His name can be spelled Anskar, Ansgar or Anchar. He was born in France. Of noble birth he entered the Benedictine abbey of Corbie in Picardy to be educated. He became a monk and after 823 he taught in the local monastic school at Corvey. In 826 he was dispatched Denmark by the Carolingian emperor, Louis 1 the Pious, to assist Harald, the exiled Danish king, in evangelising his savage Danes. Anskar laid the foundations of the church in Denmark and started a school to train Danish youths as priests. But in 827/8 Harald was driven out by the heathen. Anskar , with his friend Witmar, made the dangerous journey to Sweden. They were robbed on their way to Brika, an island off the coast. They stayed there for 2 years. In 831 Anskar became abbot of Corvey and the first bishop of Hamburg. For 15 years he founded monasteries, opened schools and teaching his congregations. In 834 Louis endowed him Turholt Abbey Later he became archbishop of Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia. Things changed after the death of Louis1 in 1840. In 1845 Northmen destroyed Hamburg. Sweden and Denmark rejected Christianity and returned to paganism. In 847, with Louis the German, king of the East Franks, on the throne Anskar became bishop of Bremen. He revived evangelism in both Sweden and Denmark - both kings were converted to Christianity. He even thwarted a pagan rebellion. In 854 he returned to Hamburg - there he devoted himself to his diocese and reducing the horrors of slavery. He had wanted to die a martyr. His followers said his whole life had been a martyrdom of hardship, danger and self=sacrifice. Rimbert, his successor, wrote his biography. he proclaimed Anskar a saint. Pope Nicholas 1 agreed. Ansker was cannonized in 865, the year he died. (Rimbert or Rembert - different sources) Sources used Britannica and The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander.

Saint John gained the name of Chrysostom (Greek for golden mouth) for his zeal and clarity of his sermons which appealed especially to the common people. His time as archbishop of Constantinople were difficult because he often preached on the misuse of money. This annoyed Eudoxia, the wife of the emperor Arcadius, and his rival archbishop Theophilus. He was banished from the city and he died in exile. Sorces use wikipedia and Britannica.

Saint Polycarp was a Ist/2nd century Christian bishop. He is regarded as one of the three chief Apostolic Fathers because he was a disciple of John the Apostle, one of Christ’s original twelve disciples. John ordained him Bishop of Smyrna. He was born in the first century AD but lived to die a martyr’s in the second century. He was a wrote the epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians -his only surviving work. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna for nearly 50 years. He was an elder of an important congregation that was a large contributor to the founding of the Christian Church. He was much loved for his gentle and forgiving nature. Aged 80+ he went to Rome. On his return persecution of Christians began. 11 Christians were martyred in the amphitheatre and the people cried out for Polycarp. He was arrested and told his life would be saved if he would deny Christ. He is recorded as saying, Eighty and six years I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. He was burned at the stake and pierced with a spear He is mentioned in The Martyrdom of Polycarp which is considered one of the genuine accounts of a Christian martyrdom. Sources used wikipedia, TheChurch’s Year by Charles Alexander. I have included the definition of Apostolic Fathers.

Saint Agnes is a virgin martyr venerated as a saint by many churches. She is one only 7 women, along with the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, to be commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. She lived during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. At the age of 12 /13 the Prefect Sempronius wanted her to marry his son. She refused and was arrested and accused of being a Christian. She admitted she was a Christian and condemned to death. On hearing her fate from the judge she commented ‘I may be a child but faith dwells not in years, but in the heart.’ It is not certain how she died - she may have been beheaded or stabbed in the throat. Her blood poured to the stadium floor. Her bones are conserved beneath the high altar in the church of St. Agnes, built by Emperor Constantine, in Rome. her skull is preserved in a separate chapel. She is the patron saint of young girls and many women organisations. Today, on her feast day, 21st January, lambs are blessed and their wool woven into vestments called the ‘pall’ or 'pallium - a sort of scarf -which Roman Catholic archbishops wear when they are invested by the Pope. My sources for this information are wikipedia and The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander. I have included the first 6 verses from John Keat’s poem The Eve of St. Agnes.

