Our Lady of Fatima

Saint Peter de Regalado was born around 1390 in Valladolid, Spain, to a noble family. After his father died, his mother formed him in faith, often praying at the local Franciscan church where the young Peter served at daily Mass. Drawn early to the Gospel life, he asked to join the Friars Minor as a child and was received at fourteen. His vocation soon deepened under the guidance of Pedro de Villacreces, a leader in the Franciscan Observant reform, which sought to recover the simplicity and fervor of Saint Francis. At the friary of La Aguilera, Peter embraced solitude, prayer, and radical poverty. He later served as guardian of the community and became a tireless reformer of discipline among Spanish friaries, known for severe fasting, humble preaching, and generous charity to the poor. In 1442 he was appointed leader of the Spanish Observant friars. After his death in 1456, pilgrims flocked to his tomb, and his body was later found incorrupt. He is venerated as patron of Valladolid and of bullfighters. His feast day is May 13.

Saint Robert Bellarmine was born on October 4, 1542, in Montepulciano, Italy, to a noble but poor family. Gifted in learning from an early age, he entered the Jesuits in Rome in 1560 and pursued rigorous studies that led him to become a renowned teacher, preacher, and defender of the Catholic faith during the Counter-Reformation. After years of study and teaching in Padua and Leuven, he returned to Rome to lecture at the Roman College, where his clear and systematic theology helped form generations of clergy in the spirit of the Council of Trent. Named a cardinal in 1599, he later served as Archbishop of Capua, faithfully implementing Tridentine reforms and urging bishops to shepherd their people with presence and care. He is also remembered for his involvement in major controversies of his age, including the cases of Giordano Bruno and Galileo, where he sought to uphold both Church authority and careful reasoning. Canonized in 1930 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, he is a patron of institutions bearing his name, including Bellarmine College Preparatory. His feast day is May 13.

Saint Cristanziano, born in 280 in Ascoli Piceno, is honored by the Church as a Christian martyr and deacon. In his service as a deacon, he bore witness to Christ with steadfast faith, and his life was crowned by martyrdom in 310. Though few details of his earthly journey have come down to us, his enduring significance lies in this clear testimony: a life given wholly to the Gospel, even unto death. Saint Cristanziano is especially venerated as a patron of Agnone, Casalciprano, and Maltignano, and many also invoke his intercession for protection from hail and storms. His feast is celebrated on May 13, inviting the faithful to seek courage, fidelity, and trust in God amid every trial.

Saint Servatius, traditionally said to have been born in Armenia, became the fourth-century bishop of Tongeren, shepherding the Church in a time of intense debate and political upheaval. Known as a widely traveled diplomat and a courageous defender of the faith, he stood firmly for the Church’s Trinitarian belief against Arianism. He is remembered as present at major councils, including Sardica in 343 and Rimini in 359, where he spoke strongly for the divinity of Christ. His stature was such that he was even sent on a delicate imperial mission to Emperor Constantius II—an effort that failed, yet revealed the respect he commanded. Ancient tradition connects his final years with Maastricht, where he died on May 13, 384, and where his tomb became a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Venerated as a steadfast confessor and protector, he is honored as patron of Maastricht and also of Grimbergen. His feast day is May 13.