Today is the final day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
This is the Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as "Twelfth Night." The Epiphany celebrates the day the three Magi, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, completed their journey. They had travelled for many nights, following the Star of Bethlehem until finally it led them Christ. There they gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Their visit was the first revelation of Christ's divinity. (Matthew 2:1-19)
This event is celebrated in the 19th century carol, We Three Kings . . .
Shakespeare used this eve as the title for one of his plays, Twelfth Night.
Two of the customs passed down to us on Twelfth Night include drinking a medieval wassail of apples, ale and spices called "Lamb's Wool" and choosing a King and Queen for the eve's feast. The traditional method of choosing involved baking a cake with a dried pea in it, one for the men and one for the women. The man and woman so chosen are honorary king and queen of the feast to be "honored, obeyed, treated and addressed as royalty."
The custom of choosing Twelfthnight "royalty" is described in a poem by 17th century poet, Robert Herrick:
"Twelfth Night"
Now, now the mirth comes
With the cake full of plums,
Where bean's the king of the sport here; Beside we must know,
The pea also
Must revel, as queen, in the court here.
Begin then to choose,
This night as ye use,
Who shall for the present delight here,
Be a king by the lot,
And who shall not
Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.
Which known, let us make
Joy-sops with the cake;
And let not a man then be seen here,
Who unurg'd will not drink
To the base from the brink
A health to the king and queen here.
Next crown a bowl full
With gentle lamb's wool:
Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
With store of ale too;
And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger.
Give then to the king
And queen wassailing:
And though with ale ye be whet here,
Yet part from hence
As free from offence
As when ye innocent met here.
Happy 12th Night All. And for a more modern story of the magi - from the quill of Gerard Van Der Luen - see his retelling of The Gift Of The WalMagi
Today is the eleventh day of the twelve days of Christmas. . . .
There was no specific celebration associated historically with the eleventh day of Chrismas. It is a night to catch one's breath before 12th night and the Epiphany.
Today is the tenth day of the twelve days of Christmas.
Today is celebrated the Feast of the Holy Name.
Sit nomen Dómini benedíctum Ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore
The Feast of the Holy Name dates back to the 15th century, when it was celebrated, usually in conjunction with the Feast of the Circumcision on 1 Jan. Under Jewish law, a child would have been named on the day of his circumcision - and thus, this feast celebrates the naming of Jesus on the day of his circumcision.
In modern times, the date of this celebration varies, with some Church's celebrating it on the 3rd of January, others on the first Sunday of the New Year unless that Sunday falls on the 1st, 6th or 7th, in which case it is celebrated on the 2nd Day of January.
In Medieval times, this would have been a continuation of the celebrations of the twelve days of Christmas, but there would be no specific saint or event to whom the day was universally dedicated - i.e., to put it in the latin, feria. That said, many localities then, as now, would have had their own specific celebrations.
January 2nd was the 9th Day of the 12 Days of Christmas . . .
Today is celebrated the Feasts of two Saints, Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. Both lived in 4th century in what is today Turkey. Both are "Doctors of the Church," people who made seminal philosophical and academic contributions to the Church.
Basil was a 4th century bishop in Caesarea. He argued strenuously and successfully in support of the Nicene Creed at a time when its acceptance was under attack. His work with the poor and underprivileged became legend. Perhaps his most lasting influence was on monasticism. Having stayed in several monasteries, he rejected their severe austerity and developed his own doctrine for monastic life. "Not only is Basil recognised as the father of Eastern monasticism; historians recognize that his legacy extends also to the Western church, largely due to his influence on Saint Benedict."
Gregory Nazianzen was a 4th century Archbishop of Constantinople:
He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age. As a classically trained speaker and philosopher he infused Hellenism into the early church, establishing the paradigm of Byzantine theologians and church officials.
Gregory made a significant impact on the shape of Trinitarian theology among both Greek- and Latin-speaking theologians, and he is remembered as the "Trinitarian Theologian". Much of his theological work continues to influence modern theologians, especially in regard to the relationship among the three Persons of the Trinity. Along with the two brothers, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, he is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers.
Today is the eighth day of the twelve days of Christmas. It also marks the end of the Octave, that being the first eight days of Christmas.
