Viewing all items in Resource Category: Holy Days

During the 18th century many people in England were involved in the campaign to abolish the slave trade.  The CofE remembers especially William Wilberforce, Olaudah Equiano and Thomas Clarkson – three very different but all tireless campaigners against the evil practice. Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846) was an Anglican clergyman and one of the most prominent of...

Have you ever suffered from gossip? Ever discovered that people are saying some really wild things about you?  If so, Joseph of Arimathea would understand – and sympathise with you.  This decent, godly man of the gospels seems to have fired the imaginations of all sorts of odd people down the centuries. Joseph was a...

Editor: This month includes the following special days.  As saints’ days do not change from year to year, these have appeared on this site before.  The one with the asterisk is new to the site this year. 1          Justin Martyr – first ever Christian philosopher 2          Erasmus – a good saint for when you’re...

…. the first ever Christian philosopher Justin Martyr (c. 100 – 165), is regarded as the first ever Christian philosopher. He was born at Nablus, Samaria, to parents of Greek origin, and was well educated in rhetoric, poetry and history before he turned to philosophy. He studied at Ephesus and Alexandria and tried the schools...

… a good saint when you’re all at sea Do you like messing about in boats? If so, then you’ll have heard of St Elmo’s Fire. It is the light that is sometimes seen on mastheads of boats after storms at sea. St Elmo is another name for St Erasmus, a fourth century Syrian bishop...

… defying the Kabaka The Ugandan Church had dozens of martyrs within just ten years of Christianity arriving there. At first, it had gone so well:  the first Anglican missionaries arriving in Uganda in 1877 were welcomed by the Kabaka (king) of Buganda, Mutesa. Mutesa also welcomed the Roman Catholics and Muslim Arabs, and, being...

… the founder of Padstow If you would like to be in Cornwall this summer in search of peace and quiet, Petroc is the saint for you. Especially if you used to find Padstow a bit too crowded for your liking! He would have sympathised. This 6th century abbot is Cornwall’s most famous saint. Petroc...

… the first Christian in Brittany? If you would love to be in Brittany for your holiday this summer, then spare a thought for Gudwal, because this obscure 6th century Celtic abbot got there before you did.  Indeed, Gudwal seems to have liked Brittany so much that he decided to stay on. When you visit...

…. celebrating our God who is Three Persons Trying to explain the doctrine of the Trinity has kept many a theologian busy down the centuries.  One helpful picture is to imagine the sun shining in the sky. The sun itself – way out there in space, and unapproachable in its fiery majesty – is the...

…there is no Christianity  The Trinity is easier to say than to explain. Christians believe in one God, made up of three equal Persons. It is fundamental to the Nicene Creed, which sets out the definitive doctrine of the Trinity for more than two billion Christians worldwide, including all Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans,...

A victim of injustice Have you ever been the victim of someone else’s malice and ambition? Then William of York (d 1154) is the saint for you. William Fitzherbert was born into a noble family, with royal connections. He was also smart – appointed treasurer of York at a young age, and also as a...

Missionary to the UK In 563 AD St Columba sailed from Ireland to Iona – a tiny island off Mull, in the Western Highlands. He brought Christianity with him. Columba (c. 521 -97) was born in Donegal of the royal Ui Neill clan, and he trained as a monk. He founded the monasteries of Derry...