ANTONINUS (ANTONINO, FONTANA) of MILAN, an Archbishop of Milan (north-west Italy) for one year in the mid-seventh century. St. Antoninus' holiness of life was so evident that his flock proclaimed him a saint even before his repose in 660.

ARNULF of NOVALESA, a monk at the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew (Abbazia di Novalesa) in Turin (north-western Italy). St. Arnulf was martyred by Saracens circa 840.

BEGU of HACKNESS, according to St. Bede the Venerable (25th May), St. Begu was an Anglo-Saxon nun either at a double monastery at Hackness in North Yorkshire, or Abbess of a community of nuns at Hartlepool, County Durham, both in England. St. Bede the Venerable relates the story of St. Begu’s vision of the soul of St. Hild of Strensall–Whitby (17th November), the foundress of Hackness, being escorted to heaven by angels following St. Hild’s repose at Whitby, some 30km / 19 mi away.

St. Begu reposed circa 690. There are sources which state that she reposed in 660, however, this is impossible as St. Hild reposed in 680. It is most likely that this St. Bega is confused with St. Bega (6th September), who reposed earlier in the seventh century.

Around 1125 the monks at Whitby Abbey were seeking relics to replace those of St. Hild, which had been translated to Glastonbury during the tenth-century Viking raids. It has been related that, through a revelation, the monks were led to Harkness where they found a sarcophagus bearing the inscription Hoc est sepulchrum Begu (This is the grave of Begu). These relics were then translated to Whitby where miracles, the nature of which is now unknown, were reported.

ERC (ERTH, HERYGH, URITH), (in Ireland 2nd November), St. Erc mac Dega (Latin: Ercus; Cornish: Erth) is believed to have been a pagan druid converted by St. Patrick of Ireland (17th March), who later consecrated him first Bishop of Slane, Co. Meath, Ireland. According to tradition, St. Erc founded the original Abbey on the Hill of Slane as well as the school at Slane Abbey, where St. Dagobert II, King of Austrasia (France) (r. 675–679) (23rd December) is believed to have received part of his early education. St. Erc was also a friend and tutor of St. Brendan the Voyager (16th May).

Around 450 St. Erc was chosen by St. Patrick to continue St. Benignus of Armagh's (9th November) evangelisation of Co. Kerry, when the later was sent to Northern Co. Clare and the present-day Province of Connaught. Initially St. Erc's jurisdiction appears to have included a large part of south-west Co. Limerick, including the monastery of St. Ita of Killeedy (15th January) at Killeedy. Shortly before his repose, St. Patrick expanded the area over which St. Erc was responsible to include Co. Cork, thereby placing most, if not all, of the area that comprises present-day Province of Munster under St. Erc’s supervision.

St. Erth of Cornwall is generally believed to be the same man as St. Erc. Brother of SS. Unni of Bremen (17th September) and Ia of Cornwall (3rd February), he is thought to have crossed from Ireland to Cornwall, where a church and the village of St. Erth are dedicated to him. This is based upon local tradition, supported only by fifteenth-century English chronicler and antiquary, William of Worcester (†c. 1482): “Saint Harish, the brother of Saint Uny, a bishop, lies in a certain church situated under the cross of the church of St. Paul in London; his day is kept on the vigil of All Saints, that is, the last day of October ... Saint Hya ... the sister of Saint Herygh ...” Herygh is an incorrect corruption of St. Erc’s name, and the reference to St. Paul’s is undoubtedly the result of confusing St. Erc with St. Erconwald of London (30th April).

St. Erc spent the last years of his life in prayer and solitude at a hermitage in Slane. According to the Annals of Ulster, St. Erc reposed on 2nd November 512. His feast is kept on 2nd November in Ireland and on the calendar of the Moscow Patriarchate, and on 31st October in Cornwall.

FOILLAN of FOSSES, brother of SS. Fursey of Péronne (16th January), and Ultan of Péronne (2nd May). Leaving Ireland for East Anglia, St. Foillan became the Abbot of Burgh Castle near Yarmouth. Following the destruction of his monastery, St. Foillan and his brothers went to the area of present-day Liege Belgium. There they built a monastery on land donated by SS. Ida of Nivelles (8th May) and Gertrude of Nivelles (17th March), at Fosses, with St. Foillan serving as abbot. St. Foillan was murdered circa 655 by highwaymen as he was out ministering to his flock. St. Foillan is generally considered a martyr.

