At Toledo, in Spain, in 677, St. Ildephonse, bishop. He was a monk and abbot before being elected archbishop of Toledo, the primatial see of Spain. He promoted devotion to Mary.
In Berlin, in 1945, Blessed Nicholas Gross, martyr. He was born near Essen and worked in coal mines and steel mills. He became active in Catholic social action movements, married and was the devoted father of seven children. He became editor of a Catholic workers’ paper and was an early opponent of the Nazis, who shut down the paper in 1938. He joined the resistance and because of his knowledge of a plot against Hitler was arrested, condemned, hanged and cremated. The Nazis scattered his ashes on a sewer pond to make sure that no devotion was given to his remains.
Our daily martyrology was written by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB. Copyright © 2008 by the Monastery of the Ascension, Jerome, ID 83338.
