Blessed Ambrose (1220-1286) was born in Siena, Italy, the son of a book illuminator. He was born so severely deformed that his parents could not bear the sight of him. They put their son in the care of a nurse who took the child with her to daily Mass at the Dominican church. The child, often fussy, would become calm when he was placed near the altar of relics, and would cry when he was...

Saint Osith, also known as Osyth, Osgyth, Othith, Ositha, and Sythe, was born a princess to Frewald, a Merclan prince of the Hwiccan tribe, in the town of Quarendon, Buckinghamshire, England. She was the niece of Editha, who owned the town and manor of Ailesbury and raised Osith as her own. Growing up, Osith received a comprehensive education at the convent school located in Aylesbury. During...

Saint Engelbert of Cologne, also known as Engelbert of Berg, was born around 1185 in Berg, Germany. He came from a noble family, the son of Count Engelbert of Berg and Margaret, the daughter of the Count of Gelderland. Engelbert received his education at the cathedral school in Cologne, where he showed promise and intellect. At a young age, he was appointed provost of churches in Cologne and...

Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, also known as Eulalie Durocher, was born on 6 October 1811 in Saint Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. She was the tenth of eleven children in her family. From a young age, Eulalie felt a profound calling to the religious life, but due to her frail health, she was initially unable to pursue this vocation. Instead, Eulalie dedicated herself to serving God in...

Saint Anna Schaeffer, also known as Anna, was born on 18 February 1882 in Mindelstetten, Bavaria, Germany. She hailed from a poor family, with her father working as a carpenter. Despite her limited means, Anna aspired to a religious vocation and had hopes of joining a religious order. However, her path took a different turn when her father passed away, leaving her as the sole provider for her...