Secretariado Nacional da Pastoral da Cultura Today's Saints, Thursday, February 20, 2025: Which Saint Is Celebrated Today?
This Thursday, February 20, 2025, the Catholic Church commemorates a girl to whom the Virgin Mary appeared
The Catholic Church's Calendar of Saints commemorates the youngest person declared a saint, excluding martyrs.
Who Was Santa Jacinta Marto, the Most Important Festivity on Thursday, February 20?
The Catholic Church's Calendar of Saints especially celebrates today Santa Jacinta Marto who was born in 1910 in Fátima, Portugal, into a humble family. Neither she nor her brother Francisco went to school; instead, they worked as shepherds like their cousin Lúcia.
According to her memoirs, Francisco was a quiet boy who enjoyed music and was very independent. Jacinta, on the other hand, was more affectionate and spoiled, and emotionally more fragile.
Jacinta, Francisco, and Lúcia dos Santos were the children to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in Cova da Iria, in Fátima, Portugal. These apparitions occurred between May 13 and October 13, 1917.
The three children, especially Jacinta and Francisco, endured great penances. Additionally, they succumbed to the Spanish flu epidemic that struck Europe in 1918. In fact, Francisco died of pneumonia in 1919.
Jacinta suffered from pleurisy and could not be anesthetized due to the poor condition of her heart, so she was treated in several hospitals. A victim of the pandemic, she fell ill with pneumonia in 1918 and was admitted to the hospital in Vila Nova de Ourem. Later, she was transferred to the Dona Estefânia Hospital in Lisbon, where she passed away in February 1920.
Jacinta is a feminine name of Greek origin, meaning 'one who resembles a hyacinth.' On this day, about 4,685 women in Spain could celebrate their saint thanks to Santa Jacinta Marto.
Saint Leo of Catania
Saint Leo of Catania was an Italian bishop who lived in the 8th century. He was part of the Order of Benedictine monks and moved to Reggio Calabria, where he remained until he was elected bishop of Catania. He cared for the poor and energetically fought against iconoclastic laws.
Beata Julia Rodzinska
Blessed Julia Rodzinska was a Polish nun who belonged to the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dominic. She was a governess who stood out especially as a mother to orphans. During the military occupation of her homeland in wartime, she was confined in a concentration camp, where she died ill.
Other Saints: The Complete Calendar of Saints for Thursday, February 20
The Catholic Church's Calendar of Saints also commemorates the celebration of these other saints and blessed:
- Saint Eleutherius of Tournai
- Saint Serapion of Alexandria
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