Saint Wulfstan lived in the time of the Normany invasion of 1066. He was the last surviving English holder of a bishopic after the Norman conquest. Through his uncle’s influence he studied at monasteries in Evesham and Peterborough and joined the Benedictine monastery in Worcester as clerk. Noting his reputation for dedication and chastity his superiors urged him to join the priesthood. In 1038 he was ordained and joined a monastery of Benedictines at Worcester. He became the bishop of Worcester in 1062. He stayed bishop until his death, from a protracted illness, on 19th January 1095. William the Conquer thought he, was a fool, probably because he did not speak French, and tried to deprive him of his bishopic. At an inquiry, held at Westminster, he was vindicated. He was noted for his preaching and personal asceticism (denial). William noted that pastoral care of his diocese was Wulstan’s principle interest. Together with Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury, they stopped the trading of English people being captured and transported from Bristol to Ireland as slaves. He also helped with the compiling of the Domesday Book. He frequently served as adviser to King William ll Rufus. Wulfstan founded the Great Malvern Priory. He also undertook large rebuilding work including cathedrals and a number of churches.He also helped consecrate a number of bishops. On 14th May 1203 he was canonized by Pope Innocent lll My sources are Wikipedia, Britannica and The Chuch’s Year by Charles Alexander.

Just three short pieces of information about the hermit Saint Antony of Egypt who is remembered on January 17th.

She became a nun and then for nearly 20 years a teacher before becoming a headmistress. In 1946 Mother Teresa experienced what she later called ’ the call within a call ’ when she travelled by train to the Loreto for her annual retreat. ’ I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them.’ She stayed and worked in Calcutta for the rest of her life. She was admired by many for her charitable work because by 1997 the 13 member Calcutta congregation had grown to 4,000 sisters who managed orphanges AIDs hospices and charity centres world wide. WOW!! On 4th of September 2016 she was canonised by the Roman Catholic church -she became Saint Teresa. I have include a brief biography, lots of detail about her missionaries for charity, information about her legacy, plus the two miracles needed to qualify her for sainthood. Wikipedia has been my main information source

50 years after *The Chronicles of Narnia *by C.S. Lewis were published Natalie Gillespie wrote her book Believing In Narnia. Believing in Narnia is the author’s interpretation of and commentary on the C.S. Lewis’s set of 7 books. The author’s audience is meant to be older children/ young teenagers but all those interested in the Christian faith will find the commentary useful and thought provoking. The book has been divided into 7 keys. Key 1 shows the symbols she has used for the book. Key 2 is a two page summary of each of the 7 books - excellent Key 3 looks in detail at many of the good and bad characters (80 pages) Aslan, the lion is compared to the life of Jesus (7 pages) Each of the Pevensie children are given several pages) (see contents page) Key 4 looks at the props and their meaning (36 pages) - excellent Key 5 looks at the places visited (8 pages) Key 6 looks at further reading Key 7 is a brief biography of C.S. Lewis’s life The 7 books make more sense when the commentary is also used. The book gives you the impression that Natalie Gillespie first of all enjoyed reading the books as a child, then enjoyed sharing them with her children. The book is dedicated to Joshua and Justin, two of her children, and there are passages where they ask questions and Natalie gives them an explanation. The opening chapter This Book is for Brave Kids ONLY! (see contents) explains the book beautifully. Other authors have also written about the Chronicles

Eric Liddell (1902-1947), an outstanding Olympic athlete over 100/200/400m, is remembered for refusing to race on a Sunday at the 1924 Olympic Games because of his Christian beliefs. He was born in China to his Scottish missionary parents the Rev and Mrs James Dunlop Liddell. He was educated at Eltham College, Blackheath (1908-1920). Through time it has been forgotten that he was also a missionary in China for 18 years- his life was cut short by an inoperable brain tumour which he suffered while interned at the Chines Weishein camp.

