ANICETUS, a native of Syria, St. Anicetus served as eleventh Pope of Rome from either 150 or 157 until his repose in either 153 or 168. During his Pontificate St. Polycarp of Smyrna (23rd February) came to Rome to settle with him the question of the date of Easter. Whilst St. Anicetus agreed to allow the Eastern Church to continue its practice of celebrating Easter on the 14th day after the first moon of the vernal equinox (14th of Nissan on the Jewish calendar) even when it did not fall on a Sunday. This was a temporary agreement at best, as the complex question as to how to calculate the date of Easter vexed the Church, both east and west, for at least seven more centuries. St. Anicetus was also a tenacious defender of the Church against Gnosticism. He has been listed as a martyr for centuries, most likely due to the common belief that all early Popes of Rome were martyred. However, there is no evidence to support this assertion.

DONNAN (DOUNAN) and COMPANIONS, a disciple of St. Columba (9th June) at Iona, St. Donnan was the founding Abbot of a monastery on the Isle of Eigg, off the west coast of Scotland. His attempt to enlighten the Picts of the region resulted in St. Donnan and over fifty of his monks (some sources say fifty-one, and others as many as one hundred and fifty) being martyred by Picts on Easter Sunday. Most sources list the date of their martyrdom as being around 617, and based upon the connexion between St. Donnan and St. Columba, it is safe for us to place the date at the end of the sixth, or beginning of the seventh century.

DRITHELM, St. Drithelm, when ill and close to death, experienced a terrifying vision of damnation, and a beautiful vision of salvation. St. Bede the Venerable (25th May), in his Historia Ecclesiastica, describes these visions in detail, and relates that St. Drithelm actually died in the night, coming back to life in the morning to tell all that he had seen. Following this event, St. Drithelm relinquished all material things, dividing his property between his wife, his children, and the poor. He then retired to the Abbey of St. Aidan of Lindisfarne (Melrose Abbey), Old Melrose, then within the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria, present-day Roxburghshire, in the Scottish Borders. where he received monastic tonsure, living a life of penance and strict asceticism until his repose circa 700.

ELIAS, PAUL, and ISIDORE, St. Elias, an elderly priest in Córdoba, and two of his disciples, SS. Paul and Isidore, were martyred by the Moors in 856. An account of their martyrdoms was written by St. Eulogius (11th March) who witnessed it.

FORTUNATUS and MARCIAN, (Date Uncertain), two martyrs of whom nothing is known. According to some martyrologies, they were martyred in Antioch, however, most list North Africa as the location, which is probably more accurate.

INNOCENT of TORTONA, a Christian man in his early twenties, who was arrested and scourged during the Diocletianic Persecution. He miraculously survived, and following the Edict of Milan in 313, St. Innocent was ordained to the priesthood, and circa 326 consecrated Bishop of Tortona (north-western Italy).

LANDERICUS (LANDRY), (Seventh Century), the eldest son of SS. Madelgarus (20th September) and Waldetrudis (9th April) and Bishop of Meaux (central France) from 641 until 650. Following the repose of St. Madelgarus in 650, St. Landericus resigned his bishopric to be his father’s successor as Abbot of Soignies (Hainaut, Belgium).

MAPPALICUS and COMPANIONS, a group of martyrs in Carthage (a present-day suburb of Tunis, Tunisia), who were tortured to death in 250 during the Decian Persecution.

PANTAGATHUS, a nobleman who was a diplomat and courtier of the Court of Clovis I, King of the Franks, (r. 481–511). Resigning his worldly positions, St. Pantagathus was ordained to the priesthood and later consecrated Archbishop of Vienne (south-eastern France). St. Pantagathus reposed in 540.

VILLICUS, Bishop of Metz (north-eastern France) from 543 until his repose in 568.

WANDO (VANDO), Abbot of the Abbey of St. Peter / abbaye Saint-Pierre (later the Abbey of St. Wandrille / abbaye Saint-Wandrille) in Fontenelle, Normandy (France). St. Wando was forced to live in exile in Troyes (north-eastern France) following being falsely accused of a now unknown misdeed. Fortunately, the allegation was later found to be false, and St. Wando was reinstated as Abbot of Fontenelle remaining there until his repose circa 756.

AMATOR, PETER, and LOUIS, St. Amator, a priest; St. Peter, a monk; and St. Louis, a layman; who were martyred in 855 by Moors in Córdoba for encouraging their fellow-Christians to keep the Faith no matter how severe the tortures they faced were.

CYNWL, (Sixth Century), St. Cynwl was the brother of St. Deiniol (11th September), the first Bishop of Bangor, Wales, and lived an ascetic life in northern Wales. After his repose several churches were dedicated in his honour.

EARCONWALD (ERCONWALD, ERKENWALD) of LONDON, (Seventh Century), an East Anglian Prince who renounced the world and used his fortune to build two monasteries, one at Barking, which he placed under the direction of his sister St. Ethelburgh (11th October), and the other at Chertsey where he served as the first Abbot. In 675 St. Theodore of Canterbury (19th September) consecrated him Bishop of London. Governing that See for the remaining eleven years of his life, St. Erconwald proved to be an able and pious prelate. He reposed in 686 and his tomb in Old St. Paul’s became a centre of veneration, famous for miracles.

Icon of St. Earconwald of London

EUTROPIUS of SAINTES, consecrated a bishop and sent to evangelise the area of Aquitaine centred around Saintes (present-day France). St. Eutropius served as the first Bishop of Saintes, and is said to have been martyred circa 250. Many sources state he was consecrated by Pope St. Clement I (23rd November) who reposed in either 99 or 101. He is also said to have been a companion of St. Dionysius of Paris (9th October) who reposed in either 250, 258, or 270. Obviously as there is over a century between the dates St. Clement and St. Dionysius flourished, both theories cannot be correct.

FORANNAN, an Irish monk, and later Bishop of either Domhnach-Mór (Donaghmore), Co. Wicklow or Armagh, Co. Armagh, Ireland. St. Forannan left Ireland settling at Waulsort (present-day Hastière, Namur, Belgium). There he either joined the newly founded, or was one of the founders of, Waulsort Abbey (abbaye de Waulsort). In 962, St. Forannan became Abbot of Waulsort. He reposed in 982.

JAMES, MARIANUS, and COMPANIONS, St. James, a Deacon; St. Marianus, a Reader; along with a group numbering in the hundreds, were martyred in 259, at Cirta in Numidia (present-day Constantine, Algeria), during the Valerian persecutions.

LAURENCE of NOVARA and COMPANIONS, a friend and assistant of St. Gaudentius (22nd January), Bishop of Novara, in Piedmont (north-west Italy). St. Laurence was martyred circa 397, along with a group of children he was catechising.

POMPONIUS of NAPLES, consecrated the twenty-second Bishop of Naples (Italy) in 508, serving until his repose in 536. St. Pomponius ardent defender of orthodoxy against Arianism.

SOPHIA of FERMO, a maiden in Fermo in present-day Italy, martyred circa 250 during the Decian Persecution.

SWITHBERT the YOUNGER, originally from England, St. Swithbert went to Germany where he is believed to have spent time working with English missionaries. Later he was consecrated Bishop of Werden in Westphalia (present-day Germany). St. Swithbert reposed in 807.