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St. Pius X, pope, was born in 1835 to a poor family in what is now part of Italy. He studied at a seminary in Padua and was ordained in 1858. He served as a chaplain, archpriest, canon of a cathedral, rector and spiritual director of a seminary, bishop and cardinal-priest, among other roles in the church. He was elected the 257th pope on Aug. 4, 1903, and he was installed Aug. 9. He issued decrees about frequent Communion. The saint also reformed the liturgy, revised the breviary and reorganized the Roman curia. Pope Pius X advised the faithful to read the Bible, and he fought Modernism. He died in 1914 and was canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. Pius X is patron saint of first communicants.

St. John Eudes was born in Normandy, France, in November 1601. He attended a Jesuit college and joined the Congregation of the Oratory of France. A priest, missionary and preacher, he ministered to plague victims. The saint also established seminaries. In 1643 he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists), but he never received papal approval. He later founded the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity and authored the liturgical devotion of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. St. John Eudes died in 1680 and was canonized in 1925.

St. Hyacinth was born in Silesia, Poland, in 1185. He became a priest and saw St. Dominic perform a miracle while in Rome. After befriending St. Dominic, St. Hyacinth became one of the first Dominicans. The saint brought the order to Poland and evangelized his home country and a number of surrounding countries. When a monastery was attacked, St. Hyacinth saved a crucifix and a statue of Mary, though it was a much heavier load than he could have carried at any other time. He died in 1257 in Poland. St. Hyacinth is patron saint of Poland.

St. Stephen of Hungary was born in 969 to a pagan family. He was baptized at the age of 10 along with his father. The saint served as king of the Magyars in Hungary and married St. Gisela, sister of emperor St. Henry II. St. Stephen evangelized their people. Emperor Otto III crowned St. Stephen a king in 1001 on Christmas Day. He died in 1038. St. Stephen is patron saint of Hungary.

Today is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today we celebrate the day that the Blessed Virgin Mary was taken, body and soul, up to heaven. The date was set for the entire church by Pope Leo IV.

Today is the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This feast commemorates the time when Jesus, along with Moses and Elijah, appeared in dazzling, white garments before his disciples Peter, James and John.

St. Peter Chrysologus was born in Imola, Italy, in 406. He converted to Christianity as an adult and became a deacon, then priest and finally bishop of Ravenna, Italy, in 433. He fought against paganism and the Monophysite heresy, which said that Jesus only had one nature. This saint was a great preacher, which is why he was given the name Chrysologus, which refers to his “golden word.” His written sermons were so great that Pope Benedict XIII named him a doctor of the church in 1729.

Blessed Urban II became the pope in 1088. However, Urban II could not live in Rome until 1093 because Antipope Clement III controlled Rome at the time of Urban II’s election. At the Council of Claremont in 1095, he preached the needed for the first crusade in order to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Land. However, Blessed Urban II did not live to hear the news that the Crusaders had conquered Jerusalem in 1099.

St. James the Greater was an Apostle and the brother of St. John the Apostle. He was a fisherman who left everything when Jesus told him to follow him and be a “fisher of men.” He witnessed many of Christ’s recorded miracles, and he preached in Judea, Spain and Samaria. He was he first Apostle to be martyred when King Herod Agrippa stabbed him with a sword in 44. St. James is patron saint of pilgrims because there is a popular devotion surrounding the pilgrimage of his relics to Compostela, Spain.

St. Mary Magdalen was a sinner who repented before Jesus. She anointed Jesus and used her hair to wash his feet. Jesus also exorcised Mary Magdalen. She became a dedicated friend and follow of Jesus. The saint was also visited by Jesus after he rose from the dead. St. Mary Magdalen is patron saint of penitent women and apothecaries.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi was born in Italy in July 1559. When he was 16 he joined the Capuchin Friars. He studied theology and many languages, including French, Greek and Hebrew. He became a priest and taught theology. This saint also began convents in various cities. In 1601, St. Lawrence became the chaplain for the Holy Roman Empire’s army. He was also master general of his order from 1602-1605, after which he began to evangelize in Germany. He died in 1619. Pope John XXIII named him an Apostolic Doctor of the Church in 1959.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The history behind this feast begins in the 13th century when the Carmelites were being persecuted. While praying, the general of the order, St. Simon Stock, had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She handed him a scapular, explaining that it was a sign of salvation and a promise of peace and protection. She said whoever dies wearing the scapular will not go to hell. The scapular is a devotion to Mary.