Roman Martyrology

The daily memory of martyrs, confessors, virgins, bishops, doctors, and holy witnesses.

Martyrology source

1916 Baltimore edition

The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, published by John Murphy Company.

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December 21

At Calamina, the birthday of the blessed apostle Thomas, who preached the Gospel to the Parthians, the Medes, the Persians and Hyrcanians. Having finally penetrated into India, and instructed those nations in the Christian religion, he died transpierced with lances by order of the king. His remains were first taken to the city of Edessa and then to Ortona. — In Tuscany, the holy martyrs John and Festus. — In Lycia, St. Themistocles, martyr, who under the emperor Decius, offered himself in the place of St. Dioscorus, who was sought after to be killed, and being racked, dragged about and beaten with rods, obtained the crown of martyrdom. — At Nicomedia, during the persecution of Diocletian, St. Glycerins, a priest, who was subjected to many torments, and finally completed his martyrdom by being cast into the flames. — At Antioch, St. Anastasius, bishop and martyr, who was cruelly murdered by the Jews during the reign of Phocas. — At Treves, St. Severin, bishop and confessor.

Source: The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, John Murphy Company; local raw text lines 13282-13309.