The Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and Doctors of the Church.

Basil, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (now Kayseri, Türkiye), called “the Great” for his doctrine and wisdom. He taught his monks to meditate on Sacred Scripture and to work in obedience and fraternal charity, ordering the monastic life according to a Rule that he himself composed. He instructed the faithful with excellent written works and dedicated himself to the pastoral care of the poor and the sick. He died on the first day of January. († 379)

Gregory, his friend, Bishop of Sasima, then Bishop of Constantinople, finally Bishop of Nazianzus (now Nenizi, Türkiye). He defended the divinity of the Word with great fervor, for which reason he was called “the Theologian”. The Church rejoices at the shared memory of these great holy doctors. († c. 389)

In Rome (Italy), Saint Telesphorus, pope, who, according to the testimony of Saint Irenaeus, was the seventh successor of the Apostle and suffered glorious martyrdom. († c. 136)

In Cori (Italy), Saints Argeus, Narcissus and Marcellinus, martyrs. († 4th cent.)

* In Marseille (France), Saint Theodore, bishop. For his commitment to establish church discipline, he was persecuted by kings Childebert and Gontranus, who exiled him three times. († 594)

* At the monastery of Bobbio (Italy), Saint Bladulf, monk and priest, a disciple of Saint Columban. († c. 630)

In Milan (Italy), Saint John the Good, bishop. He restored to this city the episcopal see which was the Lombards previously transferred to Genoa. By his faith and good works, he pleased both God and all. († c. 660)

* In Tulle (France), Saint Vicentian, hermit. († 672)

* In Limerick (Ireland), Saint Munchin, who is revered as a bishop. († 7th cent.)

At the monastery of Corbie, in Amiens (France), Saint Adalard, abbot. He justly disposed goods so everyone had what was necessary and none would either live in excess or perish from misery, and thus give praise to God. († 826)

* In Maurienne (France), Saint Ayrald, bishop, who, both in the solitude of Portes and in the episcopal see of Maurienne, combined prudent and pastoral governance with austerity and Carthusian customs. († 1146)

* In Troina, Sicily (Italy), Saint Silvester, abbot, who followed the discipline of the Eastern Fathers. († 12th cent.)

* In Forlí (Italy), Blessed Marcolino Ammani, professed priest of the Order of Preachers. Both in silence and solitude, as in the service of the poor and care of children, he spent his entire life in humblest simplicity. († 1397)

* In Soncino (Italy), Blessed Stefania Quinzani, virgin of the Third Order Regular of Saint Dominic. She dedicated herself intensely to the contemplation of the Lord’s Passion and the Christian formation of young people. († 1530)

* In Angers (France), Blesseds Guillaume Repin and Laurent Batard, diocesan priests and martyrs who, during the French Revolution, were beheaded for their fidelity to the Church. († 1794)

* In Lachine (Canada), Blessed Marie-Anne (Marie-Esther) Sureau-Blondin, who, although unschooled in her youth, founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Anne to form the children of farmers, always giving in this ministry an outstanding example for educators of the young. († 1890)