This Day, the Sixteenth Day of August

St. Joachim, father of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, whose birthday is the 20th of March.

At Rome, St. Titus, deacon, who, when the city was taken by the Goths, was put to death by a barbarous tribune, whilst distributing money to the poor.

At Nicaea, in Bithynia, St. Diomedes, physician, who underwent martyrdom for the faith of Christ by being beheaded, during the persecution of Diocletian.

Also, thirty-three holy martyrs.

At Ferentino, in Campania, St. Ambrose, centurion. In the persecution of Diocletian, he was subjected to different kinds of tortures, and finally passing through fire without injury, was cast into the water, and thus reached the place of eternal rest.

At Milan, the demise of St. Simplician, bishop, renowned by the testimony given of him by St. Ambrose and St. Augustine.

At Auxerre, St. Eleutherius, bishop.

At Nicomedia, St. Arsacius, confessor. Under the persecutor Licinius, he left the military service, and leading a solitary life, became so famous for working miracles, that we read of his expelling the demons and killing a huge dragon by his prayers. Finally he foretold the destruction of the city, and gave up his soul to God in prayer.

In France, near Montpelier, the demise of blessed Roch, confessor, who by the Sign of the Cross, delivered many cities of Italy from an epidemic. His body was afterwards transferred to Venice, and deposited with the greatest honors in the church dedicated under his invocation.

At Rome, St. Serena, who had been the wife of the emperor Diocletian.

And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

Omnes sancti Mártyres, oráte pro nobis. (“All ye Holy Martyrs, pray for us”, from the Litaniae Sanctorum, the Litany of the Saints)

Response: Thanks be to God.