Memorial of Saints (December 12)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Jane Frances de Chantal, religious
• Epimachus Alexander and Companions, martyrs
• Finian of Clonard, bishop
• Corentin or Cury, bishop
• Edburga, virgin
• Vicelin, bishop

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She appeared four times to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac hill outside of Mexico City. The apparition produced a miraculous imprint on the tilma (cloak) of Juan Diego. This image was meant to convince the local bishop, of the Blessed Virgin's appearance to Juan Diego, and that a chapel be built right on the spot where she appeared. The bishop was convinced. He kept Juan Diego's tilma, first in his private chapel and then in the church on public display, where it attracted great attention.

On December 26, 1531 A.D., a procession formed to transfer the miraculous image back to Tepeyac Hill where it was installed in a small, hastily built chapel.

The image on the cloak of Juan Diego gave the native Indians the assurance that Christianity was also a faith for them; that Our Lady of Guadalupe was loving and compassionate to them.

In 1754 A.D., Pope Benedict XIV authorized a Mass and Office to be celebrated on December 12 under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641 A.D.) was born of an aristocratic family at Dijon, France. She married the Baron of Chantal and they had six children. Her husband died in 1601 A.D., but three years after, she met St. Francis de Sales. St. Francis de Sales, who became her spiritual director, wanted her to lead the religious community he wanted to found. So, in 1610 A.D., Francis and Jane Frances founded the Congregation of the Visitation - a community for widows and young girls who want to live a religious life. Before the death of Jane Frances, this community grew to more than sixty houses.

More on Saints for December 12

Related blog posts:

• St. Juan Diego, (December 9)
• St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal
• French School of Spirituality
• Our Lady of Lourdes and Other Marian Apparitions

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Spiridion, Wonderworker

St. Spiridion, or Spyridon, was a fourth-century shepherd who became bishop of a small and remote area northeast of Cyprus. Spiridion was known for his knowledge of the Bible though he was unschooled. He was also known for his simplicity and holiness, and was credited with many miracles. According to the Roman Martyrology, he attended the Council of Nicaea where he converted a skeptical philosopher. St. Spiridion was firm in his opposition to Arianism.

St. Spiridion is patron saint of Corfu, Zakythos, and Kephalonia. Devotion to St. Spiridion is strong in Cyprus. His feast day in the Roman Calendar is every December 14. The Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches celebrate his feast today, December 12.