John B. Manos

Franciscan Maximilian Kolbe arms the world with Marian media, then steps forward at Auschwitz and takes another man’s death sentence. The saint who proved one life can ransom another.

Captive princess Radegund is forced to marry King Clotaire, lives as a hidden nun at court, then escapes to found a monastery and die in holy obedience. The queen who chose the cloister over the crown.

St. Clare slips away on Palm Sunday night, has Francis cut her hair, founds the Poor Clares, and later scares off Saracen invaders with the monstrance. The virgin who proved radical poverty is stronger than armies.

Official Chromatius is cured of gout by baptism; his son Tiburtius becomes a subdeacon and is beheaded; virgin Susanna refuses marriage and dies for Christ. Faith that healed a household and crowned two martyrs

St. Lawrence weeps for Pope Sixtus, gathers the poor as the Church’s treasure, and jokes on the gridiron, “I am done enough; eat.” The deacon who turned charity into comedy and crown.

St. Romanus watches Laurence suffer with joy, embraces the faith on the spot, and earns martyrdom a day early. The soldier who found Christ in a prison cell.

Shepherd boy Peter Favre befriends Ignatius and Xavier in Paris, becomes the first Jesuit priest, and spends his life battling heresy until he dies in Ignatius’s arms. The quiet founder of Jesuit fire.

Called “the Saint” from childhood, Cajetan spends his fortune on the poor, renews the clergy, and dies with Mary leading him to paradise. The founder whose love for Our Lady was repaid in person.

Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up Mount Tabor; His face shines like the sun, Moses and Elijah appear, and the Father’s voice declares, “This is my beloved Son.” Heaven’s preview of glory.

Our Lady chooses a Roman hill with a summer snowfall, a patrician builds her first great church, and the holy crib of Bethlehem finds its home there. Heaven’s coolest real-estate deal.