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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.

Daily observance

St. Giles, Abbot

Wednesday, September 1, 2027

Season: Time after Pentecost

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. Giles, Abbot

Rank: Simple

Color: white

Quote for the day

St. Paul

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 6:14, Douay-Rheims

The pilgrim's devotional rhythm

Keeping the month and the weekday in prayer

This chosen devotional rhythm does not change the feast, rank, or obligations shown above. It gives the passing days a steady intention, helping the pilgrim honor God, intercede for souls, and carry one Catholic practice into the day. It is a household aid to devotion, not another law of the Roman Calendar.

September intention

The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Our Lady did not flee the Cross. By remembering her sorrows, the pilgrim learns compassion for the Passion of Christ, patience in affliction, and fidelity when consolation is withdrawn.

Intention

For those crushed by grief, for sinners at the hour of death, and for the grace to carry every cross without abandoning Christ.

A faithful act

Accept sorrows without murmuring and offer them with Our Lady for dying souls.

Prayer

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, keep us faithful beside the Cross of Jesus.

Wednesday remembrance

St. Joseph

Midweek, turn to St. Joseph, whose hidden labor guarded Jesus and Mary. He teaches authority without self-importance, work without complaint, and silence joined to decisive obedience.

Intention

For fathers, laborers, families, the protection of the Church, and those approaching death.

A faithful act

Do necessary tasks thoroughly without seeking notice or praise.

Prayer

St. Joseph, patron of the universal Church, guard our homes and obtain for us purity, courage, and a holy death.

Roman Martyrology

Roman Martyrology - September 1

In the province of Narbonne, St. Giles, abbot and confessor. — At Benevento, twelve saintly brothers, martyrs. — In Palestine, the Saints Josue and Gedeon. — At Jerusalem, blessed Anna, prophetess, whose sanctity is revealed in the Gospel. — At Capua, on the Aquarian road, St. Priscus, martyr, who was one of the ancient disciples of Christ. — At Rheims, in France, St. Xystus, disciple of the blessed apostle Peter, who was consecrated by him the first bishop of that city, and received the crown of martyrdom under Nero. — At Todi, in Umbria, St. Terentian, bishop and martyr. Under the emperor Adrian, he was racked, and scourged with whips set with metal by order of the proconsul Laetian, and finally, having his tongue cut out, he ended his martyrdom by undergoing capital punishment. — At Heraclea, St. Ammon, deacon, and forty holy virgins whom he instructed in the faith, and led with him to the glory of matryrdom, under the tyrant Licinius. — In Spain, the holy martyrs Vincent and Lsetus. — At Piombino, in Tuscany, St. Regulus, martyr, who went thither from Africa, and consummated his martyrdom under Totila. — At Sens, St. Lupus, bishop and confessor, of whom it is related, that on a certain day, whilst he stood at the holy altar in presence of the clergy, a gem fell from heaven into the consecrated chalice which he was using. — At Capua, St. Priscus, bishop. He was one of those priests who were subjected to various trials for the Catholic faith during the persecution of the Vandals. Being put in an old ship on the coast of Africa, they reached the shores of Campania, and separating, they were placed at the head of various churches, and thus greatly extended the Christian religion. The companions of Priscus were Castrensis, Tammarus, Rosius, Heraclius, Secundinus, Adjutor, Mark, Augustus, Elpidius, Canion, and Vindonius. — At Aquino, St. Constantius, a bishop renowned for the gift of prophecy and many virtues. — At Le Mans, St. Victorius, bishop. — In Baden, in the diocese of Constance, St. Verena, virgin.

Read and verify the full entry

Highlighted saint

St. Giles

Abbot and confessor hidden with God.

The Martyrology commemorates St. Giles in the province of Narbonne as abbot and confessor, placing his monastic witness at the threshold of September.

His feast teaches the value of hidden fidelity. The Church needs not only public doctors and martyrs, but souls who keep the lamp of prayer burning in silence, abstinence, and stable service.

Virtue to practice

Hidden fidelity in prayer.

Error to resist

The vanity that thinks only visible work matters for the kingdom of God.

For the pilgrim in exile

Let St. Giles correct the hunger to be noticed. Much of the City is upheld by souls whose names are scarcely spoken, but whose fidelity is known to God.

