St. James was the brother of the beloved evangelist, John. He was the first of the apostles to receive the crown of martyrdom, beheaded by Herod Agrippa. His sacred bones carried from Jerusalem to Spain and placed in the remote province of Galicia where they are devoutly honored by the far-famed piety of the inhabitants and the frequent concourse of Christians, who visit them through piety and...

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born, his influence has spread widely. Joseph Zaroun Makluf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He...

St. Bridget (1303-1373) was born into a devout and prestigious family in Sweden. Her father was a governor, judge, and one of the wealthiest landowners in the country. Bridget received an excellent religious education, and from a young age demonstrated a great capacity for holiness. She even experienced mystical visions in her childhood. At the age of thirteen she was given in marriage to a...

St. Mary Magdalen was a friend and devoted follower of Jesus out of whom He exorcised seven demons. Mary Magdalene has a special place among Jesus’ disciples and is mentioned several times in the Gospels. She stood at the foot of the Cross with St. John and the Blessed Mother, and the next morning went to Christ's tomb to anoint his body. As a reward for her great love and...

Giulio Cesare Russo was born in Brindisi, Kingdom of Naples, to a family of Venetian merchants. He was educated at Saint Mark's College in Venice, and joined the Capuchins in Verona as Brother Lawrence. He received further instruction from the University of Padua. An accomplished linguist, Lawrence spoke most European and Semitic languages fluently. He was appointed definitor general to...