Evangeline Booth, born in 1865, was the seventh of eight children to be born to William and Catherine Booth. William founded the Christian Mission in 1865 which was renamed the Salvation Army in 1878. In 1934 she became the first female international Salvation Army chief. She showed signs of being a gifted public speaker and preacher at an early age. In 1887, aged 21 she became the officer of the corps in Marylebone , West London. She appointed Field Commissioner in Great Britain from 1888 - 1891. In 1896 she was appointed Commander of the Salvation army in Canada. In 1904 she returned as Commander of the USA an held the post for 30 years Having been elected General in 1934 she travelled extensively during her five years in office but never lost the zeal or enthusiasm of the early years. The salvation Army greatly prospered under her leadership. She retired in 1939 back to America but continued to be a public servant. She died aged 1949 aged 84… Evangeline Booth’s father, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, put Evelyne on her birth certificate. Her mother, Catherine Booth wanted Evangeline. Only years later, when in the USA, that she was called Evangeline.

She was born Francecesca Cabrini in a village near Milan in Italy. She was a sickly child and had frail health for the rest of her life. She found disappointment and difficulties with every step. She wished to join the Daughters of the Sacred Heart but was told she was too frail for their life style. But this did not deter her from founding 67 institutions ( orphanages/schools/hospitals) all over the world over a period of 35 years. In 1877 she went to Rome to seek permission to work in China instead Pope Leo XIII sent her to America. In 1909 she became a naturalized American citizen As a child she was frightened of drowning but she crossed the Atlantic 30 times. There is a great deal of information on the wikipedia web site. I have chosen to include work from Historica’s Women, Church Pop and 8 interesting facts plus franciscanmedia.

On 11th of October 1998 Pope John Paul II canonized Teresa Benedicta of the cross. She is canonized as both a martyr and saint of the Catholic church Edith Stein took this name when she became a novice nun in 1933/4 when she entered the Discalaced Carmel of Cologne. Edith was the youngest of 11 children .She was brought up in a Jewish family Her father died when she was only 2. She became an atheist ( other sources say agnostic) in her teenage years. In1915 she took lessons to become a nursing assistant. She completed her doctoral thesis at the University of Gottengen in 1916 and obtained an assistantship at the University of Freiburg. She was drawn in 1921 towards the Catholic faith after reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila. The next year, 1922, she was baptised a Catholic In 1938 Edith, and her sister Rosa, were sent to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, for their safety, from the Nazi invasion. On August 2nd 1942 the two sisters, along with many others, were arrested and sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. On the 9th of August they died in the gas chamber. A woman of singular intelligence and learning she left behind a body of writing notable for its richness and profound spirituality. www.carmelitedcj.org I have included the letter she sent to Pope Pius XI. I have used information from wikipedia, carmelite and Historica’s Women

Saint Agnes of Bohemia (1205 - March 6th 1282) was born a princess. Her parents were queen Constance and King Ottakar I of Bohemia When she grew up she decided she wanted to live a religious life. She could have been queen of either of Germany or England , or empress of Rome. With the help of Pope Gregory IX she was allowed to choose marriage to God, the King of heaven. She built a hospital for the poor and a residence for the friars… She financed the construction of a Poor Clare monastery in Prague. She lived a life of piety. She was appointed abbess of the convent. She inspired other privileged women to become Poor Clares Devotion to her happened soon after her death. She was finally canonized in 1989.

George Haliburton Hume- better known as George Basil Hume. He took the name Basil, when aged 18, he took his final vows as a monk in1945 He was a surprise choice to be named a cardinal in 1976. He proved to be** an outstanding popular Archbishop of Westminster whose sincerity and expertly judged public pronouncement strengthen both the reputation and the self confidence of Roman catholics in England and Wales** Daiiy Telegraph.

Donald Oliver Soper, nicknamed Dr. Soapbox became a peer of the realm in 1965- Baron Soper. Donald was a methodist minister who loved to preach to large congregations - he preached in the open air. From 1926 until well into his 90s he preached at London’s centres of free speech - Tower Hill, and from 1942 Speaker’s corner in Hyde Park His combination of’modernist theology, high sacramentalism, and Socialist politics, expressed with wit and unapologetic elan, thrilled his audiences (congregations!), delighted admirers and greatly annoyed his opponents. What he said was often controversial. He was a pacifist - he did not agree with wars. He was lead campaigner against nuclear disarmament. In his last years, when crippled with arthritis, and in a wheelchair, he continued to preach and make public appearances. He died on 22 December 198, aged 95.

