Ascent of the Saints

INTRODUCTION

Saints whose lineage is known is a work that shows the relationship of the Saints parentage, Grandparentage, Great Grandparentage etc.... in an attempt to show the relationship to the Saint.

Saints Who Left Descendents, my previous work, included all the Saints that could be considered bloodline saints.  All these Saints left descendents and were the direct ancestors of the royalty, and so about one of three Americans.  It is said that one of three Americans can prove descent from some sort of royalty.  The Saints in the work Saints Who Left Descendents are these Americans ancestors.

Many and very probably most of the Saints however did not have children, but were monks, nuns, hermits, clergy, etc...  all of which left no children.  This work will attempt to include all the Saints whose parentage is known, or at least all the Saints who can be identified in a tree format, such as a family tree.  Many Kings and Queens sons and daughters became saints, and these saints left no children.  However the relationship to the King and Queen is known through their ancestors.  Following parentage up many generations is sometimes required to bring the relationship of the Saint to an ancestor whose descendents are known to be the royalty of the European Continent.  However, in most cases a sibling’s descendents are known, or Grandparents descendents are known.

Each Saint cited will include the feast day if known, the parentage or ancestry of the Saint, and a brief description of why this person attained canonization, or if not canonized why this person was called a Saint.  A brief examination of their ancestry is presented, and which branch of the tree the saint is related to.

There are numerous ways to climb the tree and arrive at any particular Saint, and the tree is joined at various places by marriage.  However certain families of Saints are related to each other.  These families are interrelated thru descent from the sons of Noah, and of course the Israelites who are descended from Abraham.  Also each saint is born in a certain country, and the lines of division in Europe and other countries are defined by the people’s faith and veneration of the saints in each country.  So, the timeline of Saints by country is important to consider as the evangelization of each country or conversion of the country to Christianity has occurred at different times in history.

Of course Christianity being based on Judaism and being centered in Rome, shows the conflict that has occurred in countries as the civilization of Rome, coupled with the religious impact of Christianity and the occurrence of a Saint.  The conflict in Jerusalem in 70 AD, which destroyed the temple and made Israel subject to the Roman Empire shows the divisions that have occurred as each country in history that is converted to Christianity and a Saint is made in Rome that is credited with the conversion of a Country.  The occurrence of a Saint in the Country, and relationship to the branches of the tree where the Country is defined in its people defines the influence in Rome of the Country.  Certainly a Country such as the USA that is merely 229 years old does not have the past to compete with the Saints in Rome that have been in existence for centuries for some other countries that are much older.  Since the Conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity with the life of Constantine the Great many Saints have been canonized.

Clearly the conflict in Jerusalem that occurred in 70 AD was turned around at this point with the philosophical persuasion of the underground Christian faction that eventually converted the Roman empire and the formation of the European States that had feudal warfare for centuries as Christianity continued to grow as a major world religion.  As each state was formed and the King, or power that was in power came to the realization that his people needed to be ruled with compassion and equity, the defining influence of the past people that came before became important to the character of the country.

The influence of the lines of David and Israel, the lines of Abraham the lines of Noah have defined the character of each nation.  Of course the European nations, where Christian Civilization is much older than nations in the New World have more to consider in the timeline of the existence of the country.  The New World Nations civilization has existed since Spain, England, France, and Portugal occupied the New world and split it into separate countries. Each one of these countries has had their martyrs and religious Saints that are venerated in each country.  Many of these saints origins were in Europe, but their canonization cannot be more than about 400 years old.  However in 1971 The seven hundred year anniversary of the fabled King of France Saint Louis was celebrated.  Certainly a recently sainted King of a European country is much older than any New World Saint could ever be.  Therefore the study of the branches of the tree the individuals in this work will focus mainly on the Old World Sainted, in reference to the European roots and the lines that reach back into the Old Testament Time Period, although many of the lines are not mentioned in the writings that are held sacred.

