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Seventh Day of Christmas Optional Memorial of Pope St. Sylvester I; pope from 314 to 335; preserved the essential independence of the Church in the face of Emperor Constantine; died 335 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/31/21 Gospel: John 1:1-18

Sixth Day of Christmas Saint of the Day: St. Egwin; bishop of Worcester, England, in the Seventh Century; known as a protector of orphans and the widowed, and a fair judge; founded Evesham Abbey, where he died December 30, 717 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/30/21 Gospel: Luke 2:36-40

Fifth Day of Christmas Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, 1118-1170; originally a friend of King Henry II, as Archbishop of Canterbury he opposed Henry's intrusion into Church affairs; slain in Canterbury Cathedral by four of King Henry's knights Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/29/21 Gospel: Luke 2:22-35

Feast of the Holy Innocents: In an effort to rid himself of what believed to be a rival, the "newborn king of the Jews," Herod ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years and under. Fourth Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/28/21 Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18

Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist, 6-100 A.D.; author of the fourth Gospel, along with three New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation; in his own Gospel, he identifies himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Third Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/27/21 Gospel: John 20:1-8

Feast of the Holy Family Second Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/26/21 Gospel: Luke 2:41-52

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord - Christmas Day Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/25/21 Gospel: Matthew 1:1-25

Friday of the Fourth Week of Advent - Christmas Eve Saint of the Day: St. Adele; daughter of King Dagobert II of Germany; became a nun on the death of her husband; founded a convent near Trier, and became its first abbess; apparently a disciple of St. Boniface, the apostle of Germany Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/24/21 Gospel: Luke 1:67-79

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. John Cantius, 1390-1473; educated at the University of Cracow; popular preacher and parish priest; famous for his austerities and care for the poor; patron of Poland, Lithuania, and the University of Cracow Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/23/21 Gospel: Luke 1:57-66

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Zeno; soldier at Nicomedia (modern Turkey); seized and condemned to death for laughing while Emperor Diocletian offered a sacrifice to the Roman god Ceres; Zeno's jaws were shattered, and he was beheaded in 303 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/22/21 Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius, 1521-1597; received a masters degree at 19, and joined the Society of Jesus; became widely known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great; attended several session of the Council of Trent, and was assigned to implement its decrees; entrusted with the mission to Germany, from that...

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Dominic of Silos, 1000-1073; Benedictine abbot and defender of the faith; when he refused to surrender Benedictine lands to King Garcia III of Navarre, Dominic went into exile; King Ferdinand I of Castile and Leon made him abbot of St. Sebastian Abbey, now called St. Dominic's; ransomed Christian slaves, and was noted for miracles of healin...

Fourth Sunday of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/19/21 Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Winebald; born in Wessex, England; brother of Willibald and Walburga; invited by St. Boniface to gather a group of English missionaries and come to Germany; with his brother, founded the monaster of Heidenheim, Germany

Friday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. John of Martha, 1160-1213; worked with St. Felix of Valois to found the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, to ransom Christian prisoners from Moslems; the order flourished, and redeemed many captives Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/17/21 Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Adelaide, 932-999; when her husband Lothair died, his successor tried to force her to marry his son; she escaped and sought help from Otto of Germany, who conquered Italy and married her in 951; the two were crowned rulers of the Holy Roman Empire; established many monasteries and churches; died at the convent at Seltz, which she founded O...

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Maria Crocifissa Di Rosa, 1813-1855; left school at 17 to manage her widowed father's household; cared for the spiritual needs of young girls working in her father's mills; worked in the Brescia hospital during the 1836 cholera epidemic; founded a home for girls, and a school for deaf mutes; in 1840, she became the Superior of the Handmai...

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent Memorial of St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church, 1542-1591; ordained at the age of 25; with Teresa of Avila–and in his own right–worked at reform of the Carmelite order, and experienced opposition, misunderstand, persecution, and imprisonment; it was in prison where he wrote his greatest works, “Spiritual Canticle” and...

Monday of the Third Week of Advent Memorial of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, 283-304; a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian, and she was executed in Syracuse, Sicily; Lucy is the patroness of eyesight Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/13/21 Gospel: Matthew 21:23-27

Third Sunday of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/12/21 Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

Saturday of the Second Week of Advent Optional Memorial of Pope St. Damasus I, 304-384; began his papacy contending with the existence of an antipope; as pope, his lifestyle was simple; he was a fierce opponent of Arianism, and other heresies; his encouragement of St. Jerome’s biblical studies led to the Vulgate Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/11/21 Gospel: Matthew 17:9-13

Friday of the Second Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Eulalia of Merida, 290-304; born in Spain; it is believed that, as a twelve-year-old girl, she tried to remonstrate with a judge for forcing Christians to worship pagan gods; the judge was amused, but eventually ordered that she be tortured and killed Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/10/21 Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19

Thursday of the Second Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego, 1474-1548; Our Lady of Guadalupe first appeared to him on Tepeyac hill on December 9, 1531; when he opened his tilma for the bishop to see the out-of-season roses which Our Lady had provided, her image appeared on the tilma; Juan later lived near the shrine constructed at Tepeyac, and was revered as a holy, unselfish, and c...

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/8/21 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent Memorial of St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the Church, 337-397; an otherworldly man involved in the great issues of his day; responsible for the conversion of St. Augustine of Hippo Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/7/21 Gospel: Matthew 18:12-14