All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day, In many cultures, All Saints' Day is overshadowed by Halloween. But there are many great saints to celebrate, from the popular to the obscure, and their life stories are riveting.

St. Anthony of Padua
He defied lineage to become a monk, and he held Jesus in his arms. He died returning to Padua, Italy, from a nearby hermitage.

St. Joan of Arc
She rose from humble beginnings to great admiration. She was condemned to death as a heretic, a sorceress and even this. She died a terrible death.

St. Jude
He was an apostle, following in his father's path, as well as a martyr.

St. Francis of Assisi
He was kind to animals and the environment. He died while singing.

St. John the Apostle
He was a prolific writer and lived a long life.

St. Valentine
"Valentine" was the name of several martyred saints. Little is known about him, except that he was buried on Feb. 14.

St. Martin de Porres
He led an austere life and experienced miracles, and has this distinction.

St. Agnes
She was a young  martyr and is commemorated by a certain animal.

St. Augustine
He is credited with formulating the Christian concepts of original sin and the just war.

St. Mary the Egyptian
She was a runaway misfit and miraculously converted at the end of her life.

St. Fabiola
She was a bigamist because she left an awful husband and married another man. She later refocused her life

St. Olga
She was a Russian roya who murdered hundreds to avenge her husband's killing. Later in life, she was a pioneer convert.

St. Mary Magdalene
She was a reformed woman depicted washing Jesus' feet. Some people speculate about their relationship.

St. Ambrose
He was one of the original "doctors" of the Catholic Church.

St. Bonaventure
Of all the unusual saints, Bonaventure's sainthood is perhaps the most unusual. He was healed from childhood sickness by an aforementioned saint.

St. Nicholas
Santa Claus, and much folklore, originated from his habits.

St. Bruno
He was a priest who eventually rejected religion and retreated to a mountain.

St. Dominic Savio
He died young while studying to be a priest.

St. Frances Cabrini
She was also known by another name and was the first citizen from this country to be canonized by the Catholic Church.

St. Gregory the Great
The former pope was well known for his writings, earning this second name.

St. Benedict
He lived in a cave in the side of cliff before working with monks. He's said to have had the power to perform miracles.

St. George
He was a Roman soldier and a priest before he was imprisoned and tortured

St. Dymphna
Her pagan father had great wealth and power but was said to suffer from mental illness. She died at his hand.

St. Anne
She was the mother of the Blessed Virgin and grandmother to the most important figure of the Bible.

St. Clare
The daughter of a count and countess and close friends with this saint, she suffered an illness for decades.

St. Peter Claver
He spent decades working in a slave market in South America, laboring for the salvation of Africans.

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