St. Peter Chanel, April 28
A French Marist priest, Peter Chanel arrived on the Pacific island of Futuna in 1837. When the king’s son asked for baptism, the king had Peter clubbed to death in 1841; within a few years the whole island was Christian. He is the first martyr of Oceania.
On the General Roman Calendar, April 28 is an optional memorial: Saint Peter Chanel, priest and martyr.
Other saints on April 28
- St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, priest (1716)
- St. Gianna Beretta Molla, physician and mother (1962)
Name days on April 28
In countries that keep name days, April 28 is the day for people named Gianna.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Gianna | April 28 |
April 28 on the calendar
April 28 is the 118th day of the year (the 119th in a leap year), with 247 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | Sunday |
Keeping April 28
April 28 falls in spring. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Gianna, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around April 28
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| April 25 | St. Mark |
| April 26 | St. Cletus |
| April 27 | St. Zita |
| April 29 | St. Catherine of Siena |
| April 30 | St. Pius V |
| May 1 | St. Joseph the Worker |
The day before, April 27, is the day of St. Zita. The day after, April 29, belongs to St. Catherine of Siena. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.