She was named Charlotte Digges Moon but everyone called her Lottie. Initially she was indifferent to her Christian upbring but following a revival meeting in 1858 she experienced an awakening. She spent nearly 40 years as a Southern Baptist missionary in China. She wanted to go out and evangelis on the streets but initial she spent her time in the classroom. female missionaries realised that they could communicate with the Chinese women better than the men She was impatient with the usual restraints and deliberately moved her Chinese mission out of reach of male authority. She asked for missionaries. Woman’s Missionary Union collected the Christmas offering to give to the Foreign Mission Board. She wanted more than anything to have gender equality. In 1893 she wrote, ’ What women have a right to demand is perfect equality’.

Karl was born in Pyritz, a province of Pomerania in Prussia. His first job was as an apprentice saddler in Stettin. He was one of the first Protestant missionaries in Bangkok, Thailand (1828) and Korea (1832). He was the first Lutheran missionary to China and he also wore Chinese clothing. He wrote a number of books and served as interpreter for British diplomatic missions. In Macau and later in Hong Kong he worked on a Chinese translation of the Bible. He also published Chinese language magazine* Eastern Western Monthly Magazine.* In 1840, he was one , of a group of 4, who translated the Bible into Chinese. The Bible translation was a version in High Wen-Li - correct and faithful to the original. He also founded in 1844 a school for ‘native’ missionaries when the Chinese government were unwilling to allow foreigners into the country. Nearly 50 were trained during the first four years. His book **** Appeal to the churches of Britain and America on behalf of China**** influenced Dr. David Livingstone to become a medical missionary but David ended up in Africa rather than China, because of the First Opium War in China. He founded the Chinese Evangelization Society. Hudson Taylor said Karl was the grandfather of the China Inland Mission. Source used : wikipedia

St. Cecilia lived during the 3rd century AD in Rome, Italy. She is one of the most famous Roman martyrs of the early church and historically most discussed. When she was forced to marry her husband Valerian, a pagan nobleman, she sat apart singing to God - for that she was later declared the saint of musicians. She retained her virginity by telling her husband that an angel of the Lord was watching over her. The husband asked to see the angel. She told him to be baptised by Pope Urban I. After the baptism he saw an angel standing beside her. She suffered martyrdom along with her husband and his brother Tiburtius, at the hands of prefect Turcius Almachius in the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius between 176-180 AD. The legend about her death is that she was struck on the neck by a sword three times and lived for three days. She asked the pope to turn her home into a church. She was later beheaded. Her body when moved in 1599 from the Catacomb of Callixtus to the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere was found to be still incurrupt, seemingly to be a sleep. Over the years a lot of music has been dedicated to her name by many famous composers - see list enclosed. *A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day * by John Dryden included My source for information was Wikipedia - a very well thought out source. Point of information Cecilia can also be spelt Cecity

Saint Catherine of Alexandria is one of the most popular Christian martyrs. Her feast day is November the 25th. She is also remembered on November 5th, Firework Night, because one of the fireworks - the Catherine Wheel - has been named after her. Very little is actually known about her. She is not mentioned in writing, until the 9th century, so it is only through memory and traditional stories, that we know anything about her. It is believed she was born of noble birth, probably a princess. She became a Christian aged 14 years old following amoving vision of Mary and the infant Jesus. She spoke to emperor Maxentius about his cruelty to Christians. Initially, rather than her executed, he summoned 50 orators and philosophers to debate with her. She was so eloquent in her defence of her faith that several pagans were converted. Unable to intimidate her to give up her faith he ordered her to be tortured and imprisoned. He decided to have a killed. She was tied to a water wheel fitted with spikes. Somehow she survived this form of torture. Eventually he had her beheaded. I have included pictures of Saint Catherine and listed meaning of her name. Sources used The Church’s Year, britannica, catholic org/saints and nameberry.

St. Clements of Rome was born shortly after the death of Jesus. He became either the third or fourth Bishop or Pope. It is possible that he heard Saint Paul preach. He wrote a letter to the Corinthians after Saint Paul wrote his letters. It is regarded as the most important first century document after the New Testament. According to apocryphal* acta * he was banished from Rome and sent to work in a stone quarry. He was later martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown from a boat into the Black Sea. I found my information about St. Clements from wikipedia, Britannica and The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander. I have included information about Domitian, the Roman emperor.