NOTBURGA of COLOGNE, a nun at the Abbey of St. Mary (Maria im Kapitol) in the Capitol Quarter of Cologne. St. Notburga reposed circa 714.

QUENTIN (QUINTIN), a member of a noble Roman family who joined St. Lucian of Beauvais (8th January) in evangelising Gaul. St. Quentin worked in the area around Amiens (northern France) and brought many souls to Christ. During the Diocletianic Persecution (303–313), St. Quentin was arrested and beheaded, the location of his martyrdom is the present-day town of Saint-Quentin, Hauts-de-France (northern France).

WOLFGANG of RATISBON, a native of Swabia (south-western Bavaria Germany). St. Wolfgang received monastic tonsure in 964 at Einsiedeln Abbey (Kloster Einsiedeln) in the present-day Swiss Canton of Schwyz. In 971 he was priested and with a group of monks went to enlighten the Magyars. However, the following year St. Wolfgang was consecrated Bishop of Ratisbon (present-day Regensburg). While Bishop, he was the tutor of the future Holy Roman Emperor Henry II (r. 1014–1024), rejuvenated St. Emmeram's Abbey (Kloster Sankt Emmeram), and was known as a great benefactor of the poor as well. Towards the end of his life St. Wolfgang retired to live as a hermit, reposing in 994.

ABBO (ABBON) of FLEURY, St. Abbo entered the Abbey of St. Benedict on the Loire (abbaye de Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire — Fleury Abbey) as a child for education and following its completion received monastic tonsure there. He went on to study at Paris and Reims (north-eastern France). In 985 he was invited by St. Oswald of Worcester (28th February) to take charge of the monastery school of Ramsey Abbey (Huntingdonshire (now part of Cambridgeshire), England), whilst also assisting St. Oswald in the restoration of monasticism in England. St. Abbo spent two years at Ramsey during which time he wrote the Passio S. Eadmundi. Returning to Fleury in 987, St. Abbo was elected Abbot the following year. Not merely one of the most influential theologians of his day, St. Abbo was a true polymath, producing significant works on grammar, computus, logic, mathematics, and astronomy. He was a supporter of the Cluniac Reforms, as well as a passionate defender of both Papal authority and of the freedom of the monasteries from interference both temporal and episcopal. St. Abbo was killed in 1004 whilst attempting to quell a riot caused by reforms, he instituted at the dependency priory of La Reole in Gascony (south-western France), and was immediately venerated as a martyr.

ARCADIUS of SALAMANCA, PASCHASIUS of SALAMANCA, PROBUS of SALAMANCA, EUTYCHIAN of SALAMANCA, and PAULILLUS of SALAMANCA, Martyrs of Salamanca, protomartyrs of the Vandal persecution in Africa in 437. These saints were Spaniards who were exiled to Africa by the Arian Gaiseric, King of the Vandals (r. 428–477). St. Paulillus, the younger brother of SS. Paschasius and Eutychian was only a child and spared death, though he was flogged and sold into slavery, hence is counted amongst the martyrs as well.

BRICE (BRITIUS, BRIXIUS) of TOURS, an orphan raised by St. Martin of Tours (11th November) whom he later ordained to the priesthood. St. Brice was a vain and overly ambitious cleric, who, more than once, was accused of licentious behaviour. Though chosen to succeed St. Martin as Bishop, the faithful of the diocese would not have it and St. Brice was driven into exile. Whilst in exile he repented, reformed his ways, and was cleared of wrongdoing by official ecclesiastical investigators. With the news of his change preceding him, St. Brice returned to Tours, and having witnessed his conversion first-hand, his flock immediately proclaimed St. Brice a saint upon his repose in 444.

CAILLIN of FERNS, (Seventh Century), a disciple of St. Áedan of Ferns (31st January) in Ireland. According to tradition St. Caillin once turned a group of unbelieving Druids into stone.

