8 September
THE Nativity of the most Blessed and ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God.—At Nicomedia, St. Adrian, with twenty-three other martyrs, who ended their martyrdom the 4th of March by having their limbs crushed, after enduring many torments under the emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Their remains were carried to Byzantium by the Christians, and buried with due honors. Afterwards the body of St. Adrian was taken to Rome on this day, on which his festival is celebrated.—At Alexandria, the holy martyrs Ammon, Theophilus, Neoterius, and twenty-two others.—At Antioch, the Saints Timothy and Faustus, martyrs.—At Gaza, in Palestine, the holy martyrs Eusebius, Nestabus, and Zeno, brothers, who were cut to pieces by a multitude of Pagans that rushed upon them, in the time of Julian the Apostate. —In the same place, and under the same Julian, St. Nestor, martyr, who, being most cruelly tortured by the same furious Gentiles, breathed his last.—At Valencia, in Spain, St. Thomas of Villanova, archbishop, distinguished by his ardent charity for the poor. He was inscribed among the saints by Alexander VII., and his feast is celebrated on the 22d of this month.—At Freisingen, St. Corbinian, first bishop of that city. Being consecrated by pope Gregory II., and sent to preach the Gospel, he reaped an abundant harvest in France and Germany, and finally renowned for virtues and miracles, rested in peace.
And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors and holy virgins.
Thanks be to God.