Viewing all items in Resource Category: Holy Days
Featuring the Saints whose feast-day is this month
- After St Paul, who was the most influential Christian writer ever? St Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430), whose feast-day is on 28th August. He lived and wrote in a time of social and spiritual chaos. The Roman Empire was collapsing, the world was about to slide into the dark ages and the Church was...28th August Augustine of Hippo – the Christian for all seasons
- When you go back to work after the August Bank Holiday this month, spare a thought for John the Baptist: however rough your local sandwich bar may be, it probably doesn’t serve you locusts with a honey dip; you won’t be imprisoned for saying derogatory things about the local MP’s wife, and even the boss...29th August The beheading of St John the Baptist
- After the Bible, John Bunyan’s wonderful Christian allegory, the Pilgrim’s Progress, is one of the most celebrated and widely-read books in the English language. It has been translated into more than one hundred languages around the world and keeps its place as a Christian classic. Names of people and places from its pages have been...30th August John Bunyan – the man who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress
- 31st August is the feast of St Aidan, who brought Christianity to northern England. He is a strong contender for the title of the first English bishop. Not that honours meant a great deal to this austere but captivating character. In 635 he came to Northumbria at the invitation of the local ruler, Oswald. Oswald...31st August Aidan – the man who brought Christianity to England
- Raymond Nonnatus (1204 – 40) is a good patron saint for anyone who does not take life for granted. The account of his own life begins with the story of how his mother died just before his birth, and of how Raymond was somehow extracted from her dead body just in time to save him....31st August Raymond Nonnatus – redeeming slaves from a living death
- High Days and Holy Days for July As saints’ days do not change from year to year, most of these have appeared on this site before. The one with an asterisk is new this year. For the first half of each year (Advent to Whitsuntide) our focus is on what God has done for man,...High Days and Holy Days for July (all articles)
- 1st July St Theobald – choosing God, not money If you are thinking of turning your back on wealth and privilege, in order to do something you feel God is calling you to do, St Theobald (1017 – 1066) may be the saint for you. He was born into an aristocratic family at Provins in...1st July St Theobald – choosing God, not money
- 2nd July St John Francis Regis – patron saint for relief workers Do you ever admire relief workers? Those hardy folk regularly appear on our TV screens, actively seeking out the disease-ridden, starving, destitute people of the world, instead of avoiding them, as most of us try and do. John Francis Regis (1597 – 1640)...2nd July St John Francis Regis – patron saint for relief workers
- 3rd July St Thomas the Apostle – confused and doubting Thomas, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, was an impulsive, confused, honest sceptic. Jesus could understand and work with such a man. Thomas’ impulsiveness was evident when Jesus prepared to visit Lazarus in Bethany. It was a dangerous trip to make, because of the Jews,...3rd July St Thomas the Apostle – confused and doubting
- 4th July St Elizabeth of Portugal – compassion for prostitutes St. Elizabeth of Portugal (1271 – 1336) could be the patron saint of all well-to-do women who have compassionate hearts. As wife of Denis, the King of Portugal, Elizabeth became a byword for her acts of piety and charity to the poor. She founded...4th July St Elizabeth of Portugal – compassion for prostitutes
- 6th July Thomas More, Reformation martyr These days, lawyers and politicians are held in the lowest esteem by the public, along with tabloid journalists and estate agents. St Thomas More was both a lawyer and politician, who is today much admired for holding steadfastly to his faith-based principles. He lived in dangerous times, when anyone,...6th July Thomas More, Reformation martyr
- 7th July St Boisil of Melrose – patron saint for ordinands? Have you ever noticed how life-enhancing good ministers are? St. Boisil (d.c.661) should be their patron saint. He did nothing spectacular, but he did everything that mattered. Boisil was a monk who became abbot of Melrose, in the Irish monastic tradition. Boisil knew about...7th July St Boisil of Melrose – patron saint for ordinands?