- St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)
Today is the feast day of St. Berard and his companions. In 1219, St. Berard and his five companions (Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo, and Vitalis) were sent off with the blessing of St. Francis of Assisi to preach in Morocco. In Spain, however, Vitalis got sick and commanded the others to go on without him. The friars preached first in Seville, Spain, but made no converts. Once in Morocco, the friars preached in the marketplace, but were quickly arrested and told to leave the country. They refused, were released, and continued to preach in the marketplace. Again, they were arrested, and were ordered by the sultan to be executed. Before their execution, the friars were given severe beatings and were offered bribes (which they declined) in order to make them renounce their faith. They were beheaded by the sultan himself on January 16, 1220. The friars' relics were brought to Portugal, and when the young St. Anthony of Padua, who was then an Augustinian canon, saw them he decided to join the Franciscans.
Sts. Berard, Peter, Adjute, Accurs, and Odo, pray for us!
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Picture Of And Information About St. Berard And His Companions Taken From:
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
http://oshawafranciscans.blogspot.com/2012/10/october-10th-st-daniel-priest-and.html
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