City of God in Exile
Main Gate

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. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

Tuesday, May 16, 2028

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

Quote for the day

Thomas à Kempis

“My son, the more thou canst go out of thyself, so much the more wilt thou be able to enter into Me.”

Of the Imitation of Christ, Book III, chapter 56, §1, p. 214

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.

May intention

The Blessed Virgin Mary

The month of Mary should not pass in affection alone. Place yourself under her mantle and learn her humility, purity, recollection, and obedience, so that she may form Christ more perfectly in you.

Intention

For growth in true devotion to Our Lady, the protection of innocence, and the return of wandering souls to her Divine Son.

A faithful act

Offer the Rosary, or a carefully prayed decade when the full Rosary is not possible, for souls in danger of losing the Faith.

Prayer

O Mary, conceived without sin, lead me to Jesus and teach me to do whatsoever He shall say.

Tuesday remembrance

The Holy Angels

God has appointed His angels as ministers of His providence. Honor them by greater purity, recollection, and prompt obedience to grace, never forgetting that their whole service leads the soul to God.

Intention

For protection against temptation, guidance in duty, and the defense of children, travelers, and souls in spiritual danger.

A faithful act

Before a difficult duty or conversation, ask your Guardian Angel to help you act without sin and for God's glory.

Prayer

Holy Angel, my guardian, keep me from sin and direct me in the faithful accomplishment of today's duties.

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.

Read and verify the full entry

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.

From Matins

A bishop formed by virginity, common life, austerity, prayer, and mercy toward persecutors.

Matins - Second Nocturn - St. Ubaldus, Bishop and Confessor

Roman Breviary, Proper lessons for St. Ubaldus

“He became from the heart a pattern of the flock.”

Doctrine taught

  • The Breviary remembers St. Ubaldus preserving virginity, distributing his inheritance to churches and the poor, embracing the Rule of St. Augustine, and restoring canonical common life in his homeland.
  • Raised unwillingly to the See of Gubbio, he changed nothing of his austere life: scant food, modest clothing, a hard bed, mortification, and insatiable prayer sustained his care for souls by word and example.
  • His meekness was not weakness. He endured grave insults with equanimity and answered persecutors with extraordinary charity while governing the flock faithfully.
  • During long and bitter illness he gave thanks to God without ceasing; the office also remembers his intercession against unclean spirits and the preservation of his incorrupt body.

For the pilgrim in exile

Let authority grow from chastity, common discipline, prayer, mortification, and mercy. Bear injury without surrendering duty, repay hostility with supernatural charity, and give thanks to God even when suffering is prolonged.

Sources

  • Breviarium Romanum, Pii Papae X auctoritate reformatum, Desclee & Socii, 1942, Pars Verna, May 16, St. Ubaldus, lessons iv-vi, printed pp. 978-980.
  • The excerpt above is a faithful editorial English translation prepared directly from the visually checked Latin text; it is not presented as an edition-issued English Breviary translation.

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.
  • The Church is harmed when shepherding becomes management without prayer. Souls need holiness before efficiency.

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

Christ is risen, has ascended in His glorified humanity, and reigns in Heaven. The Church and her members still suffer on earth, but their trials do not overturn His victory. Christian hope is therefore more than an encouraging feeling: it trusts Christ's promise of resurrection and eternal life and gives the faithful a reason to persevere in obedience today.

Prayer

The day should become prayer.

O God, through St. Ubaldus, make bishops holy. Keep them from trusting management more than grace, and make their conduct a clear witness to Thee.

Thought for the pilgrim

The Church needs shepherds whose administration is governed by prayer, holiness, and care for souls.

Practice

The day should become obedience.

Pray for the sanctity of bishops and choose holiness over efficiency throughout your own duties.

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.
  • John 2:5, Douay-Rheims.
  • Psalm 90:11 and Matthew 18:10, Douay-Rheims.
Browse the Roman Martyrology