St. Sylvester, the son of a lawyer, had himself studied law at Bologna before becoming a canon of Osimo, his native town. He was a zealous and fervent priest. His determination to retire into solitude was caused by the sight of the decomposing corpse of a friend. He at first lived as a hermit at…

Born in Ireland, St. Virgil traveled to France where he assisted King Pepin until that king recommended him to the see of Salzburg. Virgil trembled at the prospect, and for two years commissioned Dobda, a bishop whom he had brought with him from Ireland, to perform the Episcopal functions reserving to himself only the office…

St. Andrew, the brother of St. Peter, was the very first of the disciples to know Jesus; at the Master’s call he at once left his nets and followed Him to become a “fisher of men.” We know hardly anything of his subsequent apostolic career. The old accounts of his martyrdom depict him crucified on…