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Louis was born in the year of Our Lord 1214, the son of King Louis VIII of France and Queen Blanche of Castile. He inherited the throne at the age of twelve, so his pious mother ruled as regent until Louis turned twenty-two. For the next two decades, thanks in no small part to his mother’s influence, Louis upheld the traditional title of the French monarchs: Rex Christianissimus, or “Most Christian Majesty”. Louis practiced strict personal mortification while remaining magnanimous and cheerful to all others. He fed the poor from his own table, washed their feet with his own hands, and ensured special care for lepers, founding several hospitals. The king’s hands were anointed during his coronation, and henceforth his touch could cure diseases, especially scrofula or “the king’s evil”. The “royal touch” continued as a custom for centuries. Louis supported religious orders, built the glorious Saint-Chapelle in Paris, banned usury throughout France, and strictly punished blasphemy. He and his devout wife, Marguerite of Provence, had eleven children. Louis generously aided the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and died of illness while on the Eighth Crusade, in the year of Our Lord 1270.
AT Paris, St. Louis, confessor, king of France, illustrious by the holiness of his life and the fame of his miracles.
At Rome, in the time of the emperor Commodus, the holy martyrs Eusebius, Pontian, Vincent, and Peregrinus, who were first racked, distended by ropes, then beaten with rods and burned on their sides. As they continued faithfully to praise Christ, they were scourged with leaded whips until they expired.
Also, at Rome, St. Genesius, martyr, who embraced the profession of actor while he was yet a Pagan. One day he was deriding the Christian mysteries in the theatre in the presence of the emperor Diocletian; but by the inspiration of God he was suddenly converted to the faith and baptized. By the command of the emperor, he was forthwith most cruelly beaten with rods, then racked, and a long time lacerated with iron hooks, and burned with fire-brands. As he remained firm in the faith of Christ, and said: “There is no king besides Christ. Should you kill me a thousand times, you shall not be able to take Him from my lips or my heart,” he was beheaded, and thus merited the palm of martyrdom.
At Italica, in Spain, St. Gerontius, a bishop, who preached the Gospel in that country in apostolic times, and after many labors died in prison.
At Arles, in France, another blessed Genesius, who, filling the office of notary, and refusing to record the impious edicts by which Christians were commanded to be punished, threw away his tablets publicly, and declared himself a Christian. He was seized and beheaded, and thus attained to the glory of martyrdom through baptism in his blood.
In Syria, St. Julian, martyr.
At Tarragona, St. Maginus, martyr.
At Constantinople, St. Mennas, bishop.
At Utrecht, St. Gregory, bishop.
At Naples, St. Patricia, virgin.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.