoman of royal lineage from Iconium in Lycaonia, a central region of present-day Turkey.

June 15: Saint Bernard of Menthon (or Bernard of Aosta, or of the Alps)

Charity and support for travelers and the needy

He is known for founding the famous hospices on the alpine passes of the Great St. Bernard and the Little St. Bernard, which were named after him. These hospices, located at altitudes of 2,469 meters and 2,188 meters respectively, were established to meet the needs of travelers crossing the Alps. They offered shelter, medical assistance, and spiritual support to pilgrims and wayfarers in difficulty. In a short time, the hospices became a symbol of Christian charity and dedication to others.

June 14: Saint Elisha, Prophet

Listening to the Word of God

Elisha is still a common name among African Christian families today. It comes from the Hebrew meaning “God is Lord” (El-Yah). In the Bible, Elisha is presented as a prophet who lived in the 8th century B.C., a disciple of the great prophet Elijah. His calling is recounted in the First Book of Kings, chapter 19:

June 13: The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A Mother to all her Children

“We have strayed from that path of peace.  We have forgotten the lesson learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two world wars.  We have disregarded the commitments we made as a community of nations.  We have betrayed peoples’ dreams of peace and the hopes of the young.

June 12: Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Day of Priestly Sanctification

"The heart of Christ, as the symbol of the deepest and most personal source of his love for us, is the very core of the initial preaching of the Gospel. It stands at the origin of our faith, as the wellspring that refreshes and enlivens our Christian beliefs.”
With these words, Pope Francis expressed himself in his encyclical Dilexit nos on the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ, dated October 24, 2024.