FABIAN, a layman who happened to be in Rome, and in the crowd of onlookers, on the day a successor to Pope St. Anterus was being selected. St. Fabian was chosen to be the twentieth Pope of Rome by acclimation when a dove alighted upon his head and the assembled clergy and laity took this as a sign from the Holy Spirit. St. Fabian served the See of Rome from his selection in 236 until his martyrdom in 250. St. Fabian has been credited with sending St. Denis of Paris (9th October) to Gaul, and with being the first martyr of the Decian Persecution.

FECHIN, a native of Co. Sligo in Connaught and the founder of several monasteries in that region; St. Fechin is principally remembered for founding the monastery at Fore (Fobar), Co. Westmeath. Ecclefechan and St. Vigean’s near Arbroath in Scotland also perpetuate his memory. He is said to have lived a life of extraordinary penance, spending his nights reciting the entire Psalter. St. Fechin reposed circa 665.

MAURUS, a nephew of Pope John IX, St. Maurus was priested and then received monastic tonsure at Classe in Ravenna, where in 926 he was elected Abbot. In 934, St. Maurus was consecrated Bishop of Cesena. As Bishop, St. Maurus had built a small cell on Spaziano Hill in which his relics were buried upon his repose in 946. Around sixty-five years later construction was commenced on the Abbey of Santa Maria del Monte at the location of St. Maurus’ cell.

Icon of St. Sebastian the Martyr

MOLAGGA (LAICIN), though there are several Saints of the same name (most Irish hagiographers count at least twelve), and it is often difficult to disentangle their Lives, it is believed this St. Molagga was a disciple of St. David of Wales (1st March). Returning to his native Ireland, he founded a monastery at what is now Fermoy (Irish: Mainistir Fhear Maí, meaning “monastery of the Men of the Plain”) Co. Cork. He was distinguished for his exceptional learning and piety as well as his Christian charity. St. Molagga seems to have survived the Great Pestilence of 664, reposing circa 655, and is greatly venerated in the South of Ireland.

SEBASTIAN, an officer in the imperial army, captain of the Praetorian guard, a favourite of the Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–304), and a secret Christian. During the Diocletianic Persecution, St. Sebastian visited imprisoned Christians, and is reputed to have converted soldiers, a governor, and healed the wife of a fellow guard by making the sign of the Cross over her. Soon his identity as a Christian was no longer secret, and his status and favour with Diocletian proved no help. St. Sebastian was arrested, tied to a tree, and shot full of arrows by soldiers who used him for target practice. He miraculously survived, but was ordered beaten to death by Diocletian, circa 288.

ADALBALD, a Duke of Douai, and courtier in the courts of both King Dagobert I (r. 623–634) and King Clovis II (r. 639–657), St. Adalbald was a son of St. Gertrude the Elder (6th December). He and his wife St. Rictrudis (12th May) dedicated their time and wealth to various religious undertakings, as well as care of those in want. In addition, SS. Rictrudis and Adalbald raised four children, all of whom became saints: SS. Maurontius (9th January), Clotsindis (30th June), Eusebia (16th March), and Adalsindis (3rd May). Whilst traveling, St. Adalbald was murdered by an in-law acting on behalf of St. Rictrudis' family (circa 645–651), who had always disapproved of their marriage, and good works.

ADELOGA (HADELOGA), a daughter of Charles Martel, who renounced the world, and was the founding-Abbess of Kitzingen Abbey in Franconia (present-day Bavaria in Germany). St. Adeloga reposed circa 745.

APRONIAN, was a Roman executioner who, during the Diocletianic Persecution (circa 304), escorted St. Sininius (29th May) to the tribunal run by the Prefect Laudieius. St. Apronian was offered the chance to renounce Christ and thus be spared death. However, he made a statement of faith that was so passionate that St. Apronian converted on the spot, and was martyred shortly after St. Sininius.

COLUMBANUS, an Irishman and abbot who fled with his community fled the Viking raids, and settled in Ghent, Flanders. For the last two years of his life, St. Columbanus lived as a hermit near the church of Saint-Bavo in Ghent. St. Columbanus reposed in 959.

FEOCK, (Date Uncertain), aside from a church dedicated to her in Cornwall, her Life is unknown to us. It is possible she was an immigrant from Ireland, and there are some who believe that St. Feock is a variant of Fiacca, a Confessor, friend of St. Patrick (17th March), though this is unlikely. Lastly, there are those who identify St. Feock with St. Vouga (15th June) of Brittany.

FLOSCULUS (FLOU), (Fifth Century?) the thirteenth Bishop of Orléans. A letter from St. Sidonius Apollinaris (21st August) to St. Flosculus leads contemporary scholars to believe he was living circa 480. Nothing, save knowledge of the existence of a cultus, is known of his life.

Icon of St. Laurence of Canterbury

LAURENCE of CANTERBURY, second Archbishop of Canterbury he was one of the forty monks sent by Pope St. Gregory the Dialogist (3rd September) with St. Augustine (27th May) to convert the Anglo-Saxons. According to St. Bede the Venerable (25th May), St. Augustine sent St. Laurence back to the Pope to report on the success of converting St. Æthelberht (24th February), King of Kent (r. 560–616), and to carry a letter with questions for the Pope. He returned with additional monks, as well as Pope St. Gregory the Dialogist’s (3rd September) replies to St. Augustine’s questions, a document commonly known as the Libellus responsionum, that St. Bede the Venerable (25th May) incorporated in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum. St. Laurence was consecrated the second Archbishop of Canterbury in 604, by St. Augustine, in order to assure succession, and guided the young Church skilfully, and successfully, through the crisis that followed the death of King Æthelbert. St. Laurence reposed in 619, and was succeeded by St. Mellitus (24th April).

MARQUARD, a monk at New Corvey Abbey in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. St. Marquard was consecrated Bishop of Hildesheim in 874, and served that See until his martyrdom, with others at Ebsdorf (vide infra) in 880.

MARTYRS of EBSDORF, In 880 members of the army of King Louis III, led by Duke St. Bruno of Ebsdorf, were trapped in the ice and snow at the Battle of Lüneburg Heath (Battle of Ebstorf) against pagan Norse invaders. All, including St. Bruno, St. Marquard of Hildesheim (vide supra) and St. Theodoric of Ninden (vide infra), a dozen members of the nobility, along with innumerable unnamed foot soldiers were slain and subsequently venerated as martyrs.

THEODORIC, a Bishop of Ninden counted amongst the Martyrs of Ebsdorf (vide supra) (†880).