24 December
THE vigil of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. —At Antioch, during the persecution of Decius, the birthday of forty holy virgins, who suffered martyrdom by various kinds of torments.—At Spoleto, the holy priest Gregory. In the time of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian, he was first beaten with rough clubs, and then after being exposed on the gridiron and imprisoned, was struck on the knees with iron carding instruments, burned on the sides with firebrands, and finally beheaded.—At Tripoli, the holy martyrs Lucian, Metrobius, Paulus, Zenobius, Theotimus, and Drusus.—At Nicomedia, during the persecution of Diocletian, St. Euthymius, martyr, who sent many before him to martyrdom, and being pierced with a sword, followed them to share their crown.—At Bordeaux, St. Delphinus, a bishop, who was renowned for holiness, in the time of Theodosius.—In Poland, St. John Cantius, secular priest and confessor, celebrated for his learning, his zeal in propagating the faith, and for his virtues and miracles. His feast is kept on the 20th of October. —At Rome, the birthday of the holy virgin Tharsilla, aunt of pope St. Gregory, who writes of her that at the hour of her death she saw Jesus coming to her. —At Treves, St. Irmina, virgin, daughter of king Dagobert.
And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors and holy virgins.
Thanks be to God.