15 December

THE Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.—The same day, the consecration of St. Eusebius, bishop of Vercelli, whose birthday is commemorated on the 1st of August. His feast is kept on the 16th of this month, by order of pope Benedict XIII.—At Rome, the holy martyrs Irenaeus, Anthony, Theodore, Saturninus, Victor and seventeen others, who suffered for Christ in the persecution of Valerian.—In Africa, the martyrdom of the Saints Faustinus, Lucius, Candidus, Caelian, Mark, Januarius and Fortunatus.—In the same country, the holy bishop Valerian, who, being upwards of eighty years old, in the persecution of the Vandals, under the Arian king Genseric, was asked to deliver the vessels of the church, and as he constantly refused, an order was issued to drive him all alone out of the city, and all were forbidden to allow him to stay either in their houses or on their land. For a long time he remained lying on the public road, in the open air, and thus, in the confession and defence of the Catholic verity, closed his blessed life. —In the diocese of Orleans, St. Maximinus, confessor.—In Georgia, beyond the Euxine sea, St. Christiana, who, though a slave, was so gifted with the power of working miracles that she converted the inhabitants of that country to the faith of Christ, in the time of Constantine.

And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors and holy virgins.

Thanks be to God.

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