Viewing all items in Resource Category: Holy Days

St Giles was an immensely popular saint in the Middle Ages, and no wonder:  he was the patron saint of cripples.  In those days, there were many people who, once injured, were never really whole again.  Even today, a serious injury – either physical or mental or emotional, can leave us damaged for months, years...

The Anglican Church in Australia still honours the New Guinea Martyrs of 1942.  These brave men and women, 10 Australians and two Papuans, refused to leave their missionary work on the island as the Japanese military forces advanced.  As one tribute to them put it: ‘They knowing full well the risk, elected to stay with...

Here is a saint for anyone who thinks Christian leaders should stand up for justice – even at the risk of angering secular powers. It all began when William was an English priest serving as chaplain to Canute, king of England, (1016-35), who decided to visit Scandinavia.  William went along, and was so shocked by...

Pope Gregory never called himself ‘the Great’, but instead ‘the Servant of the Servants of God’.  Nevertheless, Gregory was one of the most important popes and influential writers of the Middle Ages.  The son of a very rich Roman senator, he left the service of the State upon his conversion as a young man.  Gregory...

You are walking down the road when a beggar approaches you for money.  What do you do?   If, instead of giving money, you buy him/her coffee or a meal, then you are in good company:  you are following in the steps of the first ever Bishop of Venice. Laurence Giustiniani (1381 – 1455) was born...

In both eastern and western Churches, Mary has always been held as pre-eminent among all the saints. The unique, extraordinary privilege of being the mother of the One who was both God and Man, makes her worthy of special honour.  Thomas Aquinas believed she was due hyperdulia, or a veneration that exceeds that of other...

Here is a saint for anyone with a social conscience.  Claver was born in 1581 near Barcelona at Verdu, and at 20 became a Jesuit.  He went as a missionary to New Granada and worked to alleviate the terrible suffering of the slaves who arrived from West Africa, caged like animals.  (It was said that...

On this, the 17th anniversary of the Twin Towers, we remember two innocent people who also met their death in the flames of mindless violence.  These were Roman martyrs mentioned in the 4th century list of martyrs.  Hyacinth’s tomb was discovered in the cemetery of Basilla, with his name and the date of his burial...

St Deiniol was a 6th century monk of Wales who came to be the ‘first bishop of Bangor’.  And a mighty bishop he was, too: Deiniol founded the two monasteries of Bangor Fawr (on the Menai Straits) and Bangor Iscoed (Clwyd), which, according to Bede, became the most famous monastery of British Christianity and came...

John Chrysostom (347 – 407) is the saint for anyone who applies their Christianity to public life, and also for anyone who hates travelling in bad weather.  Chrysostom did both, and had trouble both times. Born into a wealthy home in Antioch, John Chrysostom studied both oratory and law.  In 373 he became a monk,...

On Holy Cross Day the Church celebrates the Cross as a symbol of triumph, as the sign of Christ’s victory over death.   Holy Cross Day goes right back to 14 September 335, and we have the mother of a Roman Emperor to thank for it. Helena was a devout Christian, and after her son, Constantine,...

Teaching people to ‘tithe’ can be a delicate matter.  Some clergy teach ‘tithing’ well, and inspire their people to great generosity of spirit.   Other clergy teach ‘tithing’ at least well enough, and get their people’s sluggish cooperation. But – there are clergy who teach ‘tithing’ badly – and then, watch out!   St Adam (bishop 1213...