Professor Moriarty

A legendary 4th century figure, who refused marriage and was subsequently tortured, including being swallowed by a dragon, whipped, and finally killed.

See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval story of Margaret of Antioch.

The evangelist St Mark is reputed to have been the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Some traditions says that he was John Mark a cousin of the disciple Barnabus, that he was a companion of Peter, and others that he was one of the 70 that were sent out to preach the Word.

Born in Hungary he became a Christian at the age of 10, and joined the Roman army. Refusing to fight he left the army and travelled to Tours where he studied under Hilary of Poitiers. In 371 he became the Bishop of Tours.

Saint Matthew: One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, traditionally regarded as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, and remembered as a former tax collector who became an evangelist and martyr.

According to the Acts of the Apostles 1:21–26, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, after the betrayal.

Saint Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot among the Twelve Apostles following the Ascension.

Archangel Michael is the principal angel and field commander of the Army of God. His name is the war-cry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against Satan and his followers. He is often depicted triumphant over the enemy, or carrying a pair of scales to weigh souls at the last judgement.

4th century Bishop of Myra, who had a reputation for giving secret gifts, and has become associated with Santa Claus myth. He is also supposed to have brought back to life three butchered children and is often shown with three boys climbing out of a barrel.

See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Nicholas.

Also known as Saul of Tarsus, Paul was a zealot persecuting a small Messianic Jewish sect. He was one of those that encouraged a mob to stone to death St Stephen and later organized the arrest of Stephen's friends. He converted to Christianity whilst on the Road to Damascus.

Peter (Simon) was fisherman who owned a boat, and the brother of St Andrew. He was the first disciple of Jesus, and according to the Gospel's of Mark and Matthew he and his brother Andrew were called by Jesus to be "fishers of men". He is always mentioned first amongst the disciples, and along with St John, and St James the Greater he was present at events that were not witnessed by others.

Like Peter and Andrew, Philip was living in Bethsaida and was also a Disciple of John the Baptist. He answered Jesus' call ("Follow me"), and later introduced Nathaniel (Bartholomew) to the group. He is usually listed as the fifth Apostle after Peter, Andrew, James, and John. He died of natural causes and was buried at Hieropolis but later his remains were moved to Constantinople, and afterwards to the church of the Dodici Apostoli in Rome.

In the nineteenth century the discovery of the bones of a young women during the excavation of Catacombs of Priscilla led to the veneration of a supposed 4th century virgin martyr said to be a that of a Greek princess who was killed when she refused to marry the Emperor Diocletian.

Her life history was revealed to a lay member of the Dominican Order Maria Luisa di Gesù. The cult of Philomena rapidly spread after extraordinary cures were attributed to her.

In 1961 she was removed from the list of Saints.

A 3rd century Belgian missionary that was supposed to have brought Christianity to Chartres and Tournai. Legend is that he was killed by having the top of his skull sliced off.

A legendary figure that is supposed to have been the son of the Governor of Montpellier. He is associated with the plague as he was supposed to have been infected whilst caring for the sick, but was cured with the help of a dog that feed him with food that the dog had taken from his master.

Sebastian was killed during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian (285-305). He is supposed to have been tied to a post and shot with arrows, but healed and then later clubbed to death, and his body thrown into a cess pit, so that it could not be recovered and buried. However, he is supposed to have appeared in a dream to St Lucy who then found his body and had it laid in the catacombs.

See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Sebastian.

Stephen was the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death by a mob, encouraged by a tax collector called Saul, who would later become Saint Paul the Apostle.

See "The Golden Legend" for the medieval life of Stephen.

Teresa was a Spanish mystic and Carmelite nun, who along with St John of the Cross is consider the founder of the mendicant order known as the Barefoot Carmelites.

4th century Roman soldier who refused to make a sacrifice in a pagan temple and had his flesh torn off.