27th March - Saint Matthew of Beauvais
Matthew said to them, “I give my life to Him who laid down His for mankind.” And with that, he was immediately beheaded.
Matthew was a crusader and martyr. A native of Beauvais, France, he took the cross from Bishop Roger of Beauvais and set off as a member of the First Crusade which had been called by Pope Urban II to free the Holy land of Islamic domination. While on the crusade, he was captured by the Saracens, (which were the Arab Muslims) tortured and imprisoned with other Christians. When he refused to abjure the Christian faith, he was beheaded. (Catholic Online)
