Main

St. Barbara, Great-Martyr, endured death A.D. 290 during the reign of Diocletian and Maximianus, Emperors.

Our venerable father, St. John Demascene, Doctor of the Church, born in Syria, educated by St. Comas, succeeded his father as the Caliph's Vizier.  He distributed his possessions among the poor, retired to the monastery of St. Sabbas at Jerusalem.  Laboring and writing much, he championed the Faith against the Iconoclast Emperor Leo the Isaurian, and was sentenced to have his right hand cut off.  It was miraculously restored by the Theotokos.  By him was composed the beautiful "Canon of the Resurrection." He lived to be 104 years old, died in the 2nd half of the 8th century A.D. (Between A.D. 750 - 780.)

Our venerable and divinely inspired father, St. Sabbas, Hegumen-Abbot. He rendered great service to the Eastern Church against the Eutychian heretics. He died at the age of 94 A.D. 532 in the reign of the Emperor Justinian the Great.

Eph 6:10-17

Lk 13:10-17

Born in Patara-Lycia in Asia Minor in the late 3rd century, our Holy Father Nicholas was ordained a priest at the age of 21 and led a simple life devoted to God and in service to the poor and needy. He later became Bishop of Myra in Lycia, and was a model of Christian living and leadership. Died 6 December 345.

Our holy father, Ambrose, Archbishop of Milan, is one of the four great Doctors of the Western Church. He was a great exegete and orator, by whom St. Augustine was converted and baptized. He died A.D. 387.

The Eastern Church has celebrated this feast since the 6th century to commemorate the Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna. The dogma of the Immaculate Conception (i.e., the preservation from the stain of original sin) was declared A.D. 1854.

Our venerable father, Patapius, was of Thebes, Egypt, lived as a Hermit in the suburbs of Constantinople.

SS. Menas, Victor, and Vincent, Martyrs, suffered martyrdom A.D. 296.

St. Stephenida, Martyr, endured death A.D. 213.

Our venerable father, Theodore Studite, Confessor, Hegumen-Abbot. He resisted the Iconoclast Emperor at Constantinople, was banished four times, and ended his days in exile, aged 80, A.D. 826.

Our venerable father, Daniel, Stylite, imitating St. Simeon in the mode of austere life, he spent 30 years on his pillar, miraculously healing many sick people. He died A.D. 492 at the age of 80.

Guadalupe means "crusher of the serpent's head." Revered as the Patroness of the Americas, Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to St. Juan Diego in December 1531, crushing the false gods of Mexico and offering faith, hope, and consolation to the oppressed.

Description:

Col 3:4-11

Lk 14:16-24

SS. Thrysus, Leucius, Philemon, Appollonius, Arianus, and Callinicus, Martyrs, suffered under the reign of Emperor Diocletian about A.D. 303.

St. Eleutherius, Bishop-Martyr, endured death A.D. 120 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

Our venerable father, Paul of Latra, was a holy hermit in Greece, about A.D. 880 in the reign of Basil Macedo, Emperor.

Father Stephen, Confessor, Abbot of Sodrozh.

St. Haggai, Prophet, the tenth of the Twelve Minor Prophets, is believed to have been born during the exile in Babylon, and that he lived to see the second temple 516 B.C.

St. Daniel, and the Three Youths, SS. Hannaniah, Azariah, and Mischael. Daniel is the Fourth of the Four Great Prophets. He died a centenarian in Persia in the 5th century B.C. The Three Youths were cast into the fiery furnace by the order of King Nebuchadnesar of Babylon but miraculously came out unscathed. (Dan. 3)

SS. Sebastian and Companions were put to death A.D. 292 during the reign of Diocletian, Emperor.

St. Boniface, Martyr, put to death A.D. 290 in the reign of Diocletian, Emperor.

St. Ignatius, "God-Bearer," Priest-Martyr Bishop at Antioch. (For his other Feast see January 29.)

Heb 11:9-10 & 32-40

Mt 1:1-25

St. Juliana, Virgin-Martyr from Nicomedia, was beheaded A.D. 306 in the reign of Maximinian, Emperor.

St. Anastasia, Venerable Martyr from Rome is said to have been a nun of the community presidedover by St. Sophia.  She was brought before Probus during the persecution of Valerian, Emperor, and undergoing the most frightful tortures and outrages was beheaded A.D. 253.

SS. Abram, Hermit of Edessa and Mary, his niece, died about A.D. 360.

SS. Ten Martyrs at Crete, suffered martyrdom under the Emperor Diocletian.

SS. Eugenia, Venerable Martyr, and her two slaves, Protus and Hyacinth, by whom she was converted to Christianity. She was put to death in prison at Rome on Christmas Day A.D. 257 in the reign of Valerian, Emperor.

Holy Day of Obligation

Gal 4:4-7

Mt 2:1-12

Synaxis of the Theotokos and St. Joseph, her Spouse.  The flight of the holy Family into Egypt is commemorated this day.  St. Joseph was the Foster-Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Beyond what we learn of him from Holy Scripture, the facts of his life are unknown to us.

St. Euthymius, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Sardis in Lydia.  After repeated banishments for his opposition to the Iconoclasts he was scourged to death A.D. 840 under the Emperor Theophilus.

St. Stephen, Protomartyr, Apostle and Archdeacon, was the first of the Seven Deacons, and also the first of the Christian Martyrs.  He was stoned to death A.D. 33 by the Jews (Acts 7.58).  (For the other Feast Day see August 2.)

Our venerable father and confessor, Theodore, brother of St. Theophanes, and composer of the Canons.  For his opposition to the Iconoclasts, Theodore was imprisoned, where he died A.D. 842.

Gal 1:11-19

Mt 2:13-23

SS. 20,000 Martyrs in Nicomedia, who were burned to death in church on Christmas Day A.D. 286 during the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, Emperors.

The Holy Innocents, 14,000 in number, in Bethlehem and within the borders of Judea, put to death for Jesus Christ by the order of King Herod.

Our venerable father, Marcellus, Hegumen-Abbot of the monastic order of the Acoemetes, so named because they recited their Divine Office day and night without interruption.  He died about A.D. 485.

St. Anysia, a Christian woman, was arrested at Thessalonica when she entered the city to attend the meeting of the Faithful and was put to death A.D. 304 in the reign of the Emperor Maximian Galerius.

Venerable Zoticus, a holy priest of Rome who went to Constantinople where he established hospitals and havens of refuge for poor A.D. 344.

Venerable, Melany, a Roman Lady, who with her husband sold their possessions, distributed the proceeds to the poor and went into monasteries. She died A.D. 439.