July 8
in the Month of the Most Precious Blood
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (1336).
She was Queen of Portugal. She was the daughter of Peter II, King of Aragon. She was espoused as a young girl to Denis of Portugal. Her husband was a weak and unsaintly man. Elizabeth's whole life as his queen was a trial. She considered the first of her queenly duties to be that of hearing Mass and reciting the Divine Office every day. Frequent reception of Holy Communion was her greatest joy. When her husband died, she took off her queenly robes and put on the habit of the Third Order of Saint Francis. She was the great grandniece of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, whose feast is November 19. She died when she was sixty-five years old.
Saint Edgar (975).
He was a king in England whose spiritual director was Saint Dunstan. He did wonderful things for the Catholic Faith in England.