- 28 September, 2026
September 28: The Catholic Church commemorates Saint Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia and martyr, together with Saint Lawrence (Lorenzo) Ruiz and his companions, on September 28. Though they lived in different centuries and very different cultures, both witnessed to Christ through courage, service and fidelity. Wenceslaus served his people as a Christian ruler, while Lorenzo Ruiz, an ordinary Filipino husband and father, gave his life for the Gospel during the persecution of Christians in Japan.
Feast Day: September 28
Saint Wenceslaus: Duke of Bohemia and martyr
Born: Around 907, Prague
Died: Around 935, Bohemia
Saint Lawrence Ruiz: Filipino layman, husband and father
Died: 1637, Nagasaki, Japan
Companions: 15 fellow martyrs
Canonised: 1987 by Pope John Paul II
Known For: Christian leadership, courage, missionary witness and martyrdom
Saint Wenceslaus was born in Prague around 907 and became Duke of Bohemia while still young. He lived during a period when Christianity was still developing in the region, with both Slavic and Latin missionary traditions influencing the country.
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Wenceslaus worked to strengthen Christianity among his people and sought to govern according to his Christian convictions. Vatican sources describe his efforts to create conditions in which the Gospel could spread throughout Bohemia.
His rule was also marked by a desire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. According to the tradition surrounding his life, when conflict threatened, Wenceslaus was willing to settle a dispute through personal combat rather than expose his soldiers to a larger battle. His approach reflected a ruler who sought peace while remaining faithful to his responsibilities.
Wenceslaus eventually faced opposition from his younger brother, Boleslaus. In 935, Wenceslaus was invited to Stará Boleslav, where an ambush had been arranged against him.
According to the traditional account, his brother attempted to kill him. Wenceslaus managed to overpower him but chose to forgive him and return his sword. At that moment, other conspirators attacked and killed Wenceslaus. His body was later transferred to the Church of Saint Vitus in Prague.
Saint Wenceslaus became a patron of Bohemia and is honoured as a national patron of the Czech people. Pope Benedict XVI also described him as an important figure in the Christian history of the Czech nation.
Saint Lawrence Ruiz was born in Manila in 1594. Of Chinese and Filipino heritage, he grew up as an ordinary Catholic, serving as an altar boy and later working as a calligrapher.
He married Rosario, a Filipino woman, and they had three children. His life appeared to be that of an ordinary husband, father and working Catholic. However, circumstances eventually led him to join Dominican missionaries travelling towards Japan.
Christianity was facing severe persecution in Japan when Lorenzo and his companions arrived. They were arrested and imprisoned and endured brutal torture because they refused to renounce their faith.
During his final ordeal, Lorenzo declared his willingness to give his life for God. He was martyred at Nagasaki in 1637 together with his companions. Their group included priests, religious and lay people from several countries, demonstrating the universal nature of the Christian faith.
The 16 martyrs were canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1987 in Manila, making Lorenzo Ruiz the first Filipino saint.
Saint Wenceslaus and Saint Lawrence Ruiz lived centuries apart, yet their lives share an important message. Wenceslaus used his position of authority to encourage Christian life and peace, while Lorenzo remained faithful as a layman and family man when confronted with persecution.
Their witness reminds Christians that holiness is possible in every vocation — whether through leadership, family life, professional work or missionary service.
Saint Wenceslaus teaches the importance of using authority with responsibility, seeking peace and serving others. Saint Lawrence Ruiz reminds believers that ordinary people can become extraordinary witnesses when they place their trust in God.
Together, they encourage Catholics to remain faithful to Christ in whatever circumstances life presents, to forgive others, to stand firm in faith and to live the Gospel with courage.
To know about more saints and Catholic feast days, please visit the spiritual section.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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