Because one of three Americans can trace their lineage to old world Royalty and the Royalty is interrelated this work will attempt to show not only those Saints whose lineage is known and can be found in a branch of the tree, but also the main branches of the tree and the families of Saints that are interrelated.  Clarifying which branch each saint is connected to and a chapter on the origin of each branch of the tree that is known will lead to an understanding of the tree and an interpretation of the Israelites, or Sons of Noah, or descendents of Abraham. 

The work Saints Who Left Descendents traces all the saints who are what could be termed as Bloodline Saints, or Saints whose blood is likely flowing thru all of the New World peoples who can show some connection to European origin.  This work, Saints in the Tree, will focus on all the Saints whose lineage can be traced by first climbing the tree to find an ancestor whose descendents line can be traced.  The tables in the book will show the families of the Saints, the countries of the Saints, the Feast days the Saints are celebrated and the most general listing the timeline of the Saints Origin. 

Format Explanation

Each Saint has an entry for the feast day that the saint is celebrated. 

Following that the date the saint was born or died is given. 

Next the family of the saint is given with entries for the Father, Mother, Spouse and Siblings and descendents if any.

The section ancestors explain what ancestors are known about this saint, if any.

The section Branches of the Tree explains the branch of the tree where the saint resides and the other saints and or Kings or Queens or Emperors that are close to the Saint in the tree, usually within three generations.

The last section of the page explains the biography.

Because this work has no Saints who left  descendents (or at least no saints who left more than one or two generations of descendents and the line died out ) in most cases had enough descendents to trace lineage to a living person, these saints were all hermits, Bishops, Priests, or Kings whose line became extinct.  So the ancestry of the Saint is followed going up the tree until an ancestor is known whose lineage is traceable to descendents (one out of three Americans.)  To find the saint in this book one must go up the Tree and then find a branch that goes down a few generations.  In some cases the lines going down may be as long as twenty or more generations, but in most cases it is one or two and in very rare cases in excess of seven.

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NOTES ON THE AVAILABLE GEDCOM

Please see page 201 of this book to see the offer for the Gedcom file on CD.  This is a file that contains the genealogy information referred to in this book.  The information is in a file that can only be opened by a genealogy or family tree type of program.  There are free genealogy programs available on the internet on some sites.  Please write the author for more information.  Unfortunately the gedcom file is very large and so is difficult if not impossible to email.  It is a research gedcom, with most of the sources not listed.  However if you are interested in all the spaces in-between a Saint and a King or Queen or Bishop or Pope, then the gedcom is something worth having.  Many genealogy programs can list the relationship between two individuals in the file, such as 40 generations up or 34th cousins etc....

The gedcom represents about three years of work finding the information.  Much of the information is undocumented, and is difficult to prove.  However much of the information can be backed up by historical research.  Many of the royal lines are documented, and many of the roman lines are documented.  Of course any source can be refuted, and in genealogy many people take sides on whose documentation is to be respected.  I will leave it to the reader to speculate about the truth of the genealogy lines.  It is sufficient for the author to say that none of the information in this book, or any other book the author has written, is fabricated in any way.  All the information was found on the internet or on books written about the Saints.  On the internet many sources were listed on much of the information.

Finding the information has been very entertaining.  Many of the written and copyrighted books on the Saints give a clue such as the parentage, or the siblings, or aunts or uncles of the Saint.  Using the internet to find the parents, or the relationship has proven enjoyable.  Any link to a Saint that can be found relating to the lineage and or descent of the Saint makes the Saint eligible for inclusion in this book.  If the Saint left descendents and their line continued, that Saint would be eligible for inclusion in the book Saints Who Left Descendents and Their Ancestry, also available from the author. 

Saints of the years 0-300

TABLE THREE  EARLY SAINTS

Time in History

Time of Writing the Bible to the Roman Empire becoming the Holy Roman Empire.  Many of the Church Martyrs who became Saints lived during this time.  Jerusalem fell to the Romans about 70 AD.

