βͺ Saint of the Day : 11 December
Blessed Martin and Blessed Melchior gave their lives to spread the gospel of Jesus
Blessed Martin and Blessed Melchior gave their lives to spread the gospel of Jesus
Martin Lumberas was born in Zaragosa, Spain, in 1598 and Melchior Sanchez in Granada the following year.
Before he joined the Recollect Congregation of the Augustinian Order at the age of twenty, Martin suffered the death of his brothers β one killed while trying to establish peace between two enemies, the other an Augustinian β and that of his sisters, one a Carmelite who died with a reputation for sanctity. In 1622 he left for the missions in the Philippines.
Melchior, orphaned at an early age, received the Recollect habit of the Augustinian Order at the age of eighteen and set sail for the Philippine mission in 1621. Both friars arrived at the monastery of Saint Nicholas in Manila after their ordination in Mexico City. In the Philippines, among other duties, Martin was master of novices, and Melchior was engaged in the apostolate of preaching. In July 1632, in response to a request of two missionary confreres imprisoned in Japan, they asked to be sent to that country to care for persecuted Christians who had been forced into hiding. They arrived in September of that same year and began to minister in the hills surrounding Nagasaki, until some of the very men who had helped them reach Japan reported them to the officials. Having undergone various forms of torture, there were burned at the stake on 11 December 1632.
Martin and Mechior were beatified by Pope John Paul II on 26 March 1989. The Augustinian Family celebrates their feast on 11 December.
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SAINT OF THE DAY
- βͺ Saint Luigi Scrosoppi of Udine
- βͺ Saint John Payne: Martyr of Englandβs Faith
- βͺ Saint Francis Xavier
- Saint Nicetius of Lyon: A Holy Bishop Who Trusted God
- βͺ Blessed Zofia Czeska-Maciejowska: Mother of Mercy and Education
- βͺ Saint Lodovico Pavoni: Apostle of Youth and Work
- βͺ Blessed Giuseppe Girotti: A Martyr of Charity and Truth
- βͺ Blessed Karl of Austria
- βͺ Saint Mary of Egypt: From Sinner to Desert Saint
- βͺ Saint Hugh of ChΓ’teauneuf: A Holy Shepherd of Faith
- βͺ Saint of the Day : January
- βͺ Saint of the Day : June
- βͺ Saint Simon Marie Antoine Just Ranfer De Bretenieres - Priest
- βͺ Saint Sylvester of Assisi
- βͺ Saint Conon the Gardener
- βͺ Saint John of the Cross
- βͺ Saint Peter of Pappacarbone - Bishop of Policastro
- βͺ Saint Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia - Martyrs
- βͺ Saint Casimir of Poland - Confessor
- βͺ Saint Luke Casali - Monk & Priest
- βͺ Saint Angela of the Cross Guerrero y GonzΓ‘lez - Virgin and Foundress
- βͺ Saint Chad of Mercia
- βͺ Saint Katharine Drexel - Foundress
- βͺ Saint Agnes of Bohemia - Princess, Philanthropist and Abbess
- βͺ Blessed Giovanna Maria Bonomo - Nun, Mystic
Saints in December
- βͺ Saint of the Day : December
- βͺ Saint John of the Cross
- Saint Francis Xavier : Apostle to the East
- βͺ Saint Nicasius - Archbishop and his Companions Martyrs
- βͺ Saint Lucy of Syracuse - Virgin Martyr
- βͺ Saint Finnian of Clonard
- βͺ Pope Saint Damasus I
- βͺ Saint Eulalia
- βͺ Saint John Roberts
- βͺ Saint Leocadia of Toledo - Virgin Martyr
- βͺ Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- βͺ Saint Ambrose of Milan
- βͺ Saint Nicholas of Myra - Priest Abbot Bishop
- βͺ Saint Francis Xavier
- βͺ St. Bibiana - Virgin, Martyr
- βͺ Saint Eligius of Noyon
- βͺ Martyrs of the First Ages - Saint Agricola and Saint Vitalis
- βͺ Blessed Fr. Alojzy Liguda
- βͺ Blessed Niels Stenson
- βͺ Blessed Rafal Chylinsk
- βͺ Blessed Maria Angela Astorch
- βͺ Blessed Liduina Meneguzzi - Religious
- βͺ Saint Judocus, Prince and Hermit
- βͺ Saint Othilia - Virgin and Abbess