(A.D. 731.) [Bede, lib. v., c. 8, 23. William of Malmesbury: De Gest. Pontificum Anglorum; Roger of Hoveden; Matthew of Westminster, &c. He is called also Bretwald and Berthwald.] Bede says that after the death of S. Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 690, "Berthwald succeeded, being abbot of the monastery of Reculver, which lies on the north side of the mouth of the river Inlade. He was a man learned in the Scriptures, and well instructed in ecclesiastical and monastic discipline, yet not to be compared with his predecessor. He was chosen Bishop in the year of our Lord's Incarnation, 692, on the first day of July, Withred and Suebhard being kings of Kent; he was consecrated the next year, on Sunday, the 29th June, by Godwin, Metropolitan Bishop of France, and was enthroned on Sunday, April 31st." "In the year of our Lord's Incarnation, 731, Archbishop Berthwald died of old age, on the 9th of January, having held his see thirty-seven years six months and fourteen days." [Illustration: S. Genoveva, Jan. 3, p. 46.] FOOTNOTES: [37] This tonsure consisted in shaving the whole head. January 10. S. NICANOR, _M._, A.D. 76. SS. THECLA, _V., and_ JUSTINA, _Confessors in Sicily, 3rd cent._ S. MARCIAN, _P. C., at Constantinople, circ._ A.D. 476. S. DOMITIAN, _B. C., in Armenia, circ._ A.D. 600. S. AGATHO, _Pope of Rome_, A.D. 682. S. SETHRIDA, _V., Abbess of Brie, in France, 7th cent._ S. WILLIAM, _Ab. and Abp. of Bourges_, A.D. 1209. S. GONSALVO, _P. C., Portugal_, A.D. 1259. B. CHRISTIANA, or ORINGA, _V., in Etruria_, A.D. 1310. S. NICANOR, M. (A.D. 76.) [Roman Martyrology. Commemorated by the Greeks on July 28th and December 28th.] Saint Nicanor, one of the first seven deacons appointed by the Apostles, was a native of Cyprus, to which he returned, that he might preach the Gospel on the dispersion of the Apostles. He was variously tortured and then executed, in the reign of Vespasian, but where is not known. SS. THECLA, V., AND JUSTINA. (3RD CENT.) [Authority for the lives of these Saints: the lections in the proper offices for this day in the church of Lentini, in Sicily.] S. Thecla was a noble virgin of Lentini, and daughter of S. Isidore. She buried the bodies of the martyrs with loving reverence. For three years she suffered from paralysis, and could not leave her bed, but was healed by the prayers of SS. Alphius, Philadelphus, and Cyrinus. When they were in prison for the faith, she visited them and ministered to their necessities, and when they had been slain and cast into a well, she extracted the bodies and buried them. Tertullus, the governor, hearing of this, sent for her, but his sudden death saved her from injury. During the persecution, she concealed Agatho, Bishop of Lipari, in one of her farms; and when the persecution was over, she and her friend Justina spent their fortunes in works of mercy. S. MARCIAN, P. (ABOUT 476.)