Sts Daniel and Companions

Martyrs, 1st Order

 

Daniel and his six companions (Agnellus (Agnello), Samuel, Donulus, Leo, Hugolinus (Ugolino), and Nicholas) were a group of Franciscan friars martyred at Ceuta in North Africa on October 10, 1227, for their faith. Led by Daniel, the provincial superior of Calabria, the friars went to preach the Gospel to Muslims but were imprisoned when they refused to renounce their faith. They were beheaded, and their bodies were later taken to Spain. The Catholic Church canonized them in 1516, and their feast day is celebrated on October 10 (USA). This feast day is on the Franciscan calendar but not on the Liturgical Calendar (see USCCB).

 

Berard of Carbio was a thirteenth-century Franciscan friar who was executed in Morocco for attempting to promote Christianity. He and his companions, Peter, Otho, Accursius, and Adjutus, are venerated as Catholic saints and considered the Franciscan Protomartyrs. I wanted to mention them, in addition to Daniel and his companions, because it took great courage to evangelize the Saracens.

 

Reading their account in “The Seraphic Order: A Traditional Franciscan Book of Saints,” by Aquinas Barth Sr., and Fr. Marion A. Habig, OFM, published by Mediatrix Press, which was given to me on my last birthday, is a magnificent gift that I use every day with joy. If you are interested in Franciscan Saints and there are many, this is the book to have. Fr. Marion (1901-1984) has done a great deal for the Franciscan family and for the Secular Franciscan Order, in particular. It is also necessary to have a Franciscan Supplement to the “Liturgy of the Hours” to guide your daily prayer activities. Those booklets for either the four-volume LOH or the single volume Christian Prayer, are available at cfpholyangels.com and probably other outlets.

 

Although I began to talk about Daniel and his companions, I digressed. Forgive me. In short, when these courageous friars reached Ceuta, there was such an uproar in the streets, they were thrown into prison and executed.

 

Fred Schaeffer, OFS

October 10, 2025