HEAVENLY
BRICKS

St. Agatha is one of the many early virgin martyrs, and one of several who is mentioned by name in the eucharistic prayer. In classic hagiographic humor, she is a patron saint of wet nurses, owing to her breasts being torn off as part of the tortures she underwent. Lifetime:  ~231 to ~251 Region:  Sicily Patronages:  Breast cancer; natural disasters; jewelers; Wet nurses Iconograpy:  Tongs; Severed breasts; Palm of martyrdom Feast Day:  February 3 Agatha was a beautiful girl, but very early in her life she consecrated herself to God, vowing that she would have no husband other than Christ. However, because of her beauty, many men continued to try to woo her despite her vows. One of these men was a high-ranking diplomat who thought that because of his political power he could force Agatha to marry him. He proposed to her many times, but Agatha always said no, and that she had dedicated herself only to God. The diplomat grew increasingly angry that his advances were rejected. Eventually

Bl. Justo Takayama was a samurai who was exiled for refusing to recant his catholic faith. He was also a daimyo, the feudal lord of a regional land in the shogunate era in Japan (fans of the Disney+ series Book of Boba Fett  may recognize the term from that show too). Lifetime:  1552 to 1615 Region:  Nara Prefecture, Japan; Manila, Philippines Patronages:  Japanese immigrants; Persecuted Christians Iconograpy:  Crucifix; Sword; Samurai armor Feast Day:  February 3 Justo Takayama is known by many names. His birth name was Hikogoro Takayama. When he was baptized, he added Justo to his name, after St. Justin Martyr . When he became an adult, he earned the name Shigetomo. He is also known as Takayama Ukon (or Ukon-dono), as well as Dom Justo Takayama, with Dom and Ukon being affectionate honorific titles. He's known by other names as well, and the Lord Takayama Jubilee Foundation  documents his many names and their meaning, purpose, and ways of writing. Justo was born the oldest son a