St. James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, lived during the 1st century AD. He was the elder brother of St. John and was known for his fiery and zealous personality. St. James played a significant role in spreading Christianity, particularly in...

Philip was one of Christ’s original twelve apostles, and was present at key biblical events including the feeding of the 5000. Following the events of Pentecost (Acts 1:12-14), there is little concrete knowledge of his activities. It is probable that he preached in...

Born Joseph Sarto (1835-1914), and from a very poor family, St Pius X was pope from 4 August 1903 to 20 August 1914. He is best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially by children. Interested in politics, Pope Pius...

Thomas Aquinas (1225-74) joined one of the most influential new orders founded in the 13th century, St Dominic’s Order of Preachers. Thomas spent his career at the University of Paris and teaching in Dominican convents in Italy. He was particularly engaged with the...

It is generally accepted that George was a martyr killed during an early 4th-century period of persecution under the Roman Emperor Diocletian (284-305). George’s cult underwent notable transformations. In the east, he was considered a patron of armies, which drew him...

Relics of St Polycarp of Smyrna; St Thomas of Canterbury; St Ignatius of Antioch; St Boniface; St Agnes; St Agatha; [St] Catherine of Alexandria; St Pope Clement I The belief that the power inherent in any relic was not diminished by division meant that relics...

St. Pascal Baylon, born in 1540 in Spain, was a devout Franciscan lay brother known for his unwavering faith and deep devotion to the Eucharist during the 16th century. He lived a humble life as a shepherd and later joined the Franciscan Order. St. Pascal's profound...

Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-550) played a key role in the development of western Christianity. He wrote what became known as the Benedictine Rule, a foundation stone for the monastic life. Originally a hermit at Subiaco in Italy, he later established a community of...

This reliquary contains fibres from the bag of the 13th-century saint, Francis of Assisi. The fibres are an example of the importance attached to items that came into contact with saints—they could serve the same purpose as bodily relics.Francis was the most...

Cyril of Jerusalem, writing in 346, notes that “the saving wood of the Cross was found at Jerusalem”, referring to its discovery a decade earlier by Helena, mother of the first Christian Roman emperor. Veneration of the Cross is known from the end of the 4th century....

Mary Magdalene is a key biblical figure, often considered the apostle to the apostles. In the Middle Ages, her identity was confused with both Mary, sister of Martha of Bethany and the unnamed sinner—interpreted to be a prostitute from the 6th century—who washed and...

St. Gemma Galgani, also known as the Flower of Lucca (the Italian town in which she was born), was an Italian mystic often referred to as the “Daughter of Passion,” for her replication of the Passion of Christ. She was born in 1875, and was a quiet, reserved child....

Saint Anthony was born Fernando Martins in Lisbon, Portugal. Born into a wealthy family, by the age of fifteen he asked to be sent to the Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, Portugal where he learned theology and Latin. Following his ordination to the priesthood, he was...

St Patrick was a missionary and bishop who played a pivotal role in bringing Christianity to Ireland. Born in the late 4th century, most likely in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped by raiders at 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. During his captivity, he deepened his...

St Rita (c. 1377-1447), from a devout Italian family, was known for her piety from a young age. Following a difficult marriage, she became an Augustinian nun after the death of her husband. She was known for her deep faith, stigmata (manifestation of the wounds of...

St Benedict Joseph Labre was truly an eccentric. Born in France, the eldest of 18 children, he hoped to become a priest. But poor health and a lack of academic prowess meant he was unsuccessful in his attempts to enter the religious life. At age 16, a profound change...

St John Bosco (1815-88), also known as Don Bosco, was an Italian priest and educator in the 19th century. He founded the Salesian Society, dedicated to educating and supporting disadvantaged youth and offering education and vocational training to young people in need....

St Laurence of Brindisi (1559-1619), born Giulio Cesare Russo, was a prominent Capuchin friar, theologian, diplomat, and preacher who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Capuchins—whose distinctive habit later lent its name to a modern...

Born Francesco Possenti, in Italy into a large family, Saint Gabriel lost his mother when he was only four years old. He was educated by the Jesuits and, having been cured twice of serious illnesses, came to believe that God was calling him to the religious life. He...

That the Virgin Mary had been taken bodily into Heaven meant—like Christ—she enjoyed a unique status: her relics were necessarily limited. Items such as her tunic—claimed by Chartres in France—were held in particularly high regard. The Virgin’s tomb—although there was...