Catholic Saints & Feasts of the Liturgical Year

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January 21: Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr—Memorial

c. 291–c. 304
Patron Saint of those seeking chastity and purity, engaged couples, rape victims, gardeners, young girls, and Girl Scouts
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
He who chose me first for Himself shall receive me. Why are you delaying, executioner?…She stood, she prayed, she bent down her neck. You could see the executioner tremble, as though he himself had been condemned, and his right hand shake, his face grow pale, as he feared the peril of another, while the maiden feared not for her own. ~De Virginibus, Saint Ambrose

Prayer:
Saint Agnes, at a tender age you gave your life to Christ, choosing Him alone as your Spouse. Your fidelity to Christ was unwavering, showing you preferred death over betrayal. Please pray for me, that I may also choose Christ as the Spouse of my soul and be faithful to Him even until death. Saint Agnes, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Image: "Saint Agnes" by Domenichino

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January 20: Saint Sebastian, Martyr—Optional Memorial

c. 255–c. 288
Patron Saint of archers, pinmakers, athletes, against epidemics, and of a holy death
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
The Lord Jesus, Whom I serve, has raised me, as it were, from the dead, for this very purpose, that once more I might meet you, and protest, in the presence of all the people here assembled, that you are guilty of the most cruel injustice, when you persecute His servants, whom you know to be innocent. Repent, therefore, of your crimes before it is too late. ~The Acts of the Early Martyrs, Fastré S.J.

Prayer:
Saint Sebastian, you received the glorious crown of martyrdom twice. Your courage and fidelity to Christ in the face of persecution was unwavering. Your encouragement of the persecuted was heroic. Please pray for me, that I may have your same unwavering courage and thus equally fulfill God’s will, no matter how high the cost. Saint Sebastian, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Saint Sebastian and Madonna with Saints by The Sodom

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January 20: Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr—Optional Memorial

Died 250
Patron Saint of Rome
Pre-Congregation canonization
Elected pope 236
Liturgical Color: Red

Quote:
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ~Mark 1:10–11

Prayer:
Saint Fabian, you were divinely chosen as the Vicar of Christ on earth. In your humility and obedience to the will of God, you not only bore this heavy responsibility but also died for it. Please pray for me, that I may have the same courage as you to face an un-Christian culture bravely and accept the consequences of such a choice, no matter the cost. Saint Fabian, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Image: Unknown Spanish Painter, St.Sebastian and St.Fabian, Late XV century, Aragonese School, From the Shuvalov collection, Hermitage

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January 17: Saint Anthony of Egypt, Abbot—Memorial

251–356
Patron Saint of basketmakers, gravediggers, butchers, swineherds, motorists, amputees, monks, and farmers
Invoked against skin diseases and epilepsy
Pre-Congregation canonization
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
And the place was suddenly filled with the forms of lions, bears, leopards, bulls, serpents, asps, scorpions, and wolves, and each of them was moving according to his nature….with boldness Anthony said, “If you are able, and have received power against me, delay not to attack; but if you are unable, why trouble me in vain? For faith in our Lord is a seal and a wall of safety to us.” So after many attempts they gnashed their teeth upon him, because they were mocking themselves rather than him. ~Life of St. Anthony, by Saint Athanasius

Prayer:
Saint Anthony, you heroically embraced the unique vocation you were given by God. You entered into silence and solitude so as to enter more deeply into communion with the Triune God. Please pray for me, that I will learn from your life of prayer and always spend time seeking God in the solitude of prayer each and every day. Saint Anthony, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

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Image via Wikimedia Commons

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January 13: Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor—Optional Memorial

c. 315–367
Patron Saint of children academically behind, children learning to walk, mothers, and the sick
Invoked against rheumatism and snakebites
Pre-Congregation canonization
Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1851 by Pope Pius IX
Liturgical Color: White

Quote:
Let me, in short, adore You our Father, and Your Son together with You; let me win the favor of Your Holy Spirit, Who is from You, through Your Only-begotten. For I have a convincing Witness to my faith, Who says, “Father, all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine” (John 17:10), even my Lord Jesus Christ, abiding in You, and from You, and with You, forever God: Who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen. ~De Trinitate 12.57

Prayer:
Saint Hilary, your heart was restless as a pagan, but you turned that restlessness into a search for the Truth. Upon finding it, you dove in head-first, entering deeper and deeper into the great mystery of the Trinity. Please pray for me, that I will also be diligent and resolute in my determination to discover the great mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. As I grow in faith, may I also share in your zeal to model the faith to others. Saint Hilary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Image: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons