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Saint Valentine's Day

(Encyclopedia)Saint Valentine's Day, Western European Christian holiday, originally the Roman feast of Lupercalia. It was christianized in memory of the martyrdom of St. Valentine in a.d. 270, who, in medieval time...

Saint Vincent, Cape

(Encyclopedia)Saint Vincent, Cape, Port. Cabo de São Vicente, high and rocky promontory at the southwestern extremity of Portugal. Several historic sea battles were fought nearby, the most notable in 1797, when th...

Saint Vincent, Gulf

(Encyclopedia)Saint Vincent, Gulf, inlet of the Indian Ocean, 90 mi (145 km) long and 45 mi (72 km) wide, SE South Australia state, Australia. Port Adelaide is on the eastern shore. ...

Romero, Saint Óscar

(Encyclopedia)Romero, Saint Óscar (Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez), 1917–80, Salvadoran bishop and human rights advocate. He studied at the Gregorian Univ. in Rome and was ordained in 1942. Returning to El Sa...

Seine–Saint-Denis

(Encyclopedia)Seine–Saint-Denis sĕnˌ-săN-dənēˈ [key], department (1990 pop. 1,388,600), N central France, adjoining Paris. Bobigny is the capital. ...

Serra, Saint Junípero

(Encyclopedia)Serra, Saint Junípero ho͞onēˈpārō sĕˈrä [key], 1713–84, Spanish Franciscan missionary in North America, b. Majorca. His name was originally Miguel José Serra, and Junípero was his name in...

Simeon Stylites, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Simeon Stylites, Saint stīlīˈtēz [key] [Gr.,= of a pillar], d. 459?, Syrian hermit. He lived for more than 35 years on a small platform on top of a high pillar. He had many imitators (called styli...

Peter Canisius, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Peter Canisius, Saint kənĭshˈēəs [key], 1521–97, Dutch Jesuit, Doctor of the Church, b. Nijmegen. He spent his life traveling widely strengthening wavering Roman Catholics, preaching, and instr...

Peter Chrysologus, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Peter Chrysologus, Saint, c.380–450, bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church. Ordained by Cornelius, bishop of Imola, he lived as a monk for several years before being named bishop by Pope Sixtus II...

Peter Claver, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Peter Claver, Saint klāˈvər [key], 1581–1654, Spanish Jesuit missionary, called the Apostle of the Blacks. He was sent to what is now Colombia in 1610 and began at once his life work of ministeri...