Sainthood, it sometimes seems, runs in the family. In today and tomorrow’s feasts of St. Monica and St. Augustine, we have one of the most famous parent-child saint pairs. But theirs is not the only one.
Here are some others I dug up that are perhaps less well known (or so obvious that they aren’t thought of too often):
■ Blessed Jane: The mother of not one, but two saints—St. Dominic and his far-lesser known brother, Blessed Manes.
■ Parents of Mary: Probably most Catholics know or were taught at one point that the mother of Mary, Anne, is a saint. Probably fewer were aware that Mary’s father, Joachim, also is a saint.
■ Parents of St. John the Baptist: These are well-known biblical figures, but their status as saints is may be news to some—Saints Zachary (Zechariah) and Elizabeth.
■ St. Helena and Constantine the Great: One of the more notable parent-child pairs of Christian history is notable because the parent, St. Helena, is a saint, while her far more famous son, Constantine the Great, was never declared a saint in the Roman rite. However, he is venerated as a saint in Eastern Orthodoxy.
Can you think of any more? If so, post them in the comments section or e-mail me at bealenews@gmail.com.