Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology. Canonized by Clement XIII. in 1757. Authorities:— A Life by Adam Opatoff, in Polish, 1632; in Latin, 1628. Another Life by Peter Skarga, who died 1612.] S. John Cantius was bom, in 1397, at Kenty, in Silesia, on the Soln, within view of the picturesque, needle-like peaks of the granite Jablunka mountains. He was bom of parents of honourable degree, who brought up their son in the exercises of religion. He was educated in Cracow, and became in course of time one of the professors in that university. He was afterwards ordained, and given the cure of Ilkutsi; but did not retain it long, having a distaste for pastoral work in an obscure village. He gave up his charge, and returned to the university, to prosecute his higher mission as an instructor of youth. During his pastoral charge of the parish he exhibited great charity to the poor, divesting himself of his shoes, and even of his cassock, to supply their necessities.
He made four times the pilgrimage to Rome, each time on foot, carrying his bundle on his back. On one occasion he was robbed of everything, save some pieces of gold he had sewn up in a fold of his dress. The robbers, before dismissing him, asked him if he had given up all his money, and he answered that he had; but his conscience smote him when they had released him, and he ran back to them, to surrender the coins he had concealed. This act of truthfulness so astonished the bandits, that they returned him his money and bundle.
One winter's day at mass, a poor little swallow fluttered around him at the altar, twittering in his ear, and greatly distracting him. As soon as he had taken off his chasuble, he went after the bird, and caught it in his hand as it was attempting to fly out, and would have wrung its neck had not the people implored him to spare the tiny creature. “At your request,” said S. John, “ I will let the little devil go, for a devil it is, and no swallow.” And he let it fly away. He led a wretched life in his cure; the parishioners did not like him, worried him, turned his ways into ridicule, and pursued him in his walks with curses. He had one word which he always repeated to himself when afflicted by any of these annoyances, “ Above.” He meant thereby that the Saviour’s sufferings were above any that he was called on to endure, that the martyrs had gone through greater tribulations.
He died at Cracow, and was buried in the church of S. Anne. Authors differ as to the date of his death. His purple doctor’s mantle was long used in the university, wherewith to vest every new candidate for the degree. Oct. ax.] S. Asterius.
October ax. S. Asterius, P.M. at Ostia; a.d. aaa. SS. Dasius, Zoticus, and Caius, MM. at Nicomedia; A.D. 303. S. Hilarion, H. in Palestsn e; a.d. 371. S. Malchus, Mk. at Maronia, near Antioch, in Syria; end of 4th cent.
SS. Ursula and Eleven Thousand Virgins, MM. at Cologne; S. Cilinia, Mother of S. Remigius [bishop of Reims who baptized Clovis, king of the Franks], at Loon; after a.d. 458. S. Cilinia, V. at Meaux, in France; before a.d. 530. S. Fintan Munnu, Ab. 0/ Taghmon, tn Ireland: A.D. 635. S. Wbndrlin, H. near Trivet; 7th cent.
SS. Gregory, John, Julian, and Others, MM. at Jerusalem; S. Maurontius, B. of Marseilles; circ. a.d. 786. S. Unni, A bp. of Hamburg; a.d. 936.
S. Gebizo, Mk. at Monte Cassisto, in Italy; circ. a.d. zo8a S. Berthold, C. at Parma; \%th cent.
