Part II

Put to the Test

In this part . . .

The lives of would-be saints weren’t without trials; many were persecuted and even killed for standing up for their faith, while many more faced battles with their own individual weaknesses. Whether living a life of total celibacy and chastity (consecrated virgins) in service to the Church or dealing with unpleasant, unhappy, difficult, painful, and almost unbearable obstacles, these saintly men and women are equally honored.

In this part, we look at how some of the saints overcame obstacles and their own weaknesses, and we also look at the peculiar phenomenon of the incorruptibles — those saints whose bodies stayed wholly or partly undecayed, regardless of how long they’d been dead. Other saints we examine are the brave men and women who suffered a martyr’s death, as well as the holy virgins and religious women who faithfully served their God with every fiber of their being.