Daybreak

Saturday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Cletus; the third bishop of Rome, succeeding St. Linus; Cletus reigned as pope from 76 to 89 A.D.; he is styled as a martyr; he was buried near St. Linus, on the Vatican, and his relics remain in that church Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/26/25 Gospel: Mark 16:9-15

Feast of St. Mark Friday in the Octave of Easter Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/25/25 Gospel: John 21:1-14

Thursday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, 1577-1622; born in Germany; he was a practicing lawyer, traveling across Europe as a tutor to aristocrats but then started defending the poor; in 1612, he became a Franciscan Capuchin monk; his mission to Swtzerland was so successful that some Protestants believed him to be a spy for the Austrian emperor; he was stabbed to death in a church id Seewis Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/24/25 Gospel: Luke 24:35-48

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. George, 280-303; a martyr who suffered at Lydda in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine; however, the story of George’s slaying the dragon, rescuing the king’s daughter, and converting Libya is a 12th-century Italian fable; George was a favorite patron saint of crusaders Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/23/25 Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

Tuesday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Tarbula; Fourth-Century virgin and martyr, the sister of St. Simeon, the Persian bishop and martyr; she was a consecrated virgin, and met her own martyrdom soon after the death of her brother; accused of practicing witchcraft and of causing sickness to befall the wife of the ardently anti-Christian Persian king Shapur, she was condemned and executed by being sawed in half Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/22/25 Gospel: John 20:11-18

Monday in the Octave of Easter Saint of the Day: St. Conrad of Parzham, 1818-1894; born in Bavaria, and became a Capuchin lay brother in 1849; for more than thirty years, Conrad served as porter or doorkeeper of the shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, and he was known for his Marian devotions; he had the gift of prophecy, and of reading people's hearts; he died in Altotting Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/21/25 Gospel: Matthew 28:8-15

Easter Sunday of the Lord's Resurrection Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/20/25 Gospel: John 20:1-9

Saturday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Timon; one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles to minister to the Nazarene community of Jerusalem; mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/19/25 Gospel: Luke 24:1-12

Good Friday - The observance of the Lord's Passion and Death on Calvary Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/18/25 Gospel: John 18:1-19:42

Holy Thursday Saint of the Day: St. Robert of Chaise Dieu; 11th Century Benedictine abbot and founder, born in Auvergne, France; after becoming a priest and canon of St. Julian’s in Brioude, he founded a hospice; he then gave himself over to the spiritual direction of St. Odilo at Cluny, France; after making a pilgrimage to Rome, he was moved to give up his life at Cluny and to settle near Brioude; there he attracted followers and built the abbey of Casa Dei to house the burgeoning community of three hundred monks; St. Robert died in 1067 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/17/25 Gospel: John 13:1-15

Wednesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Bernadette Soubirous, 1844-1879; first child of an extremely poor miller in the town of Lourdes in southern France; on February 11, 1858, she received the first of 18 apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary; few visions have ever undergone the scrutiny that these appearances of the Immaculate Virgin were subject to; Lourdes became one of the most popular Marian shrines in the world, attracting millions of visitors Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/16/25 Gospel: Matthew 26:14-25

Tuesday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Hunna, the "Holy washerwoman"; she was a Seventh-Century noblewoman who devoted herself to the poor of Strasbourg, France; she was the daughter of a duke and wife of Huno of Hunnaweyer; she even washed the poor Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/15/25 Gospel: John 13:21-33, 36-38

Monday of Holy Week Saint of the Day: St. Lydwine, 1380-1433; born in Holland; suffered a fall while ice skating in 1396, when a friend collided with her and caused her to break a rib on the right side; she never fully recovered; an abscess formed inside her body which later burst and caused Lydwine extreme suffering; she later suffered a series of mysterious illnesses which in retrospect seemed to be from the hands of God; Lydwine accepted her plight as the will of God and offered up her sufferings for the sins of humanity; she experienced mystical gifts, including supernatural visions of heaven, hell, purgatory, apparitions of Christ, and the stigmata Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/14/25 Gospel: John 12:1-11

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/13/25 Gospel: Luke 23:1-49

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Zeno of Verona; a native of Africa, he became bishop in 362, and was an ardent opponent of the Arian heresy; he promoted discipline among the clergy and in liturgical life, built a Cathedral, and founded a convent; he wrote extensively on the virgin birth of Christ and other matters, and was the subject of many legends; St. Zeno died in 371 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/12/25 Gospel: John 11:45-56

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. Stanislaus of Krakow, 1030-1079; after ordination, he was appointed preacher and archdeacon to the bishop of Krakow, and then became bishop of Krakow himself in 1072; during an expedition against the Grand Duchy of Kiev, Stanislaus became involved in the political situation of Poland; he attacked the evils of the peasantry and the king, especially the unjust wars and immoral acts of King Boleslaus II; the king repented, but reverted to his old ways; Stansislaus resumed his criticisms despite threats of treason and death; finally, he excommunicated the king, who ordered soldiers to kill the bishop; they refused, so the king killed Stanislaus with his own hands Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/11/25 Gospel: John 10:31-42

Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Michael de Sanctis, 1591-1625; born in Catalonia, Spain, and announced his intention to become a monk when he was six; joined the Trinitarian Friars at Barcelona in 1603; he was ordained a priest and twice served as Superior of the house in Valladolid; after his death at the age of 35, many miracles were attributed to him Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/10/25 Gospel: John 8:51-59

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Waldetrudis, 612-688; the daughter of Walbert and Bertilia; she married St. Vincent Madelgarius; when her husband decided to become a monk, she established a convent at Chateaulieu, around which the town of Mons, Belgium grew Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/9/25 Gospel: John 8:31-42

Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent Saint of the Day: St. Julia Billiart, 1751-1816; born in France; took a vow of virginity at a young age, and worked so hard for the poor that she collapsed, and remained crippled until she was miraculously cured in 1804; stayed in Amiens, where the Institute of Notre Dame was founded by Julia and pious friends in 1804; moved to Namur in 1809, and the motherhouse was instituted there; by the time of her death in 1816, fifteen convent were in operation Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/8/25 Gospel: John 8:21-30

Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent Commemoration of St. John Baptist de la Salle, 1651-1719; ordained to the priesthood at age 27, and became interested in the creation of schools for poor boys in Rheims, where he was stationed; the remainder of his life was closely entwined with the community of religious men he founded, the Brothers of the Christian School (also called Christian Brothers or De La Salle Brothers); it prepared teachers in the first training college for teachers and also set up homes and schools for young delinquents of wealthy families; John suffered from asthma and rheumatism in his later years, and died on Good Friday, 1719, at the age of 68 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 4/7/25 Gospel: John 8:12-20