Saints of 4 May

St Monica (Ostia)

At Ostia, the birthday of St. Monica, mother of blessed Augustine, who has left us in the ninth book of his Confessions a beautiful sketch of her life.

St Silvanus, bishop

At the metal mines of Phennes, in Palestine, the birthday of the blessed Silvanus, bishop of Gaza, who was crowned with martyrdom with many of his clerics by the command of Ctesar Galerius Maxiniian, in the persecution of Diocletian.

Thirty-nine holy martyrs

Also, thirtynine holy martyrs, who were beheaded together after having been condemned to work in the same mines, to be branded with a hot iron, and to undergo other torments.

St Cyriacus of Jerusalem

At Jerusalem, in the reign of Julian the Apostate, St. Cyriacus, bishop, who was murdered as he was visiting the holy places.

St Porphyry of Umbria

In Umbria, St. Porphyry, martyr.

St Antonia of Nicomedia

At Xicomedia, the birthday of St. Antonia, martyr, who, for the confession of Christ, was cruelly tortured, subjected to diverse torments, suspended by one arm for three days, kept two years in prison, and finally delivered to the flames by the governor Priscillian.

St Florian of Lorch

At Lorch, in Austria, under the emperor Diocletian and the governor Aquilinus, the martyr St. Florian, who was precipitated into the river Enns, with a stone tied to his neck.

St Pelagia of Tarsus

At Tarsus, St. Pelagia, virgin, who endured martyrdom under Diocletian by being shut up within a red-hot brazen ox.

St Paulinus of Cologne

At Cologne, St. Paulinus, martyr.

St Venerius of Milan

At Milan, St. Venerius, bishop, whose virtues are attested by St. John Chrysostom in the epistle which he wrote to him.

St Sacerdos, bishop of Limoges

In the province of Perigord, St. Sacerdos, bishop of Limoges.

St Godard of Hildesheim

At Hildesheim, in Saxony, St. Godard, bishop and confessor, ranked among the Saints by Innocent II.

St Curcodomus of Auxerre

At Auxerre, St. Curcodomus, deacon.