Daily Martyrology for February 24

In England, in 616, St. Ethelbert, King of Kent. He was married to Bertha, a Christian princess from Paris. He was converted by Augustine. He gave Augustine land at Canterbury for a cathedral and monastery, and helped spread the faith to other parts of England.

At the priory of Orsan, in 1116 or 1117, Blessed Robert of Arbrissel, abbot. Robert was born of a poor but very religious family in Brittany. He was educated in Paris, served as a vicar to the bishop of Rennes, then taught at Angers. He retired as a hermit in the forest of Craon in Anjou, where he came into contact with his fellow reformers, Bernard of Tiron and Vitalis of Savigny. His followers were housed in a double monastery that he started at Fontevrault. The nuns lived a life of prayer, following the Rule of St. Benedict. The lay brothers and priests followed the Rule of Augustine. From this developed a religious order with several thousand members.

Previous Day   |   Next Day   |   Pick a Day...

Our daily martyrology was written by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB. Copyright © 2008 by the Monastery of the Ascension, Jerome, ID 83338.