AIGLULF (AGILULFUS) of BOURGES, a well-educated young man who became a hermit following the repose of his parents. St. Aigulf quickly became known for his great personal sanctity. When the See of Bourges (central France) fell vacant, circa 811, St. Aigulf was chosen to be the bishop. Quite reluctantly, he was consecrated Bishop of Bourges and was an excellent shepherd of his flock. St. Aigulf was in attendance at the Council of Toulouse in 829, and was one of the forty-three bishops who sat at the Synod of Thionville in 835 which deposed Ebbo, Archbishop of Reims, for his role in the revolt against Louis the Pious, King of the Franks (r. 814–840). St. Aigulf remained Bishop of Bourges until his repose circa 836.

AUSONIUS of ANGOULÊME, (Third Century), the first Bishop of Angoulême in Aquitaine (south-western France), and a disciple of St. Martial of Limoges (30th June). No further information on his life is extant.

BOBO (BEUVON) of PROVENCE, a Provençal soldier renowned for his role in the defence of Provence (southern France) against the Moors who were terrorising the region. St. Bobo left the military and became a hermit. While on a pilgrimage to Rome circa 985, St. Bobo reposed at Pavia in Lombardy (Italy), and was buried at Voghera.

BOETHIAN of PIERREPONT, (Seventh Century), a native of Ireland and disciple of St. Fursey (16th January), St. Boethian travelled to Picardy (northerm France) where he founded an abbey in Pierrepont 15 km/9 1⁄2 mi north-east of Laon. He was murdered by criminals whom he had previously castigated for their immorality.

CASTUS and ÆMILIUS (EMILIUS), two north African martyrs of the Decian Persecution. When first arrested, and tortured they renounced Christ and were released. They soon repented their apostacy, and were re-arrested. This time the remained steadfast in their faith and were burnt to death, circa 250.

CONALL (COEL, CONALD) of INNISCOEL, St. Conall was a seventh century Abbot of Inniscoel, Co. Donegal, in Ireland. There is a holy well at Inniscoel dedicated to him. Nothing further is known of his life.

FAUSTINUS, TIMOTHY, and VENUSTUS, three martyrs in Rome during the persecutions under Julian the Apostate circa 362.

FULK of CASTROFULI, a pilgrim on his way to Rome circa 600 who stopped at plague-stricken Santo-Padre or Castrofuli near Arpino in present-day central Italy to minister to the sick. Whilst caring for plague victims he contracted it himself and died. St. Fulk is the patron saint of both Santo-Padre and Castrofuli.

HELEN of AUXERRE, the Acts of Saint Amator of Auxerre (1st May) speak of St. Helen as a virtuous and godly young woman and a wonderworker. St. Helen also assisted at the deathbed of St. Amator. St. Helen reposed at Auxerre in Burgundy (France) circa 415.

JOHN of PARMA, a priest from Parma (northern Italy) who was made canon of the city’s cathedral at an early age. On one of his six pilgrimages to Jerusalem, St. John received monastic tonsure, and from 973 until his repose circa 982 was Abbot of the Abbey of St. John the Evangelist (Abbazia San Giovanni Evangelista) in Parma.

Icon of St. Julia of Carthage

JULIA of CARTHAGE, (Fifth Century), a member of the Christian nobility of Carthage (a suburb of present-day Tunis, Tunisia) in Africa Proconsularis, and patron-saint of Corsica. St. Julia was captured by soldiers of Gaiseric, King of the Vandals (r. 428–477) during the invasion and sack of Carthage, and sold into slavery. The ship which was transporting St. Julia and her owner to Gaul (France), made a stop in Corsica during a pagan festival. When pressed to take part in the festival, St. Julia refused and was beaten and then crucified.

MARCIAN (MARIANO) of RAVENNA, the fourth Bishop of Ravenna (northern Italy) from circa 112 until his repose circa 127. Nothing further seems to be known of St. Marcian’s life.

QUITERIA, (Date Unknown), a saint, most likely of Spanish origin, who is venerated on the French-Spanish border, where several town have claimed possession of her relics. Unfortunately, there is no reliable information on St. Quiteria. If St. Quiteria flourished during a period of persecutions of Christians, it is highly probable she was a martyr.

ROMANUS of SUBIACO, a monk near Subiaco and friend of St. Benedict of Nursa (21st March), whom St. Romanus encouraged and provided with food in the first years of St. Benedict’s life as a hermit. A widely-held legend says St. Romanus went to Gaul where he founded a monastery near Auxerre in Burgundy (France). However, there is no historical evidence to support this. St. Romanus reposed circa 560.

ALDEGRIN (ADALGRIN, ALDEGRIN) of BAUME, after retiring from a life as a knight, St. Aldegrin received monastic tonsure at the Abbey of St. Peter of Baume-les-Messieurs (abbaye Saint-Pierre de Baume-les-Messieurs — Baume Abbey) in the French Jura, where he was a spiritual child of St. Odo of Cluny (18th November). St. Aldegrin spent his last years as a hermit not far from the Abbey. He reposed in 939.