CHILLIEN (KILIAN) of AUBIGNY, (Seventh Century), an Irish relative of St. Fiacrius (30th August). Returning from a pilgrimage to Rome, St. Chillien stopped to spend time with St. Fiacrius, and was then commissioned by St. Faro of Meaux (28th October) to evangelise in Artois (northern France). His mission was very fruitful, and he even founded a monastery at Aubigny-en-Artois, where his relics were later enshrined. According to some, St. Chillien was a bishop, though the extant records are inconclusive. He is also said to have been offered the papacy, though he declined in humility. If true, this would make him the only Irishman to whom the Bishopric of Rome has been offered.

COLUMBA of CORNWALL (the VIRGIN), (Sixth Century), known to us through the dedication of two parishes in Cornwall (south-western England) and a manuscript dating from the reign of Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1063) which is said to be based upon local tradition. According to the manuscript, St. Columba was the daughter of pagan King Lodan and Queen Manigild (probably of Lothian, Scotland), and St. Columba became a Christian when the Holy Ghost appeared to her in the form of a dove. When her parents betrothed her to a pagan prince, St. Columba refused to marry him resulting in her parents having her imprisoned. An angel intervened and helped St. Columba escape and take a ship to Cornwall. Unfortunately, the prince pursued her, through Cornwall and captured her at Ruthvoes 3.2km / 2mi south of St. Columb Major. There St. Columba was decapitated by the prince and a spring gushed forth along the path of her fallen blood. Church of England priest, hagiographer, and all-round scholar Sabine Baring Baring-Gould (†1924) was of the opinion this saint was actually St. Columba of Tyrdaglas (12th December) who was a male disciple of St. Finian of Clonard (12th December) and later Abbot of Tyrdaglas in Munster (south-western Ireland). However, there is no evidence to support his theory. St. Columba is the patron of the Churches of St. Columb Major, and St. Columb Minor in Cornwall where her feast is kept on 11th and 15th November, respectively.

DALMATIUS, an early (possibly third) Bishop of Rodez in southern Gaul (France). Though subjected to relentless persecution by the Arian Amalaric, King of the Visigoths (r. 511–531), St. Dalmatius shepherded that See from 524 until his repose in 580.

DEVINICUS (DENICK, TEAVNECK), (Sixth Century), a native of northern Scotland who in his old age joined SS. Columba of Iona and Machar of Aberdeen (12th November) in their missionary work. He is believed to have been a bishop and is remembered for his evangelisation of Caithness (northern Scotland).

EUGENIUS (the YOUNGER or II) of TOLEDO, a monk at Abbey of Santa Engracia in Zaragoza in present-day Aragon, Spain, who, in 646, was consecrated thirty-first Bishop of Toledo (central Spain), succeeding Eugenius I. St. Eugenius was a signatory of the Acts of the fifth Council of Toledoin 636. In addition to being a man of great piety and learning, both spiritual and temporal, St. Eugenius was also an accomplished poet and musician. St. Eugenius reposed in 657.

GREDIFAEL of WALES, (Seventh Century), a native of either Brittany or Wales, who accompanied St. Paternus of Wales (15th April) to Wales. St. Gredifael is said to have been Abbot of Whitland in Carmarthenshire, south-west Wales, and is also the patron saint and founder of St. Gredifael's Church, Penmynydd, in Anglesey, Wales.

MAXELLENDIS, a native of Caudry, near Cambrai (northern France). St. Maxellendis was betrothed by her parents to a local nobleman. Desiring to enter monastic life, St. Maxellendis refused to marry, and was stabbed to death by her betrothed, circa 670.

MITRIUS (MITRE, METRE, MERRE), a Greek slave in Aix-en-Provence (southern France), St. Mitrius was subjected to almost constant and savage abuse for being a Christian by his pagan master and fellow-slaves. Soon after his master's death in 314 St. Mitrius was beheaded.

QUINTIAN of RODEZ, a priest in Carthage (a present-day suburb of Tunis, Tunisia) who fled the Arian-Vandal persecution there, settling in southern Gaul (France), and in 487 he was consecrated Bishop of Rodez (southern France). Later exiled by the Arian Visigoths, St. Quintian settled in Auvergne (south-central France) where he succeeded St. Euphrasius (14th January) as Bishop of Clermont (central France). St. Quintian reposed circa 527.

VALENTINE of RAVENNA, SOLUTOR of RAVENNA, and VICTOR of RAVENNA, Martyrs of Ravenna, three Christians martyred at Ravenna (northern Italy) during the Diocletianic Persecution (303–313).