Today, October 10th, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Thomas of Villanova, bishop; Saint Daniel Comboni, missionary and bishop; and Saint Daniel, Saint Samuel, and Companions, first Franciscan martyrs.

Sant Tomás de Villanueva, bishop

He was born in Fuenllana, in the present-day province of Ciudad Real, in 1486, although he is known by the name of Villanueva de los Infantes, the town where his parents lived. At thirty years of age, he entered the Order of Saint Augustine in Salamanca, where he held various responsibilities and lived with great austerity. He was also a professor at the University of Alcalá de Henares.

In 1544, he was appointed Archbishop of Valencia, a position he accepted out of obedience to his superiors. He exercised his ministry with great dedication: "The good shepherd must possess these four qualities: love, vigilance, doctrine, and holiness. However, it will always be his works that reveal whether a good shepherd possesses these essential qualities." He also stood out for his care of the poor and his efforts in the reform and formation of the clergy. He left behind numerous sermons and pastoral writings. He rested in the peace of Christ in 1555 and was canonized in 1658.

Saint Daniel Comboni, missionary and bishop 

He was born in Limone sul Garda, in northern Italy, in 1831. He was one of the great missionaries of the 19th century and devoted much of his life to the evangelization of Central Africa. During his travels and stays on the continent, he witnessed firsthand the harsh living conditions of African populations and denounced slavery and the forms of exploitation to which they were subjected.

Driven by this conviction, he founded several missionary institutes, including the Institute for the African Missions, known today as the Comboni Missionaries, and the Comboni Missionary Sisters. Despite immense difficulties, illnesses, and the harsh conditions of the region, he persevered in his work: "We shall have to toil, sweat, and die; but knowing that we sweat and die for the love of Jesus Christ and the salvation of the most abandoned souls in this world, I find the comfort necessary not to give up on this great enterprise." He died in Khartoum, Sudan, on October 10, 1881. He was canonized in 2003.

Saint Daniel, Saint Samuel, and Companions, First Franciscan Martyrs 

In 1227, seven Friars Minor were sent to Morocco to preach the Gospel. During their mission, they were arrested and, after enduring threats and torture, Daniel of Calabria, Samuel, Donulus, Leo, Hugolinus, and Nicholas were beheaded on October 10 for refusing to renounce their faith. Known as the Martyrs of Ceuta, they are venerated as patrons of that city. They were canonized in 1516.