5 BC Jesus of Nazareth is born

33 The resurrection of Jesus

46 Paul begins missionary journeys

64 Nero burns Rome

70 The destruction of Jerusalem

81 Domitian persecution begins

98 Trajan persecution begins

100 Justin Martyr is born

110 Martyrdom of Ignatius

117 Hadrian persecution begins

130 Conversion of Justin

130 Irenaeus is born

135 Justin writes Dialogue

138 Antonius Pius persecution begins

c150 Justin's writes First Apology

150 Clement of Alexandria is born

155 Martyrdom of Polycarp

155 Tertullian is born

161 Marcus Aurelius persecution begins

163 Martyrdom of Justin

178 Iranaeus is bishop of Lyon

178 Celsus writes True Reason

185 Iraneaus writes Agaist Heresies

185 Origen is born

193 Septimus Severus persecution begins

196 Tertullian begins to write

200 Clement begins to write

200 Cyprian is born

211 First era of peace begins

220 Origen begins to write

230 Church at Dura-Europas built

248 Cyprian is bishop of Carthage

248 Origen writes Contra Celsus

251 Anthony is born

255 Rebaptism controversy

257 Valerian persecution begins

260 Second era of peace begins

260 Eusebius is born

264 Councils at Antioch

269 Anthony goes into the desert

286 Pachomius is born

POPES

* St. Peter (32-67), Matthew 16:18  * St. Linus (67-76), 2Timothy 4:21

* St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)    * St. Clement I (88-97), Philippians 4:3

* St. Evaristus (97-105)       * St. Alexander I (105-115)

* St. Sixtus I (115-125)      * St. Telesphorus (125-136)

* St. Hyginus (136-140)      * St. Pius I (140-155)

* St. Anicetus (155-166)       * St. Soter (166-175)

* St. Eleutherius (175-189)    * St. Victor I (189-199)

* St. Zephyrinus (199-217)     * St. Callistus I (217-22)

* St. Urban I (222-30)       * St. Pontain (230-35)

* St. Anterus (235-36)       * St. Fabian (236-50)

* St. Cornelius (251-53)       * St. Lucius I (253-54)

* St. Stephen I (254-257)     * St. Sixtus II (257-258)

* St. Dionysius (260-268)    * St. Felix I (269-274)

* St. Eutychian (275-283)     * St. Caius (283-296)

* St. Marcellinus (296-304)

Saint Zaccaeus

Country:  Israel          Date: 116

Family:  Father:  Simon    Mother: Unknown 

Spouse: Unknown     Siblings: Unknown  Children:  Mathias 5th Bishop of Jerusalem, Tobias 8th Bishop of Jerusalem, Ephres 13th Bishop of Jerusalem

Ancestors: The line leads to Simon son of Saint Joseph

Branches of the Tree:  this branch is around Saint Joseph.

Biography: Also known as Zacharias he was described by Saint Epiphanius and others as the fourth Episcopal head of Jerusalem.  He died about 116.

Saint Joseph of Arimathea

Feastday: March 17

Date:  50

Family:

Parents: Father- Mathat  Mother- Unknown

Wife:Unknown

Children:  Anna of Arimathea

Ancestry:

From the line listed in the Gospel According to Luke Nathan son of David is an ancestor so also David, Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.  Also the Israelites Levi, Zebulon, and Joseph.

Descendents:

Saint Adele of Blois, Saint Cunigunda, Saint David I of Scotland, Saint Edgar the Peaceful, Saint Ethelbert, Saint Ethelreda, Saint Fernando III of Spain, Saint Leopold III, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Olav, Saint Sexburga.  King of Naples Charles II, King of England Edward I, King of France Phillip IV, and King of Scotland William the Lion.

Biography:

Saint Joseph of Arimathea was the councilor (Lk 23:50) who requested the body of Christ from Pontius Pilate, after the Crucifixion, and provided for a proper burial for Christ. Joseph was termed in the New Testament the virtuous and righteous man (Lk 23:50) An immensely popular figure in Christian lore, and the man who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God (Mk 15:43). Described as secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, [he] asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it" (In 19:38). He also was a prominent figure in the legends surrounding the Holy Grail, appearing in Rob­ert de Barron’s early thirteenth-century romance Joseph d ‘Arimathea, William of Malmesbury’s twelfth-century De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae, and Thomas Mallory’s famed Morte D ‘Arthur. William of Almesbury’s tale recounts Joseph’s arrival in England with the Holy Grail and the building of the first church on the isle at Glastonbury; the passage on Joseph, however, was added in the thirteenth century. According to the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, he helped establish the community of Lydda.

