Saints

Patron of charitable societies. Founder of the Vincentian Congregation and the Sisters of Charity. Vincent was born in 1581 to a Gascon peasant family. He was educated by the Franciscans at Dax and then at Toulouse university. He was ordained priest at the very early age of 19. While sailing from Marseilles to Toulouse in 1605, his ship was captured by pirates, and Vincent, along with the rest of... Read More

Martyrs. Patron saints of doctors. According to legend, these two early Christian saints were twins. Born in Arabia, they are said to have studied medicine in Syria. They then set up a practice in Aegeae, in Cilicia. They were considered brilliant at their work, but what set them apart from other doctors at the time, was their refusal to charge any fees for their services. They believed that as ... Read More

St Lawrence Ruiz and Companions Patron Saint of the Philippines. Catholicism reached the Philippines in the 1520s. Today Catholics comprise 85% of the population, making the Philippines the largest Christian nation in Asia. Born in suburban Manila in 1594, to a Chinese father and a Tagala mother, Lawrence, a married man with two sons and a daughter, was a calligrapher. Unjustly accused of murder, ... Read More