Daily Martyrology for December 19

In 401, Pope Anastasius I. He was pope for only two years, but earned the respect of Sts. Jerome (September 30), Augustine (August 28) and Paulinus of Nola (June 22).

In 1370, Blessed Pope Urban V. Born in Languedoc, he became a Benedictine. He was highly educated in theology and canon law. In 1352 he became abbot of St. Germain in Auxerre, and in 1361 of St. Victor in Marseilles. After the College of Cardinals deadlocked trying to elect one of their own as successor to Pope Innocent VI, they chose him. At Avignon, he continued to live as a monk. In 1366, partially at the urging of Petrarch, Urban returned to Rome, which was almost in ruins. He tried to organize the starving city, but in the end the chaos seemed overwhelming. In spite of urging from Petrarch and St. Bridget of Sweden, he fled back to France, where he died a few months later.

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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.