Saint Flavius Clemens

Date:  1st Century  c. 96  Feastday:  June 22

Family:

Parents:  Father:  unknown  Mother:  unknown  Spouse: Flavia Domitilla Saint  Children:  T Flavius Titianus Praefect Egypt  Siblings:  Emperor Vespasian

Ancestry:  Unknown

Descendents:  Saint Margaret of Scotland, Saint Louis IX, Saint Raymond Berenger, Saint John Southwell,  Saint Hedwig, Saint Edward the Confessor, Saint Leutwinus, and at least 54 other saints in the file Saints in the Tree are Descendents.

Biography:  He was martyred as a Christian when the Emperor Domitian learned of his faith and he was beheaded.  He was uncle to the successors of Vespasian Titus and Domitian.

Saint Domitilla

Date:  1st Century  Feastday:  May 12

Family:

Parents:  Father:  Q. Petillius Cerealis Consul  Mother:  Flavia Domitilla  Spouse: Titus Flavius Clemens Saint  Children:  T Flavius Titianus Praefect Egypt  Siblings:  None

Ancestry:  Not more than parentage is known.  Her mother was the sister to Emperor Domitian.

Descendents:  Saint Margaret of Scotland, Saint Louis IX, Saint Raymond Berenger, Saint John Southwell,  Saint Hedwig, Saint Edward the Confessor, Saint Leutwinus, and at least 54 other saints in the file Saints in the Tree are Descendents.

Biography:  In the year 96 Saint Domitilla’s husband was martyred and she was banished to the island of Pandatania in the Tyrrhenian Sea for her faith. Her husband was a roman consul.

Saint Simeon

Date: 1st Century (107)    Feastday: Feb 18

Family:

Parents:  Father: Cleophas  Mother:  Sister to Virgin Mary  Spouse: Unknown

Siblings:  unknown 

Ancestry: Of the house of David because Cleophas was the brother to Saint Joseph.

Branch of the Tree:   Vicinity of Saint Joseph.

Biography:  Saint Simeon would have been the first cousin to the Lord, due to his Father being the uncle of the Lord.  Successor to James as Bishop of Jerusalem after Saint James was Martyred.  Warned of the destruction of Jerusalem in 66 he led a group of Christians to Pella until it was safe.  Arrested by Roman Govenor Atticus under Emperor Trajan he was tortured and crucified when he was over one hundred years old.  Saint Simeon escaped the order to destroy all of Jewish Origin under Emperors Vespasian and Domitian.  He may have been Simeon the Zealot an apostle.

Saint Cyllin of Siluria

Date:  100

Family:

Parents:  Father- Caradoc of Siluria

Wife: Unknown

Children:  Prince Coel of Siluria

Ancestry:

Ancestors that were the Kings of Siluria.  Generations previous to this they were the Kings of Britain.  The line then goes back to Zerah, whose father is Judah.  This line also marries Anna Arimathea who is the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea.  A little know fact of the biblical character of Joseph of Arimathea is that he is the son of Mathat, who is in the line of Nathan that is listed in the New Testament book of Luke.  So Saint Cyllin is descended from the Davidic line of Nathan and so from Judah thru Perez, and also as previously mentioned thru Judah’s son Zerah.  Saint Cyllin is the Ancestor of Saint Helen of the Cross. 

