Memorial of Saints (December 18)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Winebald, abbot
• Rufus and Zosimus, martyrs
• Gatian, bishop
• Flannan, bishop
• Samthann, abbess

St. Winebald (died ca. 761 A.D.) was the son of a West Saxon named Richard. Richard, the father of Winebald and Winebald's brother, Willibald, proceeded to Rome. On the way to Rome, Richard died at Lucca, while Winebald remained there because he became ill. His brother Willibald however went on to the Holy Land.

At Rome, Winebald proceeded to study for seven years, went back for a while to England, but returned to Rome to devote himself to a religious life. In 739 A.D., he accompanied St. Boniface back to Germany as a missionary and worked in Thuringia where he was eventually ordained. He later labored in Bavaria, spent some time with St. Boniface at Rome, and joined his brother Willibald who became bishop of Eichstatt.

St. Samthann, Citation from Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia, Learn more

December 18 - Saints, Learn more

December 18 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Sebastian and Companions

Today, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of St. Sebastian. He was martyred along with his fellow deacon-martyrs during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian. St. Sebastian is often depicted in religious art as being pierced by arrows.

In the Roman Calendar his feast is celebrated on January 20.

Memorial of Saints (December 17)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• John of Matha, founder
• Lazarus
• Olympias, widow
• Begga,widow
• Sturmi, abbot
• Wivina, virgin

St. John of Matha (d. ca. 1213 A.D.) was the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, more known as the Trinitarians.

John was born at Faucon in Provence of a well-to-do family and after his schooling was completed, he retired to a hermitage. When he found his privacy often disturbed, he went to study theology in Paris where he received a doctorate and was ordained a priest.

It was said that he received the inspiration to devote his life to the ransoming of Christian slaves from the Muslims during his first Mass. He traveled to Rome to secure papal approval for his venture. Innocent III was so impressed that he ordered the bishop of Paris and the abbot of the monastery of St. Victor to draw up a Rule. Once done, Innocent III approved the foundation of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity in 1198 A.D. Members of the Order went to Morocco, Tunis and Spain, and several hundred captives were said to be released.

St. John of Matha spent his last two years in Rome and died there on December 17, 1213 A.D.

This is also the feast day of Lazarus (first century A.D.). Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary. He was the close friend of Jesus who raised him from the dead (John 1:1-44)

Devotion to Lazarus was so widespread in the early Church. The Saturday before Palm Sunday was referred to as Lazarus Saturday because of the procession on that day to the church built over his tomb in Bethany. Lazarus is commemorated in the East on May 4.

December 17 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Daniel, and Sts. Three Youths, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael

Hananiah or Ananias, Mishael, and Azariah, whose names in Chaldean are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are figures from chapter 3 of the biblical Book of Daniel. In the narrative, the three Jewish men are thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image.

Citation from Google Search:

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Wikipedia.org

Memorial of Saints (December 16)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Adelaide, widow

St. Adelaide (931-999 A.D.) was the daughter of Rudolf of Upper Burgundy. She married Lothair of Italy when she was 16 years old as part of the terms of a treaty between her father Rudolf and and the father of Lothair, Hugh of Provence. Lothair died in 950 A.D. due to poisoning by his successor. Adelaide was imprisoned afterwards because she refused to marry the successor's son. When an invading German King Otto the Great freed her from prison, Adelaide married him in 951 A.D.

Otto the Great was crowned Emperor in Rome the following year and died in 973 A.D. His son, Otto II, succeeded him and because of the enmity of Otto II's wife, Adelaide left the court. However, the two were eventually reconciled by Abbot Majolus of Cluny.

St. Adelaide was active in founding and restoring monasteries. She also worked in the conversion of the Slavs. She died in a monastery she founded at Selta, near Cologne.

Related blog posts:

• St. Majolus, St. Odilo, and St. Hugh: Benedictine Abbots of Cluny, Learn more
• The Achievements in Reform of the Benedictine Monastery at Cluny, France, Learn more

December 16 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Aggeus, Prophet