Calendar of Gay / Queer Saints and Martyrs

Catholic tradition honours the remarkable men and women who have contributed significantly to its heritage by recognising them as saints. Secular tradition like to remember specific events or causes by setting aside specific dates for their observance. This page is a start at assembling a calendar of notable dates of importance to our queer Christian community.

For lesbian, gay or trans Christians, it is especially important to understand our history in the Church and our contributions, but these  have often been hidden, or obscured by uncertainties of definition. There is also, very often, a fine dividing line between religious and purely secular importance.  To get around this, I have used some very broad definitions. I use “queer” to denote anything that is clearly not a standard, heterosexual orientation or gender identity. I accept the recognised saints of both the Catholic and orthodox churches, but also some early saints who have never been formally canonized, but received clear recognition by popular acclaim. In the same spirit, I include some modern figures who are receiving widespread popular recognition, but who have not yet been accorded a formal cause for canonization by the Vatican.

I also include some people with specific and clear importance to the LGBT community, without making any claims for their personal holiness. This includes clergy, theologians, and secular figures who were murdered for their queer activism - or just for being queer. I do not however, include anybody still living. There are many notable people who deserve to be recognized as modern heroes, but to include them with the saints would be premature.

I have drawn on the work particularly of Paul Halsall at the LGBT Catholic Handbook (which is no longer being updated), on the continuing work of Kittredge Cherry with her series on LGBT Saints at Jesus in Love, and on my own series at Queer Saints and Martyrs, and a few other on-line sources. Like everything else on these pages, this is a work in progress. In some cases, I have listed names and dates in red italics, without links. These are place holders for people that I have seen suggested elsewhere, that I believe could justify inclusion, but where I still need to do more exploration.

Movies, 160 x 600

January:

  • Jan 8th
  • Jan 12th
    • St Aelred of Rievaulx, Abbot and Patron of Same Sex Spiritual Love (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
    • St Aelred of Rievaulx, Abbot (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
    • St Aelred, Gay Saint of Friendship (Jesus in Love Blog)
    • St Tatiana , woman deacon (Womenpriests.org)

Expanded Calendar for January

February

Fr Robert Carter, Feb 22nd

  • Feb 12th
    • St Mary /Marinos of Alexandria, Cross-dressing Saint? (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
  • Feb 23rd

Expanded Calendar for February

March

  • March 10 th
    • St Anastasia the Patrician (or of Constantinople) (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
  • March 15 th
    • Longinus the Centurion - The Gay Centurion? (Queer Saints & Martyrs; LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for March

April

  • Apr 6th
  • Apr 14th

Expanded Calendar for April

May

Joan of Arc: Interrogation by the Bishop of Winchester (Paul Delaroche, 1797 -1856)

  • May 6th
  • May 20 th
    • Alcuin of Tours (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
    • Alcuin of Tours ( LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for May

June

Pauliinus of Nola, June 22nd

  • June 9 th
    • St Pelagia/ Pelagios, Cross-dressing’ Saint. (LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for June

July

  • July 12th
    • Desidirius of Rotterdam
  • July 17 th
    • St Marina / Marinos of Antioch, Cross-dressing Saint (Queer Saints & Martyrs; LGBT Catholic Handbook)
  • July 19th
  • July 20 th
    • St Marina / Marinos of Sicily, Cross-dressing’ Saint (Queer Saints & Martyrs; LGBT Catholic Handbook)
  • July 21 st
    • Daniel the Prophet, OT captive and eunuch in Babyl0n c 650 BC (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
  • July 25th
  • July 28th
    • St Irene , woman deacon (Womenpriests.org)

Expanded Calendar for July

August

  • Aug 3 rd
    • St Lydia , woman deacon (Womenpriests.org)
  • Aug 5th
    • St Nonna , woman deacon (Womenpriests.org)
  • Aug 13 th
  • Aug 20 th
    • St Bernard of Clairvaux and Malachi  (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
  • Aug 28 th
    • St Augustine of Hippo, Bishop & Doctor (LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for August

September

  • Sep 11th
  • Sep 22nd
  • Sep 23 rd
    • St Theodora / Theodoros of Alexandria, Cross-dressing’ Saint (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
    • St Edward II King of England, 1284 -1327 (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
    • St Thekla of Iconium, Cross-dressing’ Saint (LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for September

October

  • Oct 2nd
  • Oct 7th
    • Sergius & Bacchus (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
    • SS Sergius and Bacchus, Roman soldiers, lovers & martyrs d circa 297 ( Jesus in Love Blog)
    • St Athanasia/ Athanasios of Antioch, Cross-Dressing Saint? (LGBT Catholic Handbook)
    • St Poplia , woman deacon (Womenpriests.org)
  • Oct 29 th
    • St Anna / Euphemianos of Constantinople, Cross-Dressing Saint  (LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for October

November

Expanded Calendar for November

December

  • Dec 24th
    • SS Protus and Hyacinth, eunuchs & martyrs. (Queer Saints & Martyrs)
    • SS Protus and Hyacinth, eunuchs & martyrs. (LGBT Catholic Handbook)

Expanded Calendar for December

 

Moveable Feasts:

  • Holy Trinity
  • Corpus Christi
  • Thanksgiving
  • Feast of the Holy Family

2 comments for “Calendar of Gay / Queer Saints and Martyrs”

  1. Pingback: Same sex marriage = Misogyny, and is against God's will, so ban it. - Page 7 - Religious Education Forum
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