Saint Isidore

Saint Achillius of Larissa was born in Greece, though the details of his early life are not known. He rose to serve the Church as metropolitan bishop of Larissa in Thessaly during the fourth century, a time when the faith was fiercely tested by division and error. Achillius is especially remembered for his steadfast witness to the true divinity of Christ at the First Council of Nicaea, where he defended orthodox teaching against Arianism. Tradition recounts that, to confound those who denied the Son’s equality with the Father, he called upon God and oil miraculously flowed from a stone—an outward sign pointing to the truth he proclaimed. Returning to his people, he labored zealously to strengthen Christian life, overturning pagan practices, building up churches, and delivering many from demonic oppression. Achillius died in Larissa around the year 330, and his relics were later translated to Prespa, where devotion to him endured for centuries. He is venerated as patron of Larissa and Grevena. His feast day is May 15.

Frithuswith, often called Frideswide, was born around 650 in Anglo-Saxon England, the daughter of Dida of Eynsham, a Mercian sub-king whose lands lay in western Oxfordshire along the Thames. From an early age she consecrated herself to Christ, and with her father’s help founded a monastery at Oxford, the seed of what would later become the priory incorporated into Christ Church Cathedral. After her parents’ death, a powerful ruler, Algar of Leicester, sought to marry her despite her vow of virginity. Frithuswith refused, and when he attempted to seize her she fled, trusting God to protect her. Tradition tells that she was guided to safety and that her persecutor was struck blind when he tried to force the people of Oxford to betray her. Seeking deeper solitude, she lived for a time at Binsey, where her prayer was answered by a spring whose waters became known for healing. She later returned to Oxford and served faithfully as abbess until her death around 727. Venerated as the patron saint of Oxford and the University of Oxford, she is remembered on May 15.

Saint Hallvard Vebjørnsson was born around 1020 in the district of Lier in Norway, the son of the farmer Vebjørn and of Torny Gudbrandsdatter, a woman remembered in tradition as kin to Saint Olaf. Raised among prosperous Christian farmers, Hallvard is not known to have held high office or sought public honor; his holiness shone instead in a single, decisive act of courage and mercy. Near Drammen, he offered protection to a pregnant woman—likely a thrall—who had sought sanctuary from three men accusing her of theft. Convinced of her innocence, Hallvard took her into his boat to bring her to safety. The pursuers shot them with arrows, killing them both. To hide their crime, they bound a millstone to Hallvard’s body and cast him into the fjord, yet his body would not remain submerged, and the truth came to light. Revered as a martyr for defending the innocent, he became the beloved patron of Oslo. His feast day is May 15.

Saint Hilary of Galeata was born in Tuscia in 476. Drawn early to God, he chose the hidden way of the hermit at only twelve, leaving home and crossing the Apennines toward Emilia. Tradition says an angel guided him to a mountain site in the valley of the Bidente near the Ronco River, where he embraced prayer, penance, and solitude. As a young man he became known for spiritual authority and compassion. Around the age of twenty, Hilary delivered a local nobleman, Olibrius, from demonic oppression; in gratitude, Olibrius and his household received baptism and offered land and resources. From this gift grew the monastery of Galeata, later called Sant’Ellero di Galeata, formed in the spirit of the ancient monastic rule associated with Saint Pachomius. Many miracles were attributed to Hilary, and even the powerful Theodoric—at first a threat to the monks—was moved to support the community with land and goods. Venerated in both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, Hilary is honored as patron of Galeata and Lugo. His feast day is May 15.

Saint Indaletius, whose birthplace is not known, is remembered in Christian tradition as a missionary of the first century, sent to bring the light of the Gospel to Spain during the Apostolic Age. Counted among the Seven Apostolic Men, he is said to have been ordained in Rome by Saints Peter and Paul and then dispatched with his companions to evangelize the Iberian Peninsula. Indaletius’ own mission led him to Urci, identified with present-day Pechina near Almería, where he preached Christ, gathered a faithful community, and became the first bishop of that region. Tradition holds that his witness was sealed in martyrdom at Urci, making him a sign of steadfast faith in the Church’s earliest days. Through the centuries, devotion to him endured, and his relics were later translated to San Juan de la Peña near Jaca, with other relics honored in Almería. Saint Indaletius is venerated as the patron saint of Almería. His feast day is May 15.

Saint Isidore the Laborer, also called Isidore the Farmer, was born in Madrid around 1070 to poor but devout parents, who named him after Saint Isidore of Seville. Living in a changing Spain after Madrid passed into Christian rule, he spent his life as a hired farmworker for the landowner Juan de Vargas. Isidore became beloved for his quiet faith, his care for animals, and his generous heart toward the poor, often sharing his own food with those in need. He married María Torribia, remembered in Spain as María de la Cabeza, and they had a son. When their child fell into a deep well, Isidore and María prayed, and the water was said to rise and lift the boy to safety. Many other miracles are associated with him, especially the stories of angels plowing while he attended Mass, and of food and grain multiplied for the hungry. Venerated as the patron of farmers and agriculture, and especially honored in Madrid and many towns, Saint Isidore died on 15 May 1130. His feast day is May 15.

Saint Liberatore is honored in the Church as a Christian martyr, a witness who remained faithful to Christ even unto death. Though the details of his life—his birthplace, the time in which he lived, and the circumstances of his martyrdom—have not been preserved for us, his sanctity endures in the devotion of the faithful. Saint Liberatore is especially venerated as patron of several Italian communities, including Civitacampomarano, Collestatte, Magliano Sabina, Montepagano, and Torrecuso, where his name continues to be invoked with trust. His feast is kept on May 15, inviting believers to remember that holiness is often hidden from history, yet never hidden from God, and that steadfast faith can shine across generations.

Saint Severinus of Sanseverino was an Italian presbyter who lived in the late fifth and early sixth centuries, born around 470 and dying about 550. Though little is known of the details of his life, his enduring veneration points to a quiet fidelity that strengthened the Church in his time. Remembered especially in the places that claim him as patron—Comiziano and San Severino Marche—he stands as a witness to pastoral service rooted in prayer and steadfast charity. On May 15, the Church honors his memory, inviting the faithful to seek God through humble devotion and perseverance. Saint Severinus’ hidden life reminds us that holiness often grows in ordinary ministry, where a priest’s faithful presence can leave a lasting spiritual legacy.

Saint Simplicio of Olbia, a Catholic priest born in 201, is remembered with quiet reverence as one of the early witnesses to the faith in Olbia. Though little is known about the details of his life, his very remembrance speaks of a shepherd who served Christ’s people in a time when fidelity could demand everything. He died in 304, an era marked by grave trials for the Church, and his life invites us to honor the hidden holiness of those whose names endure even when their stories are largely lost. Venerated as a patron of Olbia, Saint Simplicio remains a gentle sign of God’s enduring care for local communities. His feast is celebrated on May 15.