The Feast of the Ascension

Vigil of the Ascension, Class II

SS Gordian and Epimachis (May 10)

From the martyrology:

"At Rome, on the Via Latina, the birthday of the holy martyrs Gordian and Epimachus. In the time of Julian the Apostate, the former was a long time scourged and finally beheaded for confessing the name of Christ. He was buried at night by the Christians, in a crypt to which, shortly before, the remains of the blessed martyr Epimachus had been transferred from Alexandria, where he had been martyred for the faith of Christ on the 12th of December."

St Gregory Nazianzen (May 9)

From the martyrology:

At Nazianzum, the birthday of St. Gregory, bishop, confessor, and doctor of the Church, surnamed the Theologian because of his remarkable knowledge of divinity. At Constantinople, he restored the Catholic faith which was fast waning, and repressed the rising heresies.

Pope St Pius V (May 5)

El Greco

From the martyrology:

"Pope St. Pius V, confessor of the Order of Preachers, who went to sleep in the Lord on the 1st of May."

Pope St Pius V (1504-1572) is most remembered today for his standardization of the liturgy along the lines of the rite used in Rome at his time, but he also played a key role in the Council of Trent and in the restoration of orthodoxy more generally.

St Monica (May 4)

Death of St Monica
Gozzoli, c1464

St Monica (331-387) is famous for her role in the conversion of her husband and children, most notably her eldest son, St Augustine.

SS Alexander, Eventius And Theodolus (May 3)

From the martyrology:

"At Rome, on the Via Nomentana, the holy martyrs Pope Alexander and the priests Eventius and Theodulus. Alexander was bound, imprisoned, racked, lacerated with hooks, burned, and had all his limbs pierced with pointed instruments, and finally met death, under Emperor Hadrian and the judge Aurelian. Eventius and Theodulus after a long imprisonment were exposed to flames and then beheaded."