The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-22
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BOY SAINTS.


ness of the Church is illustrated by
the lives and deaths of saints that
cannot be counted. 1t would take a
lifetime to enumerate the good works
of those that are honored by name.
Fortunately, for our present purpose,
we have to consider none but boys not
over eighteen years of age. Of these,
the whole story is known only in heav-
en-; but the memory of many has been
preserved for us.
Since, in some instances, they are
described as young children" they
cannot be grouped according to their
precise ages, as one might desire; the
following statements, for the most
part too brief, are therefore given
more in the order of history.
First there are the boy-babes of
Bethlehem, slain by Herod's command,
who hoped thereby to put the Infant
Jesus out of the way of becoming
King of the Jews. This tyrant had
learned, but short while before, from
the wise men of the East and the
doctors of the Temple, that such a
ruler had been born in that village.
1t is horrible to think of soldiers
raiding quiet homes and slaughtering
children before their mothers eyes;
but it has it's glorious side; for God,
it is believed, caused them to know
that they were dying for Christ. The
Holy Innocents, as they are called,
have always been accounted as mar
tyrs.
st. Ponticus died for the faith at
Lyons in the year 1T, not over the
age of fifteen years.
st. Vitus is honored on June Is. He
was very young. His father. an idola-
tor, disguised at his sons conversion
to Christianity, punished him with
great severity, and finally placed him
in the governors hands. He escaped,
however, and went to Italy, where he
was martyred.
ST. Porphyrius was a youth who in
A. D. 304 had just witnessed the mar
tyrdom of IS. Elias and companions,
and was seized and by slow tortures
put to death.
| St. CyriPs age is unknown, but he is
mentioned as "a child" a convert to
the Christian faith. His father turned
him out of the house, because he re.
fused to adore the idols. He was put
to death by the sword. The Church
remembers him on May 20.
St. Pancratius, thirteen years, is
honored on May II. A beautiful ap'
probation of this lad, the son Of a
noble mother, may be found in the
story of "Fabiola" by Cardinal Wise
man.
| ST. Quircius died for his faith in 304
He was baby in arms who cried
while his mother was tortured. AS
the lash fell upon her naked flesh, she
continued to exclaim: IT am a Chris
tian!" The governor of the place
who directed the execution, took the
child and tried to soothe him, but the
child would not be pacifed, and cried
out, in the words of his mother: 81
am Christian!" The enraged gov
ernor threw the little saint from the
height of the tribunal down the stone
steps, where his brains were dashed
out. The day assigned to his com
memoration is June 16. Who can de
scribe the joy of the angels when this
holy mother and child were admitted
to the society of heaven!
Child-saints of Carthage: In this
place twelve young children suffered
in 1874. BY grace and perseverance
they refused to deny their religion
and by their sufferings won place il
heaven. We have reason to believe
that some of them were boys. Theil
day in the Calendar is March %.
/ St. Valentine, martyr of the earl.
Church, is venerated in a chapel O
the Church of the Immaculate Con
ception at Boston. The relics crossed
the ocean in one ship, and Fathel
O'Callaghan, S. j., who procured them
started for America in another which
was lost at sea. This good priest diet
while promoting the doctrine of thu
Communion of Saints, and with hin
Fperished a certified record of St. Val
entine, the boy-martyr.
] st, Agapetus (not the Pope of tina
name) suffered Gin his YOUTH abou
the year 275 and is remembered OF
August 10.
4 st. William of Norwich suffered
death for our Lord in 1887, and little
ST. Simon during Holy Week in 1472
Japanese boy-saints: During thu
propagation of the Faith in Japan il
the sixteenth century three boys were
martyred for their Faith. They were
aged, respectively, twelve, fifteen, ant
sixteen years, and died upon the cross
J Many Chinese boys were martyret
: also. Accounts of a great many Others
in various parts of heathendom ma.
be found in the annals of the Society
Although Saints Aloysius and Johl
Berchmans reached the years of earl,
, manhood, they are proposed as models
for boys because they did not let g
of such qualities of youth as also be
long to the kingdom of heaven.