Q&A
Volume I, Number 3
Time after Pentecost 1992
The Guardian
Question: Who
are all of those saints mentioned in the canon of the Mass?
Answer:
Each day at Mass the priest mentions the names of a large number of
saints in the Canon. Some, like Peter and Paul, are known by everyone. But who
were the others Cletus, Clement, Xystus, Cornelius, and so on? For the most
part, they were Apostles or Roman Martyrs, but, perhaps, a more detailed look is
in order. Taking them in the order in which they appear in the Canon, we have:
Mary. What more appropriate way to begin than by
mentioning the Mother of God?
Joseph. A very recent addition to the Canon, the
foster father of our Lord, and spouse of the Blessed Virgin. (March 19)
Peter. The first pope. The "Rock" upon
which Christ built His Church, against which the gates of hell shall not
prevail. Crucified upside down in Rome. (June29)
Paul. First a persecutor of the Church, then Its
great Apostle to the Gentiles. Beheaded in Rome. (June 29)
Andrew. Apostle, and brother of Peter. Martyred in
southern Greece. (Nov. 30)
James. A cousin of our Lord. First bishop of
Jerusalem. Called "the less," to distinguish him from the brother of
St. John. Thrown from the temple and clubbed to death. (May 1)
John. The only non-martyr among the Apostles. Wrote
the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. (Dec. 27)
Thomas, the "doubting Thomas," preached
our Lord in India. (Dec. 21)
James the "greater." Killed by Herod in
44, after having preached in far away Spain. (July 25)
Philip. Preached in Phrygia (modern day Turkey) and
was crucified. (May 1)
Bartholomew. Also called Nathaniel, evangelized
Arabia, and was flayed alive. (Aug. 24)
Matthew. A tax collector prior to following the
Lord. Martyred in Persia. Author of the first Gospel (Sept. 21)
Simon. Known as the Zealot, preached in
Persia, and martyred in Babylonia (modern Iran and Iraq). (Oct. 28)
Thaddeus. Jude, called Thaddeus to
distinguish him from the apostate Judas. Author of an Epistle. Martyred in
Palestine. (Oct. 28)
Linus. Successor to St. Peter, pope for about
twelve years. (Sept. 23)
Cletus. Third pope, martyred by Domitian in 91 A.D.
(Apr. 26)
Clement. Fourth pope, martyred under the
"good" Emperor Trajan in 100 A.D. (Nov. 23)
Xystus. Probably Pope Xystus II,
martyred in 258. (Aug. 6)
Cornelius. Pope, martyred in 253.
(Sept 16)
Cyprian. Bishop of Carthage, martyred in 258.
Associated with Pope Cornelius in debate over receiving those who had
apostatized during persecution back into the Church. (Sept. 16, in common
with Cornelius.)
Lawrence. One of the seven deacons of Rome. Refused
to turn the Church's charitable funds over to the Romans, and was roasted alive.
(Aug.10)
Chrysogonus. A layman imprisoned for the Faith, and
later martyred under Diocletian in 303 A.D. (Nov. 24)
John and Paul. Brothers, officers in the Army
of Julian the Apostate. Martyred in 363 after leaving the service and giving
their goods to the poor. (June 26)
Cosmas and Damian. Brothers and physicians,
martyred by Diocletian in 283 for miraculously healing the sick in our Lord's
name. (Sept. 27)
"And all Thy saints." The Canon reminds
us that there are many more saints than can be mentioned during this brief
prayer. (Nov. 1)
Abel the Just. Son of Adam, first to offer an
acceptable sacrifice to God. (Genesis 4)
Abraham. Father of the chosen people from
whom would come the Savior. Willing to sacrifice his firstborn son if it had
been the will of God. (Genesis 12-25)
Melchisedech. Priest-king of Salem. Offered the
sacrifice of bread and wine. (Genesis 14, Psalm 109,
Hebrews 7)
John (the Baptist). Beheaded for chiding Herod on
his marital infidelity. (June 24 and Aug. 29)
Stephen. Deacon and first martyr. Stoned to death
by the Sanhedrin for preaching Christ. (Dec.26)
Matthias. Chosen by the Apostles to replace Judas.
Stoned to death in 64 A.D. (Feb.24)
Barnabas. Paul's companion, called an Apostle,
although not one of the original twelve. Stoned to death about 60 A.D.
(June 11)
Ignatius. Followed St. Peter as Bishop of Antioch.
Martyred in Rome around 107 A.D. (Feb. 1)
Alexander. Pope and martyr, tortured to death under
Hadrian about 113. (May 3)
Marcellinus and Peter. A priest and an exorcist of
Rome, put to death in 304. (June 2)
Felicitas and Perpetua. An expectant mother
and a woman with a nursing child, first given to the lions and then beheaded in
202 at Carthage. (Mar. 6)
Agatha. Put to death protecting her virtue in 251
at Catania. (Feb. 5)
Lucy. A Sicilian, martyred by the sword for
retaining her virginity. (Dec. 13)
Agnes. Roman virgin and martyr at the tender
age of thirteen. (Jan. 21)
Cecilia. Virgin and martyr, forced to marry a pagan
whom she converted prior to her death. (Nov. 22)
Anastasia. A married woman, martyred in 304.
(Dec. 25)
