Roman Martyrology

The reading

November 8

The Octave of All Saints. — At Rome, on the Lavican road, three miles from the city, the martyrdom of the Saints Claudius, Mcostratus, Symphorian, Castorius and Simplicius, who were first sent to prison, then scourged with whips set with metal, and as they could not be made to forsake the faith of Christ, Diocletian ordered them to be thrown into the river. — Also, on the Lavican way, the birthday of the saintly brothers, Severus, Severian, Carpophorus and Victorinus, called the Four Crowned, who were scourged to death with leaded whips, during the reign of the same emperor. As their names, known some years afterwards by revelation, could not then be ascertained, it was ordered that their anniversary should be commemorated with the preceding five, under the name of the Four Saints Crowned. This appellation was retained by the Church, even after their names had been revealed. — At Rome, St. Deusdedit, pope, whose merit was so great that he cured a leper by kissing him. — At Bremen, St. Willehad, first bishop of that city, who, in conjunction with St. Boniface, whose disciple he was, spread the Gospel in Friesland and Saxony. — At Soissons, in France, St. Godfrey, bishop of Amiens, a man of great holiness. — At Verdun, St. Maurus, bishop and confessor. — At Tours, St. Clarus, priest, whose epitaph was written by St. Paulinus.

Source: The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, John Murphy Company; local raw text lines 11713-11748.