In modern times, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary. This feast was celebrated in Rome on 1 January beginning in the 5th century, but in the 13th century, it was replaced by The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. In 1974, Pope Paul VI removed the Feast of the Circumcision from the liturgical calendar and reestablished the Feast of Mary on 1 January. Also celebrated on this day, for over a millennium, was the Feast of Fools.
The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God falls exactly one week after Christmas, the end of the octave of Christmas. It is fitting to honor Mary as Mother of Jesus, following the birth of Christ. When Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God we are not only honoring Mary, who was chosen among all women throughout history to bear God incarnate, but we are also honoring our Lord, who is fully God and fully human. Calling Mary "mother of God" is the highest honor we can give Mary. Just as Christmas honors Jesus as the "Prince of Peace," the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God honors Mary as the "Queen of Peace" This solemnity, falling on New Year's Day, is also designated the World Day of Peace.
The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Historical: 13th - 20th c.)
Jesus was circumcised in obedience to Jewish law (Genesis 17:10-12) on the eighth day following his birth (Luke 2:21). "The circumcision of Jesus has traditionally been seen, as explained in the popular 13th century work the Golden Legend, as the first time the blood of Christ was shed, and thus the beginning of the process of the redemption of man, a demonstration that Christ was fully human, and an act of obedience to Biblical law."
This Feast eventually fell into disfavor. Indeed, Pope Leo XIII, during his papacy at the end of the 19th century, threatened excommunication to anyone who spoke of Jesus's foreskin, and the Feast was banished from the liturgical calendar by Pope Paul VI in 1974. Apparently the only place that the feast is still celebrated openly is in the small Italian town of Calcata where the local Church claims to have possessed the remnant of Christ's circumcision for several centuries.
In the medieval version the young people, who played the chief parts, chose from among their own number a mock pope, archbishop, bishop, or abbot to reign as Lord of Misrule. Participants would then "consecrate" him with many ridiculous ceremonies in the chief church of the place, giving names such as Archbishop of Dolts, Abbot of Unreason, Boy Bishop, or Pope of Fools. The protagonist could be a boy bishop or subdeacon, while at the Abbey of St Gall in the tenth century, a student each December 13 enacted the part of the abbot. In any case the parody tipped dangerously towards the profane. The ceremonies often mocked the performance of the highest offices of the church, while other persons, dressed in different kinds of masks and disguises, engaged in songs and dances and practised all manner of revelry within the church building.
The Feast of Fools was never a sanctioned feast - and indeed, it was often condemned by the Church - but it was a popular feast. The Feast of Fools was finally forbidden under the very severest penalties by the Council of Basel in 1431, but the festivals didn't die out until 1644, when the last Feast of Fools was celebrated in Paris.
The Feast of Fools figures in at least one major literary work. In "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Victor Hugo has Quasimodo elected as King of Fools to lead the local celebration.
Today is New Year's Eve, the seventh day of the twelve days of Christmas.
Today is celebrated the Feast of St. Sylvester. Surprisingly little is known about this Saint. What is known is that he was the son of a Roman soldier and that he became Pope at a critical period in history. In the 150 years preceeding Sylvester's Papacy, Christians had been brutally persecuted by Rome's Emporers from Nero to Diocletian. Indeed, the Diocletianic Persecution, from 303 A.D. to 311 A.D., was Rome's largest, and bloodiest official persecution of Christianity. But then Constantine became the Emporer of Rome in 306 A.D. Constantine publicly converted to Christianity in 312 A.D. and ended the Christian persecutions by the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. The next year, Sylvester was elected Pope. For the next 21 years, he oversaw the Papacy while Constantine, who would outlive St. Sylvester by two years, spread Christianity throughout the Roman world.
It was during Sylvester's pontificate were built many of the great Churches, including the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. Peter's Basilica, and several cemeterial churches over the graves of martyrs. Saint Sylvester did not himself attend the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he was represented by two legates and he approved the council's decision.
One of the traditions associated with St. Sylvester, at least in Germany, is St. Sylvester's punch:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
750 ml bottle of dry white wine
750 ml bottle of dry red wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup dark Jamaican rum
Preparation:
1.Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pot, while stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
2.Add the wines and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the rum and lemon juice.
3.Ladle the punch into cups and serve warm.
