Contrary to what retailers will tell you, Christmas starts on the 25th and goes for 12 days, ending with the arrival of the Wise Men. This year, I’ve seen a lot online about people who have birthdays at this time of year, with complaints of being overlooked or “combined” with Christmas. On the other hand, people are already in a celebrating mood, and some people find it to be good fortune to have a birthday this time of year.
There are far more than 365 Saints, so there are several Saints’ feast days on each calendar day, including Christmas. So that they are not overlooked or combined, I’m honoring the Saints of the 12 Days. Those I found are listed below.
Day 1, December 25th, Christmas Day. St. Adalsindis, St. Alburga, St. Anastasia III, St. Eugenia, and Bl. Michael Nakashima.
Day 2, December 26th, St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, St. Abadiu, St. Amaethlu, St. Archelaus, St. Pope Dionysius, St. Marinus, St. Neol Chabanel, St. Tathal, St. Theodore the Sacrist, St. Vincentia Maria Lopez Y Vicuna, St. Zeno, and St. Zosimus.
Day 3 December 27th, St John the Apostle, Disciple and friend of Jesus, St. Fabiola, St. Maximus, St. Nicarete, St. Theodore, and St. Theophanes.
Day 4, December 28th, The Feast of the Holy Innocents, baby boys murdered by King Herod in his search for Baby Jesus. St. Anthony the Hermit, St. Caesarius, St. Castor, St. Domnio, St. Eutychius & Domitian, St. Romulus and Conindrus, and St. Troadius.
Day 5, December 29th, St Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury, St. Aileran, St. Albert of Gambron, St. Callistus, Felix & Boniface, St. Dominic, St. Ebrulf, St. Trophimus of Arles, and Bl. William Howard.
Day 6, December 30th, St Egwin of Worcester, a vision of Mary prompted this English noble to found Evesham Monastery, St. Anysia, St. Eugene, Bl. John Alcober, St. Liberius of Ravenna, St. Mansuetus, St. Raynerius, and St. Sabinus.
Day 7, December 31st, St. Melania, a wealthy widow who used her money to support monasteries and convents, St. Pope Sylvester I, St. Barbatian, St. Columba of Sens, St. Donata, St. Hermes, St. Offa, Sts. Sabinian & Potentian, and St. Zoticus.
Day 8, January 1st, Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. St. Almachius, St. Basil, Bl. Berka Zdislava, St. Clarus, St. Concordius, St. Connat, St. Cuan, St. Elvan & Mydwyn, St. Euphrosyne, St. Fanchea, St. Fulgentius of Ruspe, St. Fulgentius of Ruspe, St. Giuseppe Maria Tommasi, Bl. Jean-Baptiste Lego, St. Justin of Chieti, St. Maelrhys, St. Magnus, St. Odilo, Bl. Rene Lego, St. Telemachus, Bl. Valentin Paquay, St. William of Dijon, St. Zdislava of Lemberk, and St. Zygmunt Gorazdowski.
Day 9, January 2nd, St. Basil the Great, who was an important 4th century Christian and founded several monasteries, St. Adalard of Corbie, St. Argeus, St. Artaxus, St. Aspasius, St. Blidulf, St. Caspar del Bufalo, St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bl. Guillaume Repin, Bl. Marie-Anne Vaillot, St. Martinian, St. Munchin, Bl. Odilia Baumgarten, and St. Seraphim of Sarov.
Day 10, January 3rd, Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, when He was officially given His name in the Jewish Temple. St. Bertilia, St. Blitmund, St. Cyrinus, St. Daniel of Padua, St. Finlugh, St. Fintan, St. Florentius of Vienne, St. Genevieve, St. Narses, St. Theopemptus and Theonas, St. Wenog, St. Zosimus & Athanasius.
Day 11, January 4th, Saint Simon Stylites, who lived on top of a pillar for many years of his life, St. Abraham, Bl. Angela of Foligno, St. Aquilinus, St. Dafrosa, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Eugendus, St. Ferreolus of Uzes, St. Hermes, St. Libentius, Bl. Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, St. Mavilus, St. Pharaildis, St. Rigobert, and Bl. Thomas Plumtree.
Day 12, January 5th, St. John Neumann, a 19th century immigrant from Bohemia who founded many Catholic schools in the US, St. Apollinaris Syncletica, St. Cera, St. Charles of Sezze, St. Convoyon, St. Emiliana, St. Gaudentius, St. Genoveva Torres Morales, St. Gerlac, Bl. Jacques Ledoyen, St. John Neumann, St. Lomer, Bl. Marcelina Darowska, Martyrs of Egypt, St. Paula, St. Roger, St. Syncletica, St. Syncletica of Alexandria, and St. Talida.
January 6th, Epiphany, the Magi arrive! St. Anastasius VIII, St. Andre Bessette, St. Diman, St. Edeyrn, St. Eigrad, St. Erminold, St. Hywyn, St. John de Ribera, St. Macra, St. Melanius, St. Peter of Canterbury, St. Schotin, and St. Wiltrudis.
Love, Khouzhan Lucy
Image courtesy of James Barker at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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