John Kemble was one of the oldest of the martyrs, being 80 when he was executed. He was from near  Hereford, being born into a Catholic family in 1599. He studied for the priesthood at Douai where he was ordained a priest, and worked as a priest in England and Wales for 54 years. He founded several missions, some of which were still functioning well into the 19th century. In 1678 he was...

Saint Abraham of Smolensk (1150 or 1172 - c. 1222) was a Russian monk and priest. He resided at the Bogoroditzkaja convent and was regarded as a miracle worker. He engaged in extensive preaching and biblical studies and is viewed as a notable figure in the pre-Mongol Russia. The saint was said to be born either in 1150 or 1172 to nobles; he was orphaned in his childhood and then decided to...

Maria Matilda De Mattias, A.S.C., is a saint from Italy in the Roman Catholic Church and was the founder of the religious congregation of the Sisters Adorers of the Blood of Christ. Saint Maria Matilda De Mattias, A.S.C., (February 4, 1805 – August 20, 1866) is a saint from Italy in the Roman Catholic Church and was the founder of the religious congregation of the Sisters Adorers of...

St. John Eudes (1601–1680) was born in Normandy, France to a farming family. His devout parents consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was a child. At the age of 14 he took a vow of chastity, and studied under the Jesuits where he earned the reputation of being a brilliant student. After his ordination to the priesthood he ministered to his countrymen who were suffering from...

St. Helen, also known as St. Helena (d. 327 A.D.), was a woman of humble means from Asia Minor. She married the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus, and their son Constantine was born in c. 272. Constantius divorced Helen in c. 293 to marry Emperor Maximian's daughter for the sake of political gain. When her son Constantine became the Roman Emperor, St. Helen was given the imperial...