Today is the sixth day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
It isn't clear what feast was celebrated on this day during Medieval times, from whence the custom of a 12 day celebration of Christmas originates. In the modern era, the Feast of the Holy Family was placed on general calendar of the Roman Rite on October 26, 1921. It is, by custom, celebrated on this day in those years when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Otherwise, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the first Sunday after Christmas.
The purpose of this celebration is to use the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as the model for all Christian families.
Prayer To The Holy Family:
Domine Iesu Christe, qui Mariae et Ioseph subditus, domesticam vitam ineffabilibus virtutibus consecrasti: fac nos, utriusque auxilio, Familiae sanctae tuae exemplis instrui et consortium consequi sempiternum: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, didst consecrate domestic life by Thine ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.
Should it be that the Feast of the Holy Family is not celebrated this day, I would honor St. Ecgwine of Worcester whose feast falls on this day. Ecgwine, the 7th century son of a Mercian King, founded the Benedictine monastery of Evesham, England; the site was chosen because of an apparition of the Virgin Mary to a local herdsman. It became one of the great Benedictine houses of the Middle Ages. In his honor, it seems only fitting that one toast repeatedly with the libation produced by his order, Benedictine liquor. Do note that every bottle of Bénédictine has the initials D.O.M. on the label - it actually stands for "Deo Optimo Maximo"; "For our best, greatest God".
Today is the eighth day of the twelve days of Christmas. It also marks the Octave, the end of the first eight days of Christmas.
In modern times, we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary. This feast was celebrated in Rome on 1 January beginning in the 5th century, but in the 13th century, it was replaced by The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. In 1974, Pope Paul VI removed the Feast of the Circumcision from the liturgical calendar and reestablished the Feast of Mary on 1 January. Also celebrated on this day, for over a millennium, was the Feast of Fools.
The Solemnity of Mary Mother of God falls exactly one week after Christmas, the end of the octave of Christmas. It is fitting to honor Mary as Mother of Jesus, following the birth of Christ. When Catholics celebrate the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God we are not only honoring Mary, who was chosen among all women throughout history to bear God incarnate, but we are also honoring our Lord, who is fully God and fully human. Calling Mary "mother of God" is the highest honor we can give Mary. Just as Christmas honors Jesus as the "Prince of Peace," the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God honors Mary as the "Queen of Peace" This solemnity, falling on New Year's Day, is also designated the World Day of Peace.
The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Historical: 13th - 20th c.)
Jesus was circumcised in obedience to Jewish law (Genesis 17:10-12) on the eighth day following his birth (Luke 2:21). "The circumcision of Jesus has traditionally been seen, as explained in the popular 13th century work the Golden Legend, as the first time the blood of Christ was shed, and thus the beginning of the process of the redemption of man, and a demonstration that Christ was fully human, and of his obedience to Biblical law."
This Feast eventually fell into disfavor. Indeed, Pope Leo XIII, during his papacy at the end of the 19th century, threatened excommunication to anyone who spoke of Jesus's foreskin, and the Feast was banished from the liturgical calendar by Pope Paul VI in 1974. Apparently the only place that the feast is still celebrated openly is in the small Italian town of Calcata where the local Church claims to have possessed the remnant of Christ's circumcision for several centuries.
In the medieval version the young people, who played the chief parts, chose from among their own number a mock pope, archbishop, bishop, or abbot to reign as Lord of Misrule. Participants would then "consecrate" him with many ridiculous ceremonies in the chief church of the place, giving names such as Archbishop of Dolts, Abbot of Unreason, Boy Bishop, or Pope of Fools. The protagonist could be a boy bishop or subdeacon, while at the Abbey of St Gall in the tenth century, a student each December 13 enacted the part of the abbot. In any case the parody tipped dangerously towards the profane. The ceremonies often mocked the performance of the highest offices of the church, while other persons, dressed in different kinds of masks and disguises, engaged in songs and dances and practised all manner of revelry within the church building.
The Feast of Fools was never a sanctioned feast - and indeed, it was often condemned by the Church - but it was a popular feast. The Feast of Fools was finally forbidden under the very severest penalties by the Council of Basel in 1431, but the festivals didn't die out until 1644, when the last Feast of Fools was celebrated in Paris.
The Feast of Fools figures in at least one major literary work. In "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Victor Hugo has Quasimodo elected as King of Fools to lead the local celebration.
Today is New Year's Eve, the seventh day of the twelve days of Christmas.
