Sacred Calendar

The Roman year ordered for memory, penance, feasts, saints, and the daily pilgrimage of the faithful.

Calendar standard

Pre-1955 Roman usage

The calendar follows the universal Roman year under the rubrics of Pope St. Pius X, with the Roman Martyrology preserved as a distinct daily witness.

The day is presented for prayer, recollection, study, and perseverance in the City.

Daily observance

Today in the City of God

The Church keeps this day in holy time. The Pilgrim's Companion gathers the feast, daily quote, Martyrology, meditation, prayer, and related chapters into one daily path through the City.

Choose a date

Daily observance

St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Season: Eastertide

The day is set within the Roman year so its feast, Martyrology, daily quote, prayer, and reading path may be received together without blurring their proper sources.

Today's pilgrimage

St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

Rank: Semi-Double

Color: white

Octave: Within the Privileged Octave of the Ascension (Privileged Octave of the Third Order).

Quote for the day

Catechism of the Council of Trent

Fasting is most intimately connected with prayer.

Roman Martyrology

Roman Martyrology - May 16

At Gubbio, St. Ubaldus, a bishop renowned for miracles. — In Isauria, the birthday of the holy martyrs Aquillinus and Victorian. — At Auxerre, the passion of St. Peregrinus, first bishop of that city. He was sent into Gaul with other clerics by the blessed pope Xystus, and having accomplished his work of preaching the Gospel, he merited an ever lasting crown by being condemned to capital punishment. — At Uzalis, in Africa, the holy martyrs Felix and Gennadius. — In Palestine, the martyrdom of the holy monks massacred by the Saracens in the monastery of St. Sabas. — In Persia, the holy martyrs Audas, a bishop, seven priests, nine deacons and seven virgins, who endured various kinds of tormen ts under king Isdegerdes, and thus gloriously consummated their martyrdom. — At Prague, in Bohemia, St. John Nepomucen, a canon of the metropolitan church, who, being tempted in vain to betray the secret of confession, was cast into the river Moldau, and thus won the palm of martyrdom. — At Amiens, in France, the bishop St. Honoratus. — At Le Mans, St. Domnolus, bishop. — At Mirandola, in Emilia, St. Possidius, bishop of Calamae, discple of St. Augustine, and the writer of his glorious life. — At Troyes, St. Fidolus, confessor. — In Ireland, St. Brendan, abbot. — At Frejus, St. Maxima, virgin, who rested in peace with a reputation for many virtues.

Highlighted saint

St. Ubaldus

Bishop and confessor renowned for miracles.

St. Ubaldus, bishop of Gubbio, is honored by the Martyrology as a bishop renowned for miracles.

His witness teaches that episcopal holiness is not administration alone, but prayer, pastoral charity, purity of life, and confidence in God's power.

Virtue to practice

Pastoral holiness and confidence in grace.

Error to resist

The managerial religion that measures shepherds by efficiency while forgetting sanctity.

For the pilgrim in exile

Ask St. Ubaldus for shepherds whose holiness becomes a sign of God. The Church is helped most by saints, not mere functionaries.

Imitate today

  • Pray for bishops to become saints.
  • Seek holiness before influence.
  • Trust grace more than management.

Sources

  • St. Andrew Daily Missal, May 16.
  • Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, May 16.

Breviary Witness

The bishop renowned for miracles.

Matins - St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

Breviary witness

  • The Breviary honors St. Ubaldus as bishop and confessor, remembered at Gubbio and renowned for miracles.
  • His witness teaches pastoral holiness: prayer, virtue, and confidence in grace before every outward work.

For the pilgrim in exile

Pray for holy shepherds. St. Ubaldus teaches that the Church needs sanctity more than clever administration.

Sources

  • Roman Breviary, Matins lessons for May 16, St. Ubaldus.
  • Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, May 16.

Gospel of the day

Let your lamps be burning.

St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor - Luke 12:35-40

And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord.

What Our Lord teaches

  • The holy bishop keeps watch as a servant awaiting the Lord, not as an owner of souls.
  • St. Ubaldus teaches that pastoral work must be lit by sanctity and confidence in grace.

Virtue to practice

Seek holiness before usefulness.

Error to resist

The managerial religion that trusts technique more than grace.

For the pilgrim in exile

Ask St. Ubaldus for shepherds whose lamps are burning. A holy pastor gives more light than a clever functionary.

Sources

  • Luke 12:35-40, Douay-Rheims.
  • Traditional Roman Gospel from the common of confessors.

Meditation

Victory Seen in Christ

The day lifts the pilgrim above mere survival. The Church suffers, but she suffers under the Lord who is risen, ascended, glorified, and victorious in His saints. Triumph is not a mood. It is the promised end toward which perseverance is ordered.

Prayer

The day should become prayer.

O Lord, do not permit me to admire truth without submitting to it. Give me the courage to obey what Thou hast already made known.

Thought for the pilgrim

Truth becomes fruitful when it is obeyed.

Practice

The day should become obedience.

Choose one known duty and obey it without delay or complaint.

Source notes

Universal Roman Calendar under the rubrics of Pope St. Pius X

Fasting and abstinence according to the laws observed in 1952

Daily quotations and pilgrimage excerpts should come from Scripture, Fathers, Doctors, saints, traditional popes before 1958, traditional catechisms, approved devotional works, or received liturgical texts.

The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, published by John Murphy Company; the local 1916 text is displayed and traceable to its source lines.

  • St. Andrew Daily Missal, Liturgical Calendar, pp. xvii–xxviii.
  • St. Andrew Daily Missal, Division of the Ecclesiastical Year, p. ix.