Saint Ansanus, Saint Claudius, Saint Hilaria and Companions

Saint Ansanus

Feast day December 1

St. Ansanus was born in Rome and is honoured as the first Apostle of Sienna, Italy. In Sienna, he made so many converts to the Catholic Faith, that he was named "the Baptiser". As a youth, his own father denounced him as a Christian. He confessed the Faith, but managed to escape from Rome and fled towards Tuscany. On the way he preached at Bagnorea, and was imprisoned where the church of Our Lady delle Carceri now stands.

During the persecution of Diocletian, St. Ansanus was thrown into prison. After he was tortured and his head was cut off at a place outside the walls of the city. Some time later, a church was built on this spot, in remembrance of the death of this holy martyr. Many miracles took place in the year 1170, when his relics were carried to the Cathedral in Sienna.

St. Ansanus, Pray for Us!

Saint Claudius, Saint Hilaria and Companions

Feast day December 3

St. Claudius, his good wife, St. Hilaria, their sons Jason and Maurus, and seventy soldiers, were all Catholics who died as martyrs under the reign of the Emperor Numerian. Claudius was a tribune or officer in the Roman army. While watching St. Chrysanthus and St. Daria being tortured, Claudius saw that they remained firm in the Catholic Faith. This inspired him to become a Catholic! When the Emperor found out that Claudius had converted to the Catholic Faith, he had the tribune tied to a huge stone, and thrown into the river. St. Claudius' sons and the other soldiers were also sentenced to death, and they all died as martyrs, for the Catholic Church

St. Hilaria buried the bodies of her sons and then stayed to pray by their graves. Before long, some heathens seeing her at prayer, grabbed the poor women and threw her into prison. Some time later, good St. Hilaria died in this same prison.

St. Claudius, St. Hilaria & Companions; Pray For Us!

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