Today is celebrated the Feast of St. Sylvester. Surprisingly little is known about this Saint. What is known is that he was the son of a Roman soldier and that he became Pope at a critical period in history. In the 150 years preceeding Sylvester's Papacy, Christians had been brutally persecuted by Rome's Emporers from Nero to Diocletian. Indeed, the Diocletianic Persecution, from 303 A.D. to 311 A.D., was Rome's largest, and bloodiest official persecution of Christianity. But then Constantine became the Emporer of Rome in 306 A.D. Constantine publicly converted to Christianity in 312 A.D. and ended the Christian persecutions by the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. The next year, Sylvester was elected Pope. For the next 21 years, he oversaw the Papacy while Constantine, who would outlive St. Sylvester by two years, spread Christianity throughout the Roman world.
It was during Sylvester's pontificate were built many of the great Churches, including the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. Peter's Basilica, and several cemeterial churches over the graves of martyrs. Saint Sylvester did not himself attend the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he was represented by two legates and he approved the council's decision.
One of the traditions associated with St. Sylvester, at least in Germany, is St. Sylvester's punch:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
750 ml bottle of dry white wine
750 ml bottle of dry red wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup dark Jamaican rum
Preparation:
1.Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pot, while stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
2.Add the wines and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the rum and lemon juice.
3.Ladle the punch into cups and serve warm.
Reposted from 2010:
Today is the sixth day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
My research into what was celebrated on this day in Medieval times, from whence the custom of a 12 day celebration of Christmas originates, has come up short. In the modern era, the Feast of the Holy Family was placed on general calendar of the Roman Rite on October 26, 1921. It is, by custom, celebrated on this day in those years when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Otherwise, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the first Sunday after Christmas.
The purpose of this celebration is to use the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as the model for all Christian families.
Prayer To The Holy Family:
Domine Iesu Christe, qui Mariae et Ioseph subditus, domesticam vitam ineffabilibus virtutibus consecrasti: fac nos, utriusque auxilio, Familiae sanctae tuae exemplis instrui et consortium consequi sempiternum: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, didst consecrate domestic life by Thine ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.
Should it be that the Feast of the Holy Family is not celebrated this day, I would honor St. Ecgwine of Worcester whose feast falls on this day. Ecgwine, the 7th century son of a Mercian King, founded the Benedictine monastery of Evesham, England; the site was chosen because of an apparition of the Virgin Mary to a local herdsman. It became one of the great Benedictine houses of the Middle Ages. In his honor, it seems only fitting that one toast repeatedly with the libation produced by his order, Benedictine liquor. Do note that every bottle of Bénédictine has the initials D.O.M. on the label - it actually stands for "Deo Optimo Maximo"; "For our best, greatest God".
Today is the second day of the twelve days of Chrismas, that end with the celebration of the Epiphany on the 6th of January. It is also Boxing Day in the UK.
This second day of Christmas is given over to the celebration of the Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. Stephen was one of several people appointed as Deacons of the Church by Peter and the apostles. Stephen was an effective proselytizer who drew the ire of the Sanhedrin, before whom Stephen was tried for for blasphemy against Moses and God (See Acts 6 and 7). Boldly declaring not merely his belief in Christ, but citing to a vision that he had of Christ at the right hand of God, the Sanhedrin voted, in 34 A.D., to execute him by stoning. St. Stephen's execution was itself notable in that Paul of Taursus took part in the stoning.
St. Stephen is the patron of stone masons, those with headaches, and horses. “The reason for this last is unknown, but this patronage is very ancient, and in rural cultures and olden times, horses are/were blessed, adorned, and taken out sleighing, and foods for horses were blessed to be fed to them in times of sickness.” The Feast of St. Stephen was historically offered in honor of all Deacons of the Church.
The famous Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslaus, tells how the 10th century Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia, on one cold and snowy St. Stephen's Day a millenium ago, took it upon himself to bring alms to a poor man and his family.
Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of His soldier. Yesterday our King, clothed in His robe of flesh, left His place in the Virgin's womb and graciously visited the world. Today His soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.
Our King, despite His exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet He did not come empty-handed. He gave of His bounty, yet without any loss to Himself. In a marvelous way He changed into wealth the poverty of His faithful followers while remaining in full possession of His own inexhaustible riches. And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the King, it later shone forth in His soldier. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment.
Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey's end.
My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.
May you have a happy Feast of St. Stephen.
Today is also known as Boxing Day in Britain. It originated in medieval times when the priests would empty the alms boxes in all churches on the day after Christmas and distribute the gifts to the poor of the parish. Moreover, the workers, apprentices, and servants stored their savings and donations through out the year in their own personal boxes made of earthen ware. Then, on the day after Christmas, the box was broken and the money counted,
In the modern era, Christmas celebrations begin on Christmas eve and, for many of us, end with the celebration of the birth of Christ on Christmas day. But for much of the last two millennia, Christmas wasn't the end of the season of celebration - it was the start of it. And as the song tells us, it went on for twelve days.
Fortunately, there is a historian on the net,
Got Medieval, who has, in the past, shed some light on the history of our celebrations:
. . . The Nativity is celebrated on December 25, a date set in 337 by Pope St. Julius I. So, Merry [1674th] Christmas, everybody! For most of the Middle Ages, Christmas was not, as it is today, the culmination of the holiday season, but rather its beginning. The twelve days of Christmas begin on Christmas, after all, and stretch until January 5th, also known as Twelfth Night, the day before Epiphany, the day the Magi arrived. . . .
December 26 marks the Feast of St. Stephen the Protomartyr of all Christianity. You may remember him as the guy that Saul helps to stone in Acts. And if you're American, you probably spent at least part of your childhood wondering why "Good King Wenceslas" looked out on the feast of Stephen instead of Christmas, since you sing the song at Christmastime. . . .
The Feast of St. John the Evangelist--not to be confused with St. John the Baptist--comes the next day, on December 27. St. John has the distinction of being the only one of the original twelve apostles to live to be an old man, rather than dying as a young martyr. According to one story, John was almost martyred, however, when someone tried to poison his wine, but he was saved because it was his habit to bless his wine before he drank it. John's blessing didn't just passively purify the wine--according to the story, the poison rose up magically from the chalice and formed into the shape of a servant that then slithered off. Thus, St. John often appears in medieval iconography as a man holding a chailce with what looks like steam coming out of it.*** In recognition of this near miss, traditional Catholics celebrate St. John's with lots of wine. I guess magic snakes are as good an excuse as any.
If you look closely at the image from the medieval calendar above, you can see that December 28 is illustrated by two midgets impaled on a spear that's being propped up by someone's decapitated head. That's because December 28th is The Feast of the Holy Innocents, commemorating the children massacred by Herod in his failed attempt to kill off Christ. . . .
St. Thomas Becket, Henry II's "turbulent priest" is commemorated with a feast on December 29. (He's the one pictured above near the end with a dagger sticking out of his head.) As a Chaucerian, I'm pretty tired of Thomas Becket. I mean, what's the big deal? He's just a bishop who got killed by some overzealous royal sycophants. Sure, he's known for curative powers, but what saint isn't? . . .
Rounding out the year, The Feast of Pope St. Sylvester is celebrated on December 31. Sylvester is chiefly notable for being the pope that Emperor Constantine was said to have given all his lands to, thus granting the papacy superiority to all temporal monarchs--at least, that's the story the popes told. . . .
Just as a person is the sum of their choices in life, so are we, in a collective sense, the sum of our history. It pays to know it. . . . Do visit Got Medieval for his additional commentary on the Saints above.
The NYT tells us today that, according to the CPI (Christmas Price Index), the cost for giving a loved one all of the gifts set out in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" has risen this year to $101,000.
For more on the origins of our Christmas traditions, including why we celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25 and how the Norse God Odin came to be Santa Claus, please visit here.
As a palate cleanser, here is Frank Kelly's Irish version of the 12 days of Christmas . . .Heh - it's rolling on the floor funny.
On a final note, no Anglo-American celebration of Christmas is complete without egg-nog. You will find several very fine recipes here.
Do please have a merry and happy 12 days of Christmas.
Today is the final day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
This is the Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as "Twelfth Night." The Epiphany celebrates the day the three Magi, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, completed their journey. They had travelled for many nights, following the Star of Bethlehem until finally it led them Christ. There they gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Their visit was the first revelation of Christ's divinity. (Matthew 2:1-19)
This event is celebrated in the 19th century carol, We Three Kings . . .
Shakespeare used this eve as the title for one of his plays, Twelfth Night.
