Pope Antherus (died 3 January 236) was the Bishop of Rome from 21 November 235 to his death in 236. He succeeded Pope Pontian, who had been deported from Rome to Sardinia, along with the antipope Hippolytus. Anterus was the son of Romulus, born in Petilia Policastro, Calabria. He is thought to have been of Greek origin, and his name may indicate that he was a freed slave. He created one...

Gaspare was the son of Antonio del Bufalo, a chef to Prince Altieri, and Annunziata Quartieroni. As an infant he suffered from an eye condition that threatened to blind him; he was cured in 1788 following prayers for the intervention of Saint Francis Xavier. He studied at the Collegium Romanum from age twelve, and considered becoming a Jesuit. He was President of the newly instituted...

John was a country lad who made good in the big city and the big university of Kraków, Poland. After brilliant studies he was ordained a priest and became a professor of theology. The inevitable opposition which saints encounter led to his being ousted by rivals and sent to be a parish priest at Olkusz. An extremely humble man, he did his best, but his best was not to the liking of his...

St. Zeno of Nicomedia (d. 303 A.D.) was a Roman soldier and commander living in Nicomedia (modern-day Turkey) during the reign of Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. During their fierce persecution of the Church they were condemning many Christians to death, including any soldiers who professed faith in Jesus Christ. In Nicomedia alone, as many as 20,000 Christians were burned alive as...

Anastasius II of Antioch, also known as Anastasius the Younger, succeeded Anastasius of Antioch as Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, in 599. He is known for his opposition and suppression of simony in his diocese, with the support of Pope Gregory the Great. In 609 Anastasius is said to have been murdered during an uprising of Syrian Jews against Emperor Phocas, although some Monophysite...