ALEXANDER of VERONA, there is no contemporaneous information on St. Alexander extant. However, it is known he was a Bishop of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy, most likely the twenty-first, and it seems he flourished in the early part of the eighth century.

ARETIUS (ARECIUS, AREGIUS), and DACIAN of ROME, (Date Unknown), martyrs at Rome, who were buried in the catacombs on the Appian Way. Nothing further is known of their lives.

BREACA of CORNWALL, the limited amount of information extant on St. Breaca is pious legend based upon a now lost mediaeval hagiography. It appears she was a native of Ireland and probably a disciple of either (or both) St. Brigid of Kildare (1st February) or St. Patrick of Ireland (17th March). She crossed over to Cornwall, England with several companions and lived in solitude and great sanctity. Several of the group are said to have been martyred by the local ruler Tewder or Theodoric. St. Breaca reposed in the late fifth or early sixth century.

BURIANA of CORNWALL, St. Buriana was one of many Irish saints who migrated to Cornwall, England to spread the Gospel, and, as is the case with many of her contemporaries, little in the way of reliable information on her life is still extant. She is said to have lived as an anchoress at the place now known as St. Buryan, near Penzance in Cornwall, during the sixth century.

CLATEUS of BRESCIA, a very early Bishop of Brescia, martyred circa 64, in the persecutions of Christians during the reign of the Emperor Nero (r. 54–68). No further information is extant.

CROIDAN, MEDAN, and DEGAN, (Sixth Century), these saints were disciples of St. Petroc (vide infra), at his monastery in Bodmin in Cornwall, England. Nothing else is known of their lives.

The opening of St Luke's Gospel in
the Lindisfarne Gospels.
British Library Online Exhibit:
Cotton MS Nero D IV; Folio 139.

EADFRITH (EADFRID) of LINDISFARNE, St. Eadfrith succeeded St. Edbert (6th May) as eighth Bishop of Lindisfarne, and is generally believed to have been the scribe and artist responsible for the the Lindisfarne Gospels. St. Eadfrith reposed in 721.

ELSIAR of LAVEDAN, a monk at the Abbey of Saint Sabinus of the Lavedan (Abbaye de Saint-Savin-en-Lavedan), in Hautes-Pyrénées, France, on the Spanish/French border. St. Elsiar reposed circa 1050.

NENNOC (NENNOCHA, NINNOC), one of the many daughters of St. Brychan of Brycheiniog (6th April) and a nun in Britain. St. Nennoc accompanied St. Germanus of Auxerre (31st July) on his return to Gaul (France), and it is believed St. Nennoc served as Abbess of one or more monasteries in Brittany. St. Nennoc reposed circa 467.

OPTATUS of MILEVIS, a late fourth century Bishop of Milevis, Numidia (present-day Algeria), and survivor of the Diocletianic Persecution, as well as Julian the Apostate’s (r. 361–363) persecution of Christians. A fervent foe of Donatist heresy, St. Optatus’ work Against the Donatists was praised by his contemporaries, and an important resource for theologians to this day. St. Optatus reposed circa 387.

PETROC (PETROCK, PEDROG, PERREUX) of CORNWALL, St. Petroc has been called ‘The Captain of Cornish Saints’ by 17th century Church of England cleric and historian Thomas Fuller (†1661), and is one of Britain’s most illustrious saints. A native of Wales, he went to Ireland where he is believed to have studied under St. Kevin of Glendalough (3rd June). St. Petroc then went to Cornwall in England where he founded a monastery at the place now known as Padstow (Petrocstow), and a second one at Bodmin. He reposed there circa 594; later some of his relics were translated to Brittany where he is known as St. Perreux.

QUIRINUS of SISCIA, a Bishop of Siscia, in present-day central Croatia. Who was tortured and then martyred towards the end of the Diocletianic Persecution circa 308. Whilst imprisoned, St. Quirinus converted his gaoler. The authentic Acts of his martyrdom are contained in 17th century French Benedictine monk and scholar Dom Thierry Ruinart’s (†1709) Acta primorum martyrum sincera et selecta, as is a hymn composed in his honour by Prudentius.

QUIRINUS of TIVOLI, (Date Unknown), martyred at Tivoli near Rome. No further information is extant.

RUTILUS of SAVARIA and COMPANIONS, (Date Unknown), an unknown number of martyrs at Savaria in Pannonia, present-day Szombathely, Hungary. Aside from St. Rutilus’ name, and the location of their martyrdom there is no information extant.

SATURNINA of ARRAS, (Date Unknown), according to pious tradition, which is of questionable veracity, St. Saturnina was a German maiden who was murdered whilst defending her virtue, near Arras in Gaul (northern France).