Saints of 28 July

Pope St Victor I

At Borne, the martyrdom of St. Victor, pope and martyr.

Pope St Innocent I

Also, at Rome, St. Innocent, pope and confessor.

Ss. Nazarius and Celsus (Milan)

At Milan, the birthday of the holy martyrs Nazarius and a boy named Celsus. While the persecution excited by Nero was raging, they were beheaded by Anolinus, after long sufferings and afflictions endured in prison.

Many holy martyrs of Thebais under Decius and Valerian

In Thebais, in Egypt, the commemoration of many holy martyrs who suffered in the persecution of Decius and Valerian. At this time, when Christians sought death by the sword for the name of Christ, the crafty enemy devised certain slow torments to put them to death, wishing much more to kill their souls rather than their bodies. One of these Christians, after suffering the, torture of the rack, of hot metal plates and of seething oil, was smeared with honey and exposed, in the broiling heat of the sun, with his hands tied behind him, to the stings of wasps and flies. Another was bound and laid among flowers, when a shameless woman approached him with the intention of exciting his passions, but he bit off his tongue and spat it in her face.

St Eustathius of Ancyra

At Ancyra, in Galatia, the holy martyr Eustathius. After various torments, he was plunged into a river, but being delivered by an angel, was finally called to his reward by a dove coming from heaven.

St Acatius of Miletus

At Miletus, in the time of the emperor Licinius, the holy martyr Acatius, who completed his martyrdom by having his head struck off, after having undergone different torments and been thrown into a furnace, from which he came out uninjured through the assistance of God.

St Sampson of Brittany

In Bretagne, St. Sampson, bishop and confessor.

St Peregrinus of Lyon

At Lyons, St. Peregrinus, priest, whose happiness in heaven is attested by glorious miracles.