Continental Europe

St. Denis 1st Bishop of Paris Died around AD 270 So effective at sharing the Faith that pagan priests became alarmed Arrested and beheaded on the highest hill in Paris: Montmartre Picked up his head and walked for several miles, preaching the Gospel along the way West Façade of Notre Dame Cathedral

St. Martin of Tours Patron of Chaplains Born in 316 in modern Hungary Served as Roman centurion Cut off his cloak for a beggar at the gates of Amiens Resigned military service and became a bishop, becoming the founder of Monasticism in France

St Maria of Paris Nun in Paris Along with local priest, she hid & protected Jews (providing them baptismal certificates as well) during the Holocaust Sent to a concentration camp Gassed to death when she offered herself in lieu of another at the camp

St. Genevieve Patron Saint of Paris Born in Gaul around 425 Entered monastery at 15 Prayed/Fasted: Atilla turned away Considered the Saturday Vigil extremely important & a symbol of how our whole life should be: “We must keep vigil in prayer and fasting so that the Lord will find us ready when He comes.” Once lit a candle with the sign of the cross

St. Martin of Braga Apostle of Portugal Lived 520-580, from Austria Became a monk in Jerusalem, bringing monastism of the Desert Fathers to Portugal Preached the triple immersion of the Orthodox Church (against the Arians) Objected to the naming of the days of the weeks after gods/planets Portugese is the only romance language whose weekdays are numbers

Scotland

The British Isles & Ireland

St. Boniface Apostle to the Germans Born “Wynfryth” in Wessex Died in Frisia in 754 Modern Netherlands & Northern Germany English missionary to Germany (Franks) Often depicted with an ax Converted pagans: miraculous tree felling

St. Brigid of Ireland Patroness of Ireland Died 525 in Kildare Her mother: baptized by St. Patrick Born as a slave – sold as a servant to her father Known for giving things away – much to the chagrin of her parents ; she tried to give away her father’s jeweled sword while he was complaining to the king about her generosity causing trouble Abbes of Kildare Monastery