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Descendents:

Saint Adelaide of Italy, Saint Adele Austarasia, Saint Adele Blois, Saint Arnulf Bishop of Metz, Saint Beggue, Saint Cloduplh bishop of Metz, Saint Cunigunda, Saint Dagobert II King of the Franks, Saint David and Saint Margaret of Scotland, Saint Edgar the Peaceful, Saint Helenus of the Cross, Saint Constantine the Great, Saint Fernando III of Spain, Saint Leopold of Austria, Saint Henry II of Germany, Saint Lazlo, Saint Ida of Austria, Saint Luitwin, Saint Louis IX, Saint Olav II of Norway, Saint Raymond Berenger, and Saint Sigebert II King of the Franks are all descendents.  Blessed Charlemange, blessed Gisele married Saint Stephen, and blessed Humbert are also descendents.  Kings include Edward III Plantagenet, as most of the English Kings are descendents.  Portugals King Alphonso Enriquez and of course all the French Kings are descended from Charlemange who was mentioned earlier.  Maria Princess of Germany and King of Naples Charles the Second as well as William of Scotland are all Descendents.

Biography:

Father of Prince Cole of Siluria. 

Baptized by the Apostle Paul with his grandfather, father, and brother.  First of the Cymry who gave infants names.  Previously only adults got names.

Saint Gregory the Enlightened

Feastday: September 30

Date: b 240  d .326

Family:

Parents:  Unknown

Wife:  Unknown

Children:  Yusik Patriach of the Armenian Church

Ancestry:

Even parentage is unknown.

Descendents:

Saint Fernando III is a descendent.  Also Edward I Longshanks King of England is a descendent.  Edward III and Edward IV Plantagenet are also descendents, with Thomas Prince of England.  Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham is also a descendent.  Also William X Duke of Aquitane.  Konstantinos Emperor of Byzantium is a descendent.

Biography:

Surnamed the Illuminator, Gregory the Enlightener is of unknown origins.  Anok a Parthian who murdered King Khosrov I or Armenia may be his father, the murder happening when Gregory was a baby.  Gregory, smuggled to Caesarea, was baptized, and had two sons after marriage.  He was smuggled as the dying Khosrov’s ordered to murder the entire family.  Tiridates, King Khosrov’s son, regained his father’s throne, and Gregory was permitted to return.  Support of the Armenian Christians and his conversion activities incurred the King’s displeasure.  Tiridates was converted to Christianity in time by Gregory and the Official religion of Armenia became Christianity.  Consecrated bishop of Ashtishat, Gregory set about organizing the Church in Armenia.  Evangelization and building a native clergy working untiringly was what kept Gregory busy as bishop.  When his son Aristakes was consecrated to the episcopate he set into motion the process that made his See a hereditary position.  Gregory then retired to a hermitage on Mount Manyea in Taron and remained there until his death.  Miracles and Extravagant legends were attributed to him, many becoming celebrated feasts by the Armenians.  Gregory the Enlightener is considered the apostle of Armenia.  Feast day is September 30th.

He is the ancestor of  Saint Narses Pahlav.

Saint Linus Bishop of Rome

Feastday: September 23      Date: c 67

Family:  Father: Caradoc Ap Bran King Of Britain  Mother: Eurgain

Spouse:  Unknown    Siblings: Gladys (Claudia) Britain; Eurgen Of Llan Ilid Saint; Cyllin (Coellyn or Cyllinus) ap Caradog Saint

Country:  England

Ancestors: Ancestors that were the Kings of Siluria.  Generations previous to this they were the Kings of Britain.  The line then goes back to Zerah, whose father is Judah.  This line also marries Anna Arimathea who is the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea.  A little know fact of the biblical character of Joseph of Arimathea is that he is the son of Mathat, who is in the line of Nathan that is listed in the New Testament book of Luke.  So Saint Cyllin is descended from the Davidic line of Nathan and so from Judah thru Perez, and also as previously mentioned thru Judah’s son Zerah.  Saint Cyllin is the Ancestor of Saint Helen of the Cross.  Israelites Judah, Levi, Zebulon and Joseph are all ancestors of King David.

Branches of the Tree :  This is the branch of the tree right on top of Saint Paul, Rufus Pudens (husband of Gladys).

