Daily Martyrology for August 29

The Feast of the Passion of John the Baptist. He condemned the ruler Herod Antipas for his illicit marriage to Herodias, second of his ten wives, who was both his niece and his brother’s wife. Herodias was offended and connived with her daughter to have John the Baptist beheaded. Various customs connected with the summer solstice gravitated around his feast. John the Baptist is usually portrayed dressed in rough garments, with a lamb or a cross of reeds.

In 1844, in Waterford, Blessed Ignatius Rice, the founder of the Irish Christian Brothers. He was born in county Kilkenny of prosperous tenant farmers. He received some education, and went to work for his uncle. He married, but his wife died. He became a millionaire, and decided to devote himself to teaching poor boys. He founded two orders of teaching brothers who now work throughout the world, especially among the poor.

In 1879, in France, Blessed Mary of the Cross, who founded the Little Sisters of the Poor who ministered to the needy, especially the elderly.

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