Two of the customs passed down to us on Twelfth Night include drinking a medieval wassail of apples, ale and spices called "Lamb's Wool" and choosing a King and Queen for the eve's feast. The traditional method of choosing involved baking a cake with a dried pea in it, one for the men and one for the women. The man and woman so chosen are honorary king and queen of the feast to be "honored, obeyed, treated and addressed as royalty."
The custom of choosing Twelfthnight "royalty" is described in a poem by 17th century poet, Robert Herrick:
"Twelfth Night"
Now, now the mirth comes
With the cake full of plums,
Where bean's the king of the sport here; Beside we must know,
The pea also
Must revel, as queen, in the court here.
Begin then to choose,
This night as ye use,
Who shall for the present delight here,
Be a king by the lot,
And who shall not
Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.
Which known, let us make
Joy-sops with the cake;
And let not a man then be seen here,
Who unurg'd will not drink
To the base from the brink
A health to the king and queen here.
Next crown a bowl full
With gentle lamb's wool:
Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
With store of ale too;
And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger.
Give then to the king
And queen wassailing:
And though with ale ye be whet here,
Yet part from hence
As free from offence
As when ye innocent met here.
Happy 12th Night All. And for a more modern story of the magi - from the quill of Gerard Van Der Luen - see his retelling of The Gift Of The WalMagi
Yesterday was the eleventh day of the twelve days of Christmas. . . .
There was no specific celebration associated historically with the eleventh day of Chrismas. In the latin, it was feria, a day not dedicated universally to the celebration of a particular Saint or event.
Today is the tenth day of the twelve days of Christmas.
Today is celebrated the Feast of the Holy Name.
Sit nomen Dómini benedíctum Ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum Blessed be the Name of the Lord from this time forth for evermore
The Feast of the Holy Name dates back to the 15th century, when it was celebrated, usually in conjunction with the Feast of the Circumcision on 1 Jan. Under Jewish law, a child would have been named on the day of his circumcision - and thus, this feast celebrates the naming of Jesus on the day of his circumcision.
In modern times, the date of this celebration varies, with some Church's celebrating it on the 3rd of January, others on the first Sunday of the New Year unless that Sunday falls on the 1st, 6th or 7th, in which case it is celebrated on the 2nd Day of January.
In Medieval times, this would have been a continuation of the celebrations of the twelve days of Christmas, but there would be no specific saint or event to whom the day was universally dedicated - i.e., to put it in the latin, feria. That said, many localities then, as now, would have had their own specific celebrations.
Happy Tenth Day of Christmas The 12 Days Of Christmas
The first eight days of Christmastide are known as the Octave
Today is the ninth day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
Today is celebrated the Feasts of two Saints, Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. Both lived in 4th century in what is today Turkey. Both are "Doctors of the Church," people who made seminal philosophical and academic contributions to the Church.
Basil was a 4th century bishop in Caesarea. He argued strenuously and successfully in support of the Nicene Creed at a time when its acceptance was under attack. His work with the poor and underprivileged became legend. Perhaps his most lasting influence was on monasticism. Having stayed in several monasteries, he rejected their severe austerity and developed his own doctrine for monastic life. "Not only is Basil recognised as the father of Eastern monasticism; historians recognize that his legacy extends also to the Western church, largely due to his influence on Saint Benedict."
Gregory Nazianzen was a 4th century Archbishop of Constantinople:
He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age. As a classically trained speaker and philosopher he infused Hellenism into the early church, establishing the paradigm of Byzantine theologians and church officials.
Gregory made a significant impact on the shape of Trinitarian theology among both Greek- and Latin-speaking theologians, and he is remembered as the "Trinitarian Theologian". Much of his theological work continues to influence modern theologians, especially in regard to the relationship among the three Persons of the Trinity. Along with the two brothers, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa, he is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers.
Happy Ninth Day of Christmas The 12 Days Of Christmas
The first eight days of Christmastide are known as the Octave
Today is New Year's Eve, the seventh day of the twelve days of Christmas.
