FEAST DAY
Often called “the Greater”, James was a son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle and evangelist John (celebrated on December 27). He belonged to the inner circle of the apostles and the gospels frequently name him along …
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The feast of Transfiguration was first attested in the Christian East in the 5th century and it only appeared in the Roman-Frankish area in the 10th century. The origin of the feast probably goes back to the dedication of …
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Lawrence was an archdeacon of the pope Sixtus II. According to tradition, he died with four companions on August 10, 258, just four days after the pope during the persecution of the emperor Valerian. Arrested by the prefect, he …
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The feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven is the most significant of the Marian feast days.
FEAST DAY
Bartholomew is listed among the apostles in the New Testament. Some believe, he is identical with Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, mentioned in John’s gospel (John 1:45-49; 21:2).
Otherwise, very little is known about his life. According to …
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The feast of the Nativity of Mary stands in chronological connection with the feast of Conception of saint Anna, celebrated in the Eastern Church on December 9 since the 5th century and also with the fest of …
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According to a tradition, Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine discovered the cross of Jesus on September 14, 320 in Jerusalem. Then she commissioned the construction of the Holy Sepulcher Church over the place of crucifixion and …
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The commemoration of Mary’s sorrows starts in the Middle Ages, in the context of growing Marian devotions. Pope Benedict XIII established the Feast of Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary in 1721 for the entire Church. First, it used …
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The apostle and evangelist Matthew (Matt 9:9) is occasionally identified with the tax collector Levi, son of Alphaeus (Mark 2:13-15).
He counts as the author of the gospel typically attributed to him. The first gospel actually never mentions …
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The archangels are celebrated on one day only since the last reform of the liturgical calendar. Gabriel and Raphael used to have their independent feast days on March 24 and October 24 until 1969, when they were merged …
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The apostle Simon is also called the Cananean (Mark 3:18), or Zelot (Luke 6:15) in the New Testament. Perhaps, he used to belong to the Jewish religious sect of the Zelots before joining Jesus. He is not to …
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The origin of the celebration of all saints lies in the Eastern Church:
ALL SOULS DAY
The memorial of all the faithful departed has its origins in the memorial established in 998 by Odilo, abbot of the Benedictine monastery at Cluny. The memorial first included the deceased from all the subordinated monasteries. The …
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The Church was built by emperor Constantine on the property that used to belong to a wealthy Roman family called Lateran, which donated it to the Church. It was consecrated by Pope Sylvester I. The basilica was additionally …
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Pope Pius XI introduced a Feast of Christ the King in 1925, commemorating 1600 years since the celebration of the Ecumenical Council of Nicea (325). It is a doctrinal feast day: it does not celebrate an event of salvation, …
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Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, son of Jonas is mentioned multiple times in the New Testament. He came from Betsaida, but worked and lived in Capernaum on Lake Galilee as a fisherman. He belong to the first disciples …
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Christmas Day (and season) combines two motives: Birth of the Lord, Jesus Christ (Lat. dies nativitatis, natalis) and revelation (epiphany).
The gospels report about the birth of Jesus and offer their theological insights. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus …
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