Janeir-31-acem Sogglem Santam
PRIMARY LITURGICAL FEAST OF THE DAY: St. John Melchior Bush, in Italian, Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco, in his native Piedmontese language, Gioann Melchior Bosch, died Jan. 31, 1888 A.D., canonized by Pope Pius XI, April 1, 1934; the word Bosco or Bosch is translateable into English both as equivalent of English last names Bush, or Woods.
At Rome, on the road to Ostia, the holy martyrs Cyrus and John, who were beheaded after suffering many torments for the name of Christ.
At Alexandria, in the time of the emperor Decius, the birthday of St. Metran, martyr, who, because he refused to utter blasphemous words at the bidding of the Pagans, was scourged until he was covered with bruises, and pierced through the face and eyes with sharp-pointed reeds. He was then driven out of the city, overwhelmed with stones and killed.
In the same place, the holy martyrs Saturninus, Thyrsus and Victor. In the same city, the holy martyrs Tharsicius, Zoticus, Cyriacus, and their companions.
At Cyzicum, in Hellespont, St. Triphenes, martyr, who overcame various torments, but was finally killed by a bull, and thus merited the palm of martyrdom.
At Modena, St. Geminian, bishop, made illustrious by his miracles.
In the province of Milan, St. Julius, priest and confessor, in the reign of the emperor Theodosius.
At Borne, St. Marcella, a widow, whose meritorious deeds are related by St. Jerome.
In the same place, blessed Louisa Albertonia, a Roman widow, of the Third Order of St. Francis, distinguished for her virtues.
The same day, the translation of the evangelist St. Mark, when his sacred body was brought from the city of Alexandria, in Egypt, then occupied by barbarians, to Venice, and with the greatest honors placed in the large church dedicated to his name.