Imitate today

  • Keep hidden duties faithfully.
  • Protect time for prayer from useless noise.
  • Honor the saints whose greatness was quiet.

Sources

  • St. Andrew Daily Missal, September 1.
  • Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, September 1.

From Matins

The holy abbot who fled from glory among men.

Matins - Proper Ninth Lesson - St. Giles, Abbot and Confessor

Roman Breviary, Proper lesson for St. Giles

“As Giles became famous for working miracles, he fled from glory among men.”

Doctrine taught

  • The proper lesson remembers St. Giles as a man of sacred learning and charity who gave his inheritance to the poor and fled from human glory.
  • His solitude joined abstinence to prayer, while his unwilling acceptance of monastic government shows authority received as duty rather than ambition.
  • The lesson keeps hidden prayer, works of mercy, and humble perseverance together as one path of abbatial holiness.

For the pilgrim in exile

Do not measure holiness by notice. St. Giles teaches the soul to give generously, flee vainglory, accept necessary responsibility, and let hidden prayer remain fruitful before God.

Full Breviary lessons

Ninth Lesson - St. Giles, Abbot

The holy Abbat Giles was by birth an Athenian, and of Royal lineage. From his youth he showed ever such a love for sacred learning and for works of charity, that he seemed to care for nothing else. When his father and mother were dead, he bestowed his whole inheritance upon the poor. He took off even his own coat, to clothe a poor sick man withal, and the sick man was healed forthwith as soon as he put it on him. As Giles became famous for working miracles, he fled from glory among men, and betook him to Arles, [in France,] to the company of blessed Cæsarius. After the space of two years he departed thence, and went into the desert, for he lived in wonderful holiness for a long while upon the roots of herbs and the milk of an hind, which came to him at regular hours. This hind was chased one day by the King's hounds, and took refuge in Giles's cave. Thereby the King of France was moved earnestly to entreat of him that he would suffer a monastery to be built in the place where this cave was. At the instant desire of the King, he took the rule of this monastery, albeit himself unwilling, and discharged this duty wisely and godly for some years, until he passed away to heaven.

Sources

  • The Roman Breviary, translated by John, Marquess of Bute, 1908, vol. IV, Autumn, proper Ninth Lesson for St. Giles, printed p. 511.
  • Bute 1908 is used here as an accessible pre-Pius X Breviary witness and is cited distinctly from the 1936-1937 Benziger / Burns Oates edition.

Breviary Witness

The hidden strength of an abbot.

Matins - St. Giles

Breviary witness

  • The traditional remembrance of St. Giles honors him as abbot and confessor, a saint whose greatness is guarded by monastic hiddenness rather than public display.
  • His witness teaches that prayer, stability, abstinence, and quiet fidelity can uphold the Church without drawing attention to themselves.

For the pilgrim in exile

Do not measure usefulness by visibility. Hidden prayer and faithful discipline may be doing more for souls than outward success can show.

Sources

  • Roman Breviary, Matins remembrance for September 1, St. Giles.
  • Roman Martyrology, 1916 Baltimore edition, September 1.

Meditation

Growth After Pentecost

The Time after Pentecost is the long school of the Holy Ghost. The fire given at Pentecost must become doctrine believed, worship guarded, commandments kept, homes ordered, tongues governed, and charity practiced without novelty or disorder.

Prayer

The day should become prayer.

O Lord, recollect my scattered thoughts, govern my words, and teach me to return to Thee before the noise of the day rules my soul.

Thought for the pilgrim

Prayer keeps the day from becoming self-ruled.

Practice

The day should become obedience.

Pause at midday for a brief act of faith, hope, charity, and contrition.

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 ordinarily come from eligible Catholic sources issued no later than December 31, 1954: Scripture, Fathers, Doctors, saints, Roman Pontiffs, traditional catechisms, approved devotional works, and received liturgical texts. Legitimate additions promulgated under Pope Pius XII may be retained when identified precisely; this does not adopt the reformed Holy Week or later rubrical changes.

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, Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B., 1953 edition; proper Mass or devotion named in this entry.
  • Luke 2:34-35 and John 19:25-27, Douay-Rheims.
  • Matthew 1:19-24, Douay-Rheims.
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