4 FEBRUARY

. . . . is bereft of saints in the Pauline calendar but is otherwise chockablock with interesting people. For Karen of Disordered Affections, this is the feast of the Jesuit martyr St. John de Britto. (The linked article only lists him as “blessed” but he was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947.)

The English St. Gilbert of Sempringham, a contemporary of St. Thomas a Becket, is also honoured today. He founded an order of canons regular called the Gilbertines which lasted until their destruction by Henry VIII.

At one time this was the feast of the Carmelite bishop, St. Andrew Corsini. The Order now keeps his feast on 9 January which is closer to his day of death.

Today is also the old French feast honouring St. Jeanne de Valois, “the deformed daughter of King Louis XI; married to the future Louis XII, she was repudiated by her husband, and founded the Franciscan order of the Annunciation at Bourges.” (There is a problem with this link at the time of posting; if it continues not to work I shall try and find another reference. The quoted passage is from Engelbert.)

Addendum. Well, it doesn't look like the original link to St. Jeanne's life is going to work. Try this one.