St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, October 16
A Visitation nun at Paray-le-Monial, France, Margaret Mary (1647-1690) received visions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus between 1673 and 1675. With the help of St. Claude de la Colombière, she spread the devotion of the First Fridays. She was canonized in 1920; St. Hedwig is also remembered today.
On the General Roman Calendar, October 16 is an optional memorial: Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin.
Other saints on October 16
- St. Hedwig, duchess of Silesia (1243)
- St. Gerard Majella, Redemptorist (1755)
Name days on October 16
In countries that keep name days, October 16 is the day for people named Hedwig and Gerard. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Hedwig | October 16 |
| Gerard | October 16 |
October 16 on the calendar
October 16 is the 289th day of the year (the 290th in a leap year), with 76 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | Monday |
| 2029 | Tuesday |
| 2030 | Wednesday |
Keeping October 16
October 16 falls in October, the month of the rosary. 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 Hedwig and Gerard, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around October 16
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| October 13 | St. Edward the Confessor |
| October 14 | St. Callistus I |
| October 15 | St. Teresa of Ávila |
| October 17 | St. Ignatius of Antioch |
| October 18 | St. Luke |
| October 19 | Sts. John de Brébeuf, Isaac Jogues and Companions |
The day before, October 15, is the day of St. Teresa of Ávila. The day after, October 17, belongs to St. Ignatius of Antioch. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.