Biography: He is mentioned in the second letter to Timothy. The second pope was Saint Linus about the years 67. St. Peter gave the papal seat to Saint Linus according to Saint Ireanus. He is mentioned in the second letter to Timothy.*

Saint Claudia

Feastday: August 7        Date: 1st Century

Family:  Father:  Unknown       Mother: Unknown

Spouse:  Caradoc Ap Bran King Of Britain    Siblings: Unknown

Children: Eurgaine Of Btitain; Gladys (Claudia) Britain; Cyllin (Coellyn or Cyllinus) ap Caradog; Saint Eurgen Of Llan Ilid, Saint Linus; Bishop Of Rome Saint

Country:  Britain

Ancestors:.  Unknown

Branches of the Tree This branch of the tree has Saint Linus Bishop of Rome as a descendent of Saint Claudia.

Biography: Tradition has Saint Claudia the daughter of British King Caractacus. He was sent to Rome with his family in chains and enslaved when he was defeated by Aulus Plautius. Claudia was the mother of Linus, who became the second Pope.  When King Caractuacus was released by Emperor Claudius, one of his daughters took the name Claudia, remained in Rome.  She was baptized, and is the Claudia mentioned in St. Paul's second letter to Timothy.  This is one tradition. Another tradition has her the daughter of a British ally of Claudius, a man named Cogidubnus, who took the Emperor's name. Still another tradition states that Martial mentions a British lady, Claudia Rufina, and says she was married to his friend Aulus Pudens, a Roman senator. Another tradition has this senator the Pudens also mentioned in St. Paul's second letter to Timothy. Her feast day is August 7.*

Saint Paul

Feastday: June 29        Date: 1st Century 

Patron of Catholic Action, Kavala Greece, Lay apostate, Malta, Poona Poland

Family:  Father: Unknown    Mother:  Priscilla

Spouse:  Unknown        Siblings: Unknown

Country:    Israel

Ancestors: Priscilla is an ancestor, and Benjamin the Israelite is an ancestor.

Branches of the Tree: Priscilla married Rufus Pudens, although he may not be the father of Saint Paul.  Saint Rufus’s father was Pudens who married Gladys so from there go up three generations to Bran the Blessed and Anna of Arimathea.  The Apostle Paul is very near in this branch of the tree.

Biography: Saint Paul is probably one of the major Saints of the bible.  He has always been associated with the Gentiles.  It is in the scriptures where St. Paul, the indefatigable Apostle of the Gentiles, was converted from Judaism on the road to Damascus. He was converted and then he remained some days in Damascus after his Baptism.  Saint Paul then went to Arabia, possibly for a year or two to prepare himself for his future missionary activity. It is difficult to trace the travels of St. Paul in the early church.  This is a summary of some of his travels. Having returned to Damascus, Saint Paul stayed there for a time, preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For this he incurred the dislike of the Jews and Saint Paul had to flee from the city. He then went to Jerusalem to see Peter and pay his homage to the head of the Church there in Jerusalem. Later St. Paul went back to his native Tarsus, where he began to evangelize his own province.  He stayed there until he was called by Barnabus to Antioch. After only about one year, on the occasion of a famine, both Barnabus and Paul were sent with alms to the poor Christian community at Jerusalem. After having stayed a time they fulfilled their mission they returned to Antioch. Paul and Barnabus made the first missionary journey, consisting of many stops, including visiting the island of Cypress, then Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Lycaonia. All sees missionary stops were in Asia Minor, and he established churches at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Paul, accompanied by Silas and later also by Timothy and Luke, after the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem, made his second missionary journey. St. Paul first revisited the churches previously established by him in Asia Minor, and then passed through Galatia. It was at Troas that a vision of a Macedonian was seen by Paul. This vision impressed him as a call from God to evangelize in Macedonia. Therefore he accordingly sailed for Europe, and preached the Gospel in Philippi. Beroea, Corinth, Athens, and Thessalonica. Then he returned to Antioch by way of Ephesus and Jerusalem. On his third missionary journey, Paul revisited nearly the same regions as on the second trip, but made Ephesus the center of his missionary activity where he remained nearly three years.  He made plans also for another