February 18

Colmán was born in Ireland in the early 7th century and became a monk at Iona under St. Columba. Around 661, he succeeded St. Aidan as bishop of Lindisfarne and led the community there. He became renowned for his defense of Celtic Christian practices, particularly the method of calculating the date of Easter. At the Synod of Whitby in 664, Colmán’s stance on the Celtic Easter clashed with Roman customs, leading him to resign his see. He returned to Iona and later founded a monastery on the island of Inishbofin. Colmán’s missionary zeal and leadership left a lasting legacy, and he is honored as a saint in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

Angilbert, born around 760, was a Frankish monk and close advisor to Charlemagne. He managed diplomatic missions to the Lombards and Saxons and helped negotiate treaties on behalf of the emperor. As abbot of the monastery of St. Riquier, he oversaw the revival of learning and the production of manuscripts. He married Bertha, the illegitimate daughter of Charlemagne, and fathered children with royal connections. His poetry celebrates the cultural achievements of the Carolingian Renaissance and provides insight into court life. Angilbert’s blend of religious devotion and political acumen made him a key figure in the cultural flowering of his era.

Born Bruno of Carinthia around 972, Gregory V was a member of the Ottonian dynasty and the nephew of Emperor Otto II. In 996, he was appointed pope by Otto III, becoming the first pontiff of German origin. Gregory V’s papacy was marked by his efforts to reform the clergy and strengthen papal authority over the Western Church. He faced opposition from rival factions and was briefly driven from Rome by an antipope supported by the Crescentii family. With imperial backing, he returned to Rome and continued his reforms until his sudden death in 999. His close ties to the imperial court shaped the developing relationship between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.

Martin Luther was a German Augustinian monk whose 95 Theses challenged the Catholic Church’s practices and sparked the Protestant Reformation. His translation of the Bible into German made the scriptures accessible to ordinary people and helped standardize the German language. He taught that salvation comes through faith alone and rejected papal authority. Luther married Katharina von Bora and had six children, grounding his reform movement in both theology and daily life. His legacy includes founding Lutheranism and reshaping the course of Western Christianity.

David King Udall was born in Utah Territory in 1851 and became a dedicated missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served missions in the United States and Europe before settling in the Arizona Territory as a cattle rancher. Udall entered public service, winning election to the Arizona Territorial Legislature and later the state senate. After Arizona achieved statehood in 1912, he represented the new state’s first congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. His advocacy for irrigation, agriculture, and community development left a lasting impact on Arizona’s political and economic landscape.

Born in Czechoslovakia, Elchanan Heilprin emigrated to England where he devoted his life to religious leadership. He served as a rabbi in multiple Jewish communities, offering spiritual guidance and pastoral care. Heilprin was respected for his scholarship in Jewish law and his efforts to strengthen faith through education. He led services, delivered sermons, and supported charitable initiatives within the congregations he served. His dedication to intercommunity dialogue and religious observance left a lasting impact on those he guided. He passed away on February 18, 2015, remembered for his compassion and commitment to his faith.

Gerald Ridsdale was an Australian Catholic priest who became notorious for his criminal convictions of child sexual abuse committed over several decades. Ordained in 1961, he served in various parishes in Victoria before allegations emerged. Investigations revealed he abused at least 30 children between the 1960s and 1980s, leading to his laicisation in 2006. Ridsdale was convicted in multiple trials and received a cumulative prison sentence of 33 years. His case prompted the development of the Melbourne Response and contributed to the national inquiry into abuse within the Church. Survivors and advocates describe the profound impact of his crimes, leading to calls for institutional reform. He died in custody on February 18, 2025, leaving a legacy of tragedy and a catalyst for change in clerical accountability.