250 A.D.
Death of Saint Secundina, a Roman maiden who was martyred for her Christianity during the persecution of the Roman emperor Decius. The soldiers guarding her were so impressed with her zeal that upon her death they converted to the faith.
251 A.D.
Death of Saint Maximus of Nola, the bishop who ordained Saint Felix of Nola who, in turn nursed Maximus back to health when he had fled to the mountains to evade his captors.
304 A.D.
Death of Saint Ephysius of Sardinia, patron saint of Sardinia who was martyred for his faith on the Island of Sardinia during the persecution of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
342 A.D.
Death of Saint Paul the Hermit, the Egyptian hermit from Thebes who, to escape the persecution of Decius, retreated to the desert to become one of the first anchorites.
390 A.D.
Death of Saint Macarius the Elder, another hermit from upper Egypt who consulted often with the great hermit Saint Antony of Egypt. One of Macarius' greatest virtues was his humility.
404 A.D.
Death of Saint Isidore of Alexandria, who is known for his caring of the sick. He also is said to have defended the faith against Arianism. There was a fued between Isidore and Saint Jerome who leveled the charges that Isidore was an Origenist, but Isidore appealed to Saint John Chrysostom who convinced Jerome of his sincerity and innocence.
450 A.D.
Death of Saint John Calybytes, a fifth century hermit who is considered the patron saint of the homeless.
570 A.D.
Death of Saint Deirdre of Limerick, who, born of royal blood, gave it all up to found a convent attracting many women. She is considered the foster-mother of the Irish saints.
580 A.D.
Death of Saint Maurus, pupil of Saint Benedict at Subiaco who Benedict molded into the ideal role model for all monks to emulate.
650 A.D.
Death of Saint Malard, bishop of Chartres in France.
708 A.D.
Election of Pope Sisinnius as 87th successor of Peter. While he had wanted to reinforce the walls of Rome angainst the hordes of Lombards and Saracens, he would have little time to implement this project since his pontificate would only last twenty days.
710 A.D.
Death of Saint Bonet of Clermont, chancellor to the Frankish king who was appointed bishop and then retired to a Benedictine abbey to live out his life in prayer.
764 A.D.
Death of Saint Ceowulf, ruler of Northumbria in England who abdicated his thrown to become a monk, financing numerous monasteries from his treasury.
1208 A.D.
Death of Blessed Peter of Casteinau. This Benedictine monk who Pope Innocent III had appointed head Inquistor for the Albigensians was murdered by the latter while preaching a crusade with Saint Dominic.
1535 A.D.
Disgarding his interdict from Rome, England king Henry VIII declares himself head of the Church of England, giving rise to the Anglican church and forever putting a crimp on the hopes for a Catholic British Isles.
1920 A.D.
Birth of Cardinal John J. O'Connor in Philadelphia. He would go on to become a priest and the most influential, loyal red-hat from the United States as Archbishop of New York City.