The day Rome fired 200 saints

Rome — May 10, 1969, A.D.

A number of saints were removed from the Roman Calendar but not “from the Church.” This list includes martyred popes. Why?

• Allegedly, little evidence shows they existed and/or

• proof of “heroic virtue” no longer exists.

Some favorites removed were: St. Christopher, St. Philomena, St. Barbara, St. Ursula, St. Dorothy, St. Valentine [pg 74] and St. Catherine of Alexandria. A comprehensive list is posted below. What of the churches or institutions named for these saints? Allegedly, they were not required to change anything, and souls were allowed to continue private devotions to questionable saints.

In 2002, St Catherine of Alexandria was returned to the Calendar when her diary surfaced in Ethiopia. Similar events are slowly returning others to the calendar. In his memoirs, this priest had harsh words for Pope Paul VI’s changes to the general Roman Calendar.

“I prefer to say nothing, or little, about the new calendar, the handiwork of a trio of maniacs who suppressed, with no good reason, Septuagesima and the Octave of Pentecost and who scattered three quarters of the Saints higgledy-piggledy, all based on notions of their own devising! Because these three hotheads obstinately refused to change anything in their work and because the pope wanted to finish up quickly to avoid letting the chaos get out of hand, their project, however insane, was accepted!”

—Reverend Louis Bouyer, Memoirs

Father Bouyer's point is well-made. Both the birth of Jesus and Easter bring octaves of celebrations. God-the-Holy Spirit's arrival too, deserves His own octave. We should praise every moment of God's glory--so says the 1st commandment. Rome’s muted-saint list is posted at the bottom. For some, it is their second martyrdom.

A [non] Farewell Prayer to our beloved saints

 O vast heroes of our past, your evidence fades as decades pass.
While men’s calendars sadly bend, do Polycarp’s prayers not defend?
What of Christopher’s muscular might, shouldering sea-sojourners’ plights?
St Barbara’s strength, St Margaret ablaze; do they not stand in God’s glorious gaze?
From Heaven, methinks, you still intercede; to anyone who calls in need.

St Philomena’s faith bright and clear, St Nicholas’ gifts bringing cheer.
St Lucy’s eyes, St Dorothy’s stand, still tug hearts all over the land.
Though feasts may pass from public view, our hearts remain in God and you.
Please rest not — our silenced friends—your mission here please, cannot end!
‘Til our souls conjoin with you, where God makes all things—forever new.

Here are saints removed from the 1969 Roman Calendar. This list is not exhaustive.

St. Agapitus (Martyr)
St. Alexander (Martyr)
St. Alexius (Confessor)
St. Anastasia (Martyr – removed from the general calendar, though still commemorated at the Second Mass of Christmas)
St. Anicetus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Anterus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Antoninus of Florence (Bishop and Confessor)
St. Apollinaris (Bishop and Martyr)
St. Apollonia (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Barbara (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Boniface of Tarsus (Martyr)
St. Caius (Pope and Martyr)
St. Catherine of Alexandria (Virgin and Martyr – Note: Restored to the calendar as an optional memorial by Pope John Paul II in 2002)
St. Christopher (Martyr)
St. Chrysogonus (Martyr)
St. Cletus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Crescentia (Martyr, named alongside Sts. Vitus and Modestus)
St. Cyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus (Martyrs)
St. Dionysius (Pope)
St. Dorothy (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Eleuterius (Pope and Martyr)
St. Epimachus (Martyr, named alongside St. Gordian)
St. Erasmus (Bishop and Martyr)
St. Etheldreda (Virgin)
St. Euphemia (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Eustace and Companions (Martyrs)
St. Eutychian (Pope and Martyr)
St. Eventius (Martyr, named alongside Sts. Alexander and Theodolus)
St. Faustinus and Jovita (Martyrs)
St. Felician (Martyr, named alongside St. Primus)
St. Felix I (Pope and Martyr)
St. Felix and Adauctus (Martyrs)
St. Felix of Valois (Confessor)
St. Ferdinand (King and Confessor)
St. Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
St. Frances of Rome (Widow)
St. Genesius (Martyr)
St. George (Martyr – Note: Shifted from a mandatory worldwide feast to an optional regional/local memorial)
St. Gerasimus (Hermit)
St. Giles (Abbot)
St. Gordian (Martyr)
St. Hermenegild (Martyr)
St. Hilarion (Abbot)
St. Hippolytus of Rome (Priest and Martyr)
St. Hyginus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Januarius (Bishop and Martyr – Note: Demoted to an optional local memorial)
St. John I (Pope and Martyr)
St. John and Paul (Martyrs)
St. Juliana of Nicomedia (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Julius I (Pope)
St. Juvenal (Bishop and Confessor)
St. Leo II (Pope)
St. Liberius (Pope)
St. Linus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Lucian of Antioch (Priest and Martyr)
St. Lucius I (Pope and Martyr)
St. Lucy (Virgin and Martyr – Note: Retained as a regional memorial, removed from global enforcement)
St. Marcellinus and Peter (Martyrs)
St. Marcellus I (Pope and Martyr)
St. Margaret of Antioch (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Maria Goretti (Virgin and Martyr – Note: Restored later)
St. Martina (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Martin of Tours (Bishop – Note: Retained locally, restructured globally)
St. Maurice and the Theban Legion (Martyrs)
St. Modestus (Martyr)
St. Nabor and Felix (Martyrs)
St. Nicholas of Myra (Bishop and Confessor)
St. Pantaleon (Martyr)
St. Paschal Baylon (Confessor)
St. Peter of Verona (Martyr)
St. Philomena (Virgin and Martyr – Note: Her name was completely suppressed from all liturgical books starting in 1961)
St. Pius I (Pope and Martyr)
St. Placid and Companions (Martyrs)
St. Polycarp (Bishop and Martyr – Note: Restructured on the calendar, not completely erased)
St. Pontian (Pope and Martyr)
St. Primus (Martyr)
St. Pudentiana (Virgin)
St. Rufina and Secunda (Virgins and Martyrs)
St. Sabina (Martyr)
St. Saturninus (Martyr)
St. Silverius (Pope and Martyr)
St. Simplicius, Faustinus, and Beatrice (Martyrs)
St. Siricius (Pope)
St. Soter (Pope and Martyr)
St. Susanna (Virgin and Martyr)
St. Telesphorus (Pope and Martyr)
St. Theodolus (Martyr)
St. Tiburtius (Martyr)
St. Urban I (Pope and Martyr)
St. Ursula and Companions (Virgins and Martyrs)
St. Valentine (Martyr)
St. Venantius (Martyr)
St. Vitus (Martyr)