Saints of 27 April

St Anthimus of Nicomedia

At Nicomedia, during the persecution of Diocletian, the birthday of St. Anthimus, bishop and martyr, who obtained the glory of martyrdom for the faith by decapitation. Nearly all his numerous flock followed him; the judge ordered some to be beheaded, some to be buried alive, and others to be put in boats and sunk in the sea.

Ss. Castor and Stephen

At Tarsus, in Cilicia, the Saints Castor and Stephen, martyrs.

St Jerome of Rome

At Rome, the demise of the blessed pope Anastatius, a man most rich in his poverty, and filled with apostolic zeal, whom Rome, says St. Jerome, did not deserve to possess long, lest the capital of the world should be devastated under such a bishop; for shortly after his death Rome was taken and sacked by the Goths.

St Tertullian of Bologna

At Bologna, St. Tertullian, bishop and confessor.

St Theophilus of Brescia

At Brescia, the bishop St. Theophilus.

St John of Constantinople

At Constantinople, the abbot St. John, who combated vigorously for the worship of holy images, under Leo the Isaurian.

St Peter Armengol

At Tarragona, the blessed Peter Armengaudius, of the Order of Blessed Mary of Mercy for the Redemption of Captives, who endured many tribulations in Africa in ransoming the faithful, and finally closed his career peacefully in the convent of St. Mary of the Meadows.

St Zita of Lucca

At Lucca in Italy, blessed Zita, a virgin renowned for virtues and miracles, whose festival is celebrated on this day, conformably to the decree of the Sovereign Pontiff, Leo X.