9th Tuesday of Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Marcellinus & Peter, Martyrs
2 June 2026
The Saints We Hear but Rarely Notice
One of the advantages of a weekday memorial is that it gives me permission to catechize about saints whom Catholics hear regularly but often know almost nothing about. Marcellinus and Peter are perfect examples because every time Eucharistic Prayer I is used, their names are spoken right alongside some of the most famous saints in Christian history:
"...Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian, and all your Saints."
Most Catholics hear those names and simply let them pass by. Yet the Church did not preserve those names for nearly 1,700 years by accident.
Most of us recognize some of the names immediately: Peter and Paul, Andrew, Agnes, Cecilia, Lawrence, and a few others. But tucked among those names are two saints whom many Catholics know very little about: Marcellinus and Peter. Yet the Church has preserved their names in the Roman Canon for nearly seventeen centuries for a reason.
That alone should make us pause and ask: Who were they, and why do we still mention them at the altar today?
Marcellinus was a priest. Peter was an exorcist, which was a ministry in the early Church entrusted with assisting those afflicted by the power of evil and preparing catechumens for Baptism. You an see why during a Baptism we use the oil of exorcism.
They both lived during the fierce persecution of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian in the early fourth century. Both men were arrested because of their faith in Christ. Ancient accounts tell us that they were led outside Rome to a secluded place in the forest. Their executioners wanted their burial place hidden so Christians could not honor them as martyrs. They were reportedly forced to dig their own graves before being beheaded.
The authorities hoped their memory would disappear.
It did not!
Instead, their witness became so revered that Christians carefully preserved their story. Their names eventually found a permanent place in the Roman Canon itself. Even today, whenever Eucharistic Prayer I is prayed, the Church remembers them.
That is significant because the Roman Canon is not simply a list of famous saints. It is a reminder that when we gather for Mass, we are united not only with those present in this church but also with the saints who now worship before the throne of God.
The Mass joins heaven and earth.
The saints whose names are spoken during the Eucharistic Prayer are not distant historical figures. They are members of the same family of faith. They remind us that holiness is possible and that fidelity to Christ is worth everything.
As we continue through this month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is worth asking what connects devotion to the Sacred Heart with martyrs like Marcellinus and Peter.
I think the obvious and truest answer is love.
The Sacred Heart reveals the depth of Christ's love for us. The Heart of Jesus remained faithful through rejection, suffering, and the Cross. He loved to the very end, even when we didn’t love him.
The martyrs are people in whom that love took root.
Marcellinus and Peter did not die because they enjoyed suffering. They did not seek martyrdom for its own sake. They remained faithful because they loved Christ more than they feared death.
In a sense, every martyr is a reflection of the Sacred Heart. The same love that burned within Christ's Heart began to burn within theirs.
Most of us will never be asked to die for the faith. But every one of us is called to live for it. We are asked to remain faithful when it is inconvenient. To choose truth when compromise would be easier. To forgive when resentment feels justified. To love Christ above comfort, popularity, and personal preference.
The witness of Marcellinus and Peter reminds us that sanctity is not reserved for the few. It begins whenever an ordinary Christian allows the love of Christ to take possession of his heart.
And perhaps the next time we hear their names spoken during the Roman Canon, we will remember that they are not simply names from ancient history, but we will ask for their intercession to be as courageous and convicted of the Faith as they were. They are witnesses that the love flowing from the Sacred Heart is powerful enough to transform ordinary believers into saints.
For that courage and fortitude, we ask:
Saint Marcellinius & Saint Peter, pray for us.