Upon the 3rd day of December is commemorated the birth into the better life  
_
In the island of San-Chan, in the Canton River, in China, holy Francis Xavier of the Society of Jesus, Apostle of the Indies, illustrious for the conversion of the Gentiles, for gifts and miracles, who died, (in the year 1552,) full of good works and labours, upon this present 2nd day of December, but his feast is kept upon the morrow by order of Alexander VII. 
In Judea, the holy prophet Zephaniah, (in the seventh century B.C. He is the ninth of the twelve minor prophets.) Upon the same 3rd day of December, were born into the better life  
At Rome, the holy martyrs the Tribune Claudius, his wife Hilaria, their sons Jason and Marus, and seventy soldiers. The Emperor Numerian commanded a great stone to be tied to Claudius and that he should be cast into the river the soldiers and the sons of Claudius he also caused to be put to death. The blessed Hilaria buried the bodies of her sons, and was praying at their grave soon after, when she was seized by the heathen, and departed hence to be ever with the Lord, (about the year 257.) 
At Tangier, in Morocco, (in the year 398,) the holy martyr Cassian. He had of a long time discharged the office of a public clerk when the thought came to him from heaven that it was an accursed thing to serve for the slaughter of Christians he resigned his office therefore, and under the public profession of a Christian he earned the victory of martyrdom, (in the year 398.) 
Likewise in Africa, the holy martyrs Claudius, Crispin, Magina, John, and Stephen. 
In Hungary, the holy martyr Agricola. 
At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs Ambicus, Victor, and Julius. 
At Milan, (about the year 318,) the holy Confessor Mirocles, Bishop (of that see,) of whom mention is made by holy Ambrose. 
In England, holy Brian, first Bishop  of Dorchester, (he was a Priest of  Rome about the year 650, whose feast  we keep upon the 5 th day of this  present month of December.)  
At Chur, in Switzerland, holy Lucius,  King of the Britons (of Morganweg,)  who was the first British prince to  receive the faith of Christ, in the  time of Pope Eleutherius, (about the  year 182.)  
At Sienna, in Tuscany, the holy  Hermit Galgan, (of the order of St  Benedict. He lived on a mountain  called Siepi, and died in the year  1181.)  
