Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest

Saint Christina of Bolsena is remembered as a virgin and martyr of the early centuries of the Church, traditionally placed in the third century. Her birthplace is uncertain: ancient devotion connects her both to Tyre in Phoenicia and to Bolsena in central Italy, where her tomb and an early Christian cemetery testify that Christians honored her by the fourth century. According to long-loved tradition, Christina was born to a wealthy pagan family and, while still very young, chose Christ as her true Bridegroom. When she refused to worship idols and instead broke them and gave their fragments to the poor, her own father—said to be a local governor—handed her over to harsh torments. Yet again and again she was preserved, strengthened by God’s power, until she finally sealed her witness with martyrdom. Her name has inspired enduring local devotion, and she is honored as patroness of many towns, especially Bolsena. Her feast day is celebrated on July 24.

Saint Cristina d’Osma is honored in the Church as a holy witness whose memory has been cherished especially in El Burgo de Osma–Ciudad de Osma, where she is invoked as a patron. Born in Rome, she lived in the early centuries of Christianity and died in the year 201, a time when faith in Christ often demanded quiet heroism and steadfast trust. Although few details of her life have come down to us, her enduring veneration points to a life marked by fidelity and devotion, remembered across generations of believers. Her feast is kept on July 24, inviting the faithful to give thanks for the hidden saints whose love for God continues to strengthen the Church, even when their story is known only in outline.

Saint Fantino il Vecchio was an early Italian saint, born in 294 in Tauriana and dying in 336. Though few details of his daily life and work have come down to us, his memory has been lovingly preserved in the Church, especially among the faithful of southern Italy. He is honored in a particular way as the patron of Taureana di Palmi, where devotion to him continues to express a local Church’s gratitude for a holy witness rooted in its own soil. Celebrated each year on July 24, Saint Fantino invites us to reverence the quiet saints whose lives may be hidden from history yet remain radiant before God. In turning to his intercession, believers are reminded that sanctity is often carried forward by humble fidelity and enduring prayer.

Saint Francis Solanus was born on March 10, 1549, in Montilla, Spain. Educated by the Jesuits, he felt drawn instead to the humble poverty and penance of the Franciscan life, entering the Order of Friars Minor as a young man and embracing a rigorous discipline of prayer, fasting, and simplicity that marked him for life. Ordained a priest in 1576, he became a gifted preacher and confessor, known for compassion and, at times, for healings attributed to his intercession—especially when he cared for the sick during a pestilence. Longing to bring Christ to those who had not heard the Gospel, he sailed in 1589 to the Americas. After surviving a shipwreck and choosing to remain with enslaved people aboard until rescue came, he spent two decades evangelizing across Tucumán and Paraguay. He learned local languages quickly and used music, often playing the violin, to draw hearts to God. Later in Lima he called colonists back to faithful living, and he died there on July 14, 1610. He is patron of Montilla and Mission San Francisco Solano. His feast day is July 14.

Saint Kinga was born on March 5, 1224, in Esztergom in the Kingdom of Hungary, the daughter of King Béla IV and Maria Laskarina. Raised among a family of notable holiness, she was related to Saints Elizabeth of Hungary and Hedwig of Andechs, and her own sisters included Margaret of Hungary and Jolenta of Poland. Though she entered an arranged marriage with Bolesław V of Poland, the couple embraced a shared vow of chastity, seeking to live their royal calling with purity of heart. As princess and later as High Duchess of Poland, Kinga became known for works of mercy, personally caring for the poor and aiding those afflicted with leprosy. After her husband’s death in 1279, she renounced wealth and power, selling her possessions and giving the proceeds to the needy. Choosing hiddenness over honor, she entered the Poor Clares at Sandec (Stary Sącz), devoting her remaining years to prayer and humility until her death on July 24, 1292. She is venerated as patroness of Poland and Lithuania. Her feast day is July 24.

Saint Sharbel Makhlūf was born as Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, in the mountain village of Bekaa Kafra, Lebanon. Raised in a devout home marked by early loss, he learned to seek God in simplicity and prayer, often withdrawing to a grotto dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1851 he entered the Lebanese Maronite Order, receiving the name Sharbel, and after years of study and quiet fidelity he was ordained a priest on July 23, 1859. Known for severe asceticism and humble service, he drew many hearts toward God and became a gentle sign of unity among Christians, Muslims, and Druze. In 1875 he was granted the grace of eremitical life at the Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul, where he lived in hidden prayer until his death on December 24, 1898. Afterward, countless favors and healings were reported through his intercession, earning him the title “Miracle Monk of Lebanon.” He is patron of Lebanon, the physically ill, and all who seek healing. His feast day is July 24.