Memorial of Saints (December 19)

St. Nemesius was an Egyptian Christian. During the persecutions of Christians under Emperor Decius, he was arrested in Alexandria. Found guilty of his Christian faith, Nemesius was scourged and then burned to death (died ca. 250 A.D.).

St. Anastasius I was elected pope on November 27, 399 A.D. It was his pontificate that condemned Origen. He also urged the African bishops to oppose Donatism - one of the early Christian heresies (died ca. 404 A.D.).

Blessed Urban V had a very good education before he succeeded Innocent VI as pope. Urban V was able to return the papacy to Rome after it had been in Avignon, France for a half century. But after the papacy was restored to Rome, unrest began in Italy, and war broke out between England and France. Urban V thus decided to return the papacy to Avignon (died ca. 1370 A.D.).

Advent, Christmas and Liturgical Hymns

Introduction

With the beginning of Advent, a new liturgical year in the Catholic Church begins. In some Catholic countries, they call the liturgical year a Cycle. So if some countries call the present liturgical calendar as Year A, other Catholics have the tradition to call it Cycle A. (author's note: Spanish-speaking countries, as well as the Philippines and Portuguese-speaking Brazil use the term Year A, B, and C; while English-speaking countries and European countries use the term Cycle A, B, and C.) But both Year and Cycle mean the same: in Year or Cycle (A), the gospel of Matthew is mostly used in the regular Sunday Eucharists (with Lent and Easter season as exceptions); in Year or Cycle (B), the gospel of Mark is generally used; in Year or Cycle (C), it is the gospel of Luke that sets the thematic framework for the regular Sunday Eucharists.

Christmas hymn and a hymn in honor of the feast of the Holy Family

Below are two hymns related to this holiday season. The first is a Christmas hymn while the other is a hymn on the Holy Family with a focus on the person of St. Joseph.

Christmas hymn

The music accompanying the text of this hymn was composed by E. Elgar (1857-1934 A.D.).

Unto us a Child is given,
Christ our Savior bring release;
Counselor, Eternal Father,
God made man, and Prince of Peace.

Born of Mary, gentle virgin,
By the Spirit of the Lord;
From eternal ages spoken:
This the mighty Father's Word.

Love and truth in Him shall flower,
From His strength their vigor take.
Branches that are bare shall blossom;
Joy that slept begins to wake.

Praise the everlasting Father,
And the Word, His only Son;
Praise them with the Holy Spirit,
Perfect Trinity in One.

Hymn to the Holy Family

There are many hymns to the Holy Family. Here is one which features St. Joseph. The text and music are by Stephen Somerville, 1971, 1972 A.D.

Joseph of Nazareth, you are the man
Last in the line that rose from David, King,
Down through the royal generations ran,
And ends with Jesus Christ.

Gabriel from heaven came to Mary's side,
Came with the joyful promise of a King,
Came to you also, Joseph, to confide
That God conceived the Child.

Guardian and foster-father of the Christ,
Honor to you so chosen by our God!
Husband of Virgin Mary, you are first
To show us Christian love.

Memorial of Saints (December 18)

St. Flannan of Killaloe was a bishop of Ireland. Tradition says that he was a disciple of Molua - founder of the Killaloe monastery. Flannan made a pilgrimage to Rome where he was consecrated bishop by Pope John IV. He became abbot-bishop of Killaloe when he returned home from his pilgrimage in Rome. Flannan became an itinerant-preacher. The Cathedral at Killaloe housed his relics. The remote Flannan Islands off the coast of Scotland are named after him (died ca. 7th century A.D.).

Sts. Rufus and Zosimus were citizens of Antioch. They were brought to Rome with St. Ignatius of Antioch during the reign of Emperor Trajan - a reign that persecuted many Christians. Rufus and Zosimus were condemned to death and thrown to the wild beasts in the arena two days before the martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch (died ca. 107 A.D.).

St. Gatian was one of the six missionary bishops who accompanied St. Denis to Gaul. He preached in the area around Tours for 50 years and is considered the first bishop of that city. Nothing else is known about this Saint, except that he was one of the instruments by which the Christian faith was planted in what is now present-day France (died ca. 301 A.D.).

St. Winebald went to Rome where he studied for seven years. After a brief journey back to his native England, he returned to Rome to devote himself to a religious life. In 793 A.D., he went as a missionary with St. Boniface to Germany and worked in Thuringia, where he was ordained. His brother St. Willibald became bishop of Eichstätt. Also, together with his sister St. Walburga, they founded a double monastery at Heidenheim - a monastery which developed into a leading spiritual and educational center (died ca. 761 A.D.).