St. Adrian of Canterbury

Feast date: Jan 09

The famous Abbot of St. Augustine's in Canterbury, was likely born in Libya Cyrenaica, North Africa.

Adrian decided to become a monk early in life and eventually abbot of Nerida, not far from Naples.

Adrian became a valuable advisor to the pontiff and, three years later, was offered the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. He declined the papal appointment, but was persuaded to accompany Theodore to England as a trusted counselor.

After spending time in France, he arrived in Britain and immediately succeeded Benedict Biscop as Abbot of St. Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury. He established a flourishing monastic school, where many future bishops and abbots were educated in Latin, Greek, scripture, theology, Roman law and arithmetic.

St. Adrain died on Jan. 9 at Canterbury, Kent. Several hundred years after his death, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state.

The National Catholic Register reported that “there is no word yet on what kind of guidance Bishop Felton will issue regarding Mass celebrated ad orientem in 2026.”

The diocese has 70 parishes, according to the 2025 edition of The Official Catholic Directory.

“Under the new system, victims will be able to file their cases before a new agency created by the justice ministry, which will then take them before the ombusdman’s office, which will draw up a reparation proposal,” the BBC reported. “The Church must then agree to the proposed compensation—if not, the case will be referred back to the ombudsman.”

A Greek Orthodox newspaper published in Australia reported that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew defended his decision seven years earlier to grant canonical recognition to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The decision provoked the ire of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Noted for his advocacy for religious liberty and other human rights, Cardinal Zen, now 93, was convicted in 2022 (and fined $500) for failing to register a charity. He is appealing the conviction, and a verdict is expected this year.

As is customary, the Vatican did not release a statement on what was discussed during the audience.

Pope Leo XIV has named Auxiliary Bishop John Bonnici, who serves in the Archdiocese of New York, as the new bishop of Rochester, located in the same state.

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Aparecido Donizeti de Souza of Cascavel, Brazil.

The “35-year-old Spaniard told Leo XIV about his pilgrimage on foot from Palermo, carrying with him a seedling of an evergreen cypress tree, the same species used to make the cross of Christ,” according to the report.

“I told Leo XIV about what I’ve been experiencing since last April, when I began a pilgrimage with a medieval flavor,” the influencer said. ”I live day by day, trusting in the altruism of the people I meet, from whom I have never asked for money, but only water, food and hospitality.”

The influencer asked the Pope to bless the seedling, which he will eventually take to a Spanish monastery. Blessed by the Pope, he is now going to Assisi, “fasting until I reach the tomb of St. Francis.”

The director of the Holy See Press Office announced at a press briefing last evening (video) that Pope Leo XIV will convoke another two-day consistory of the College of Cardinals in June.

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the beginning of the second and final day of the extraordinary consistory of cardinals (booklet, video).