Today, November 5th, we celebrate the feast of: Saint Zechariah and Saint Elizabeth; Saint Angela of the Cross, religious; and Blessed Maria Ràfols, virgin.


Saint Zechariah and Saint Elizabeth, parents of the Precursor

They are the parents of John the Baptist, the Precursor of Jesus, and relatives of Mary, the mother of Jesus. According to Saint Luke the Evangelist, they were "righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands blamelessly." Zechariah served as a priest in his division at the Temple in Jerusalem, and together with his wife, he bore the sorrow of childlessness. In those days, being childless was considered a disgrace—especially for a woman—and viewed as a divine punishment, whereas children symbolized vitality and security in old age. Ultimately, God showed mercy to them by announcing the birth of a son who would prepare the way for the Messiah.

Upon learning of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Mary visited her, sparking a profound encounter of maternal joy and praise to God that yielded the Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord..." When John was born, Zechariah praised God through the Benedictus: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people..."


Saint Angela of the Cross, virgin

Born in Seville in 1846, Angela Guerrero worked in a shoe workshop in her youth while actively visiting churches and aiding the poor. Due to her delicate health, she could not enter traditional religious life right away. In 1875, she and three companions united to found the Sisters of the Company of the Cross, soon devoting themselves to helping the poor, the sick, and society's most vulnerable. Angelita Guerrero thus became Angela of the Cross, keeping no personal rights and dedicating her life entirely to the poor, whom she affectionately called "her masters." The congregation expanded rapidly under conditions of strict poverty. Angela passed away in 1932 and was canonized in 2003.


Blessed Maria Ràfols, virgin

Born in Vilafranca del Penedès in 1781, she met Fr. Joan Bonal during the 1803 cholera epidemic in Barcelona, inspiring the establishment of a congregation dedicated to hospital care: the Sisters of Charity of Saint Anne. Responding to a request from the hospital in Zaragoza, she relocated there with fellow volunteers, carrying out extensive charitable work, particularly during the sieges of the Peninsular War. She was an exemplary figure who devoted herself entirely to the selfless service of the needy until her death in 1853. Following her passing, the city of Zaragoza honored her as the "Heroine of Charity," and she was beatified in 1994. Her feast is celebrated on November 5, though the Roman Martyrology marks her entry into eternal life on August 30.