Blessed Adalberon II
Son of the Duke of Lower Lorraine and nephew of Hugh Capet, Adalberon II became Bishop of Metz in 984. Renowned for his immense charity, he …
Iconographic attribute
hairshirt
40 saints
Blessed Alvarez of Cordoba
A Spanish Dominican of the 14th and 15th centuries, Alvarez of Cordova was a great preacher in Europe and Palestine. Confessor to Queen Cath…
Blessed Andrew of Segni
Coming from the illustrious family of the Counts of Segni, Andrew renounced princely honors to become a Franciscan monk. He lived as a hermi…
Saint Asella
An illustrious Roman virgin of the 4th and 5th centuries, Asella dedicated herself to God from childhood and enclosed herself in a cell at t…
Saint Aubrin (Albricus)
Saint Aubrin is the historical patron of Montbrison. A bishop whose see is disputed between Lyon and Autun depending on the era (5th or 9th …
Blessed Benvenuta Bojano of Friuli
Born into a noble family of Friuli in the 13th century, Benvenuta Bojano joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She distinguished herself …
Blessed Bernard the Penitent
Originally from Provence, Bernard received a rigorous public penance in 1170 for mysterious crimes, possibly the murder of a tyrannical gove…
Charbel Makhluf
A Lebanese Maronite monk and hermit (1828-1898), Saint Charbel is world-renowned for his life of extreme asceticism, his miracles, and the p…
Charles of Blois
Charles of Blois (1319-1364), Duke of Brittany and member of the Third Order of Saint Francis, combined military courage with rigorous ascet…
Saint Eptadius of Autun
Born in Autun in the 5th century, Eptadius renounced a brilliant career and marriage to dedicate himself to God after a miraculous healing. …
Saint Eusice of Chalusset
Born in Chalusset and sold out of necessity, Eusice became a hermit and then the founding abbot of Selles-sur-Cher. He is famous for his asc…
Blessed Géraud de Sales-Cadouin
Born in Périgord, Géraud de Sales was a disciple of Robert d'Arbrissel before becoming a hermit and itinerant preacher. Founder of nine mona…
Saint Gervin of Saint-Riquier
Born in the Reims region, Gervin was Abbot of Saint-Riquier in the 11th century after having been a monk at Verdun. A great traveler and sch…
Saint Gildas the Wise
Born in Great Britain in 494, Gildas the Wise was an abbot and writer famous for his austerity and erudition. After training in Ireland, he …
Hugh Canefri
A religious of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (Hospitallers), Hugh Canefri dedicated more than fifty years of his life to the service …
Blessed John Massias
Originally from Spain, John Massias emigrated to Peru where he became a Dominican lay brother at the convent of Lima. A charitable porter an…
Venerable John of Avila
A 16th-century Spanish priest, John of Avila was an indefatigable preacher in Andalusia and the spiritual director of great saints such as T…
Blessed John of Ghent (The Hermit of Saint-Claude)
A 15th-century Benedictine monk of Saint-Claude, John of Ghent retired to a hermitage to escape the laxity of his abbey. Driven by a revelat…
Blessed John the Barefoot (Discalceat)
A 14th-century Franciscan religious in the diocese of Quimper, Jean le Déchaussé distinguished himself by extreme austerity, always walking …
Saint Lea
A 4th-century Roman lady, Saint Lea dedicated herself to God after her widowhood by embracing a life of humility and penance. Having become …
Blessed Margaret of Hungary
Daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary, Margaret was consecrated to God from childhood in fulfillment of a royal vow. A Dominican nun of profou…
Saint Maron
A 5th-century Syrian hermit and abbot, Saint Maron lived in asceticism on a mountain near Cyrrhus before founding numerous monasteries. Reno…
Saint Mary of Cervellione
Born in Barcelona in 1230 through the prayers of Saint Peter Nolasco, Mary of Cervellione dedicated her life to God, refusing marriage. She …
Saint Meriadec of Vannes
Born into the royal lineage of Brittany in the 7th century, Mériadec was a Bishop of Vannes renowned for his extreme humility and love for t…
Saint Michael of the Saints
Born in Catalonia in 1591, Michael of the Saints joined the Trinitarian Order at a young age before embracing their Discalced reform. Recogn…
Saint Nino
A Christian captive taken to Iberia in the 3rd or 4th century, she converted her masters through her piety and miracles, notably the healing…
Saint Orens of Auch
A nobleman from Aragon who became a hermit in the Pyrenees, Orens was chosen by a heavenly voice to become Bishop of Auch in the 5th century…
Saint Ortaire of Landelle
Saint Ortaire was a 6th-century Norman abbot who entered religious life in childhood and was elected head of the monastery of Landelle at th…
Blessed Philippe Berruyer
Nephew of Saint Guillaume of Bourges, Philippe Berruyer was an exemplary prelate of the 13th century, serving successively as Bishop of Orlé…
Blessed Ponce of Balmey
Noble by birth and canon of Lyon, Ponce de Balmey founded the Charterhouse of Meyria before becoming Bishop of Belley in 1121. Despite his h…
Saint Quintian (Bishop of Rodez and Clermont)
Originally from Africa, Quintien fled Vandal persecutions to settle in Gaul, where he became bishop of Rodez and later of Clermont. Despite …
Saint Severinus of Noricum
A hermit from the East who came to Noricum in the 5th century, Severinus became the protector of the populations facing barbarian invasions …
Saint Simeon Stylites the Elder
Born in Syria in the 4th century, Simeon left herding to embrace a life of extreme asceticism. He became famous for living for several decad…
Sister Mary Magdalene (Julie Postel)
Julie Postel, in religion Sister Marie-Madeleine, is the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy in the 19th century. She dedicated her life to th…
Teresa Manganiello
Teresa Manganiello (1849-1876) was an Italian layperson, Franciscan tertiary, and spiritual co-founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan…
Saint Theobald of Provins (Camaldolese)
A nobleman from Provins, Thibaut renounced a military career and marriage to live in humility and poverty. After pilgrimages to Compostela a…
Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch (the Younger)
Born in Cappadocia in the 5th century, Saint Theodosius became the superior of all cenobites in Palestine. A great defender of orthodoxy aga…
Saint Valeria and Saint Pollena
7th-century virgins linked to the monastery of Honnecourt, Valérie and Pollène are traditionally presented as the sisters of Saint Liéphard.…
Saint Virgilius of Arles
Born in Aquitaine around 530, Virgilius was a monk at Lérins and then abbot at Autun before becoming Archbishop of Arles. As Vicar of Pope G…
Saint William of Paris (or of Denmark)
A canon of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, William was sent to Denmark in the 12th century to reform the monastery on the island of Eskill. Despi…
Frequently asked questions
Which saints are depicted with hairshirt?
Saints depicted with hairshirt: Blessed Adalberon II, Blessed Alvarez of Cordoba, Blessed Andrew of Segni, Saint Asella, Saint Aubrin (Albricus), Blessed Benvenuta Bojano of Friuli, Blessed Bernard the Penitent and Charbel Makhluf.