Today is celebrated the Feast of St. Sylvester. Surprisingly little is known about this Saint. What is known is that he was the son of a Roman soldier and that he became Pope at a critical period in history. In the 150 years preceeding Sylvester's Papacy, Christians had been brutally persecuted by Rome's Emporers from Nero to Diocletian. Indeed, the Diocletianic Persecution, from 303 A.D. to 311 A.D., was Rome's largest, and bloodiest official persecution of Christianity. But then Constantine became the Emporer of Rome in 306 A.D. Constantine publicly converted to Christianity in 312 A.D. and ended the Christian persecutions by the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. The next year, Sylvester was elected Pope. For the next 21 years, he oversaw the Papacy while Constantine, who would outlive St. Sylvester by two years, spread Christianity throughout the Roman world.
It was during Sylvester's pontificate were built many of the great Churches, including the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. Peter's Basilica, and several cemeterial churches over the graves of martyrs. Saint Sylvester did not himself attend the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but he was represented by two legates and he approved the council's decision.
One of the traditions associated with St. Sylvester, at least in Germany, is St. Sylvester's punch:
2 cups sugar 2 cups water 750 ml bottle of dry white wine 750 ml bottle of dry red wine 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup dark Jamaican rum
Preparation:
1.Bring water and sugar to a boil in a large pot, while stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. 2.Add the wines and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the rum and lemon juice. 3.Ladle the punch into cups and serve warm.
AND TO ALL, A HAPPY NEW YEAR
The 12 Days Of Christmas
The first eight days of Christmastide are known as the Octave
Today is the sixth day of the twelve days of Christmas . . .
My research into what was celebrated on this day in Medieval times, from whence the custom of a 12 day celebration of Christmas originates, has come up short. In the modern era, the Feast of the Holy Family was placed on general calendar of the Roman Rite on October 26, 1921. It is, by custom, celebrated on this day in those years when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Otherwise, the Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the first Sunday after Christmas.
The purpose of this celebration is to use the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus as the model for all Christian families.
Prayer To The Holy Family:
Domine Iesu Christe, qui Mariae et Ioseph subditus, domesticam vitam ineffabilibus virtutibus consecrasti: fac nos, utriusque auxilio, Familiae sanctae tuae exemplis instrui et consortium consequi sempiternum: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who, being made subject to Mary and Joseph, didst consecrate domestic life by Thine ineffable virtues; grant that we, with the assistance of both, may be taught by the example of Thy Holy Family and may attain to its everlasting fellowship. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.
Should it be that the Feast of the Holy Family is not celebrated this day, I would honor St. Ecgwine of Worcester whose feast falls on this day. Ecgwine, the 7th century son of a Mercian King, founded the Benedictine monastery of Evesham, England; the site was chosen because of an apparition of the Virgin Mary to a local herdsman. It became one of the great Benedictine houses of the Middle Ages. In his honor, it seems only fitting that one toast repeatedly with the libation produced by his order, Benedictine liquor. Do note that every bottle of Bénédictine has the initials D.O.M. on the label - it actually stands for "Deo Optimo Maximo"; "For our best, greatest God".
The 12 Days Of Christmas
The first eight days of Christmastide are known as the Octave
Today is the fifth day of the twelve days of Christmas.
The Feast of St. Thomas a Becket is celebrated this day. One of the overarching issues of the Medieval world was where the authority of the Papacy ended and the authority of kings began. It was an issue that would consume St. Thomas.
Thomas a Becket was born into 12th century England. As Chancellor to King Henry II, he came to be a close confidant of the King. He even accompanied the King to war, reportedly acquitting himself well in battle. But then, in 1161, when Henry appointed Becket to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, Becket became a defender of Papal authority. At particular issue was the Papacy's claim of right to try felonious monks and other lawless clergy in Church courts. Henry wanted to end this custom and subject criminal clergy to Royal courts. Becket was intransigent, even going so far as to excommunicate other English bishops who supported Henry on the issue. Henry, in a rage, famously asked “Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?”
Four of Henry's knights took it upon themselves to do just that. Travelling to Canterbury on this date in 1170, with their weapons in hand, they confronted Becket and demanded he lift the excommunications. When Becket refused, it was soon clear beyond doubt that he would be killed. Moments after Becket “commended himself and the cause of the Church to God, St. Mary, and the blessed martyr St. Denis,” his assassins put him to the sword, spilling his brains on the Cathedral floor.
Much of the medieval world erupted in horror at Becket's murder. Pilgrimages to the site followed soon thereafter with numerous miracles occurring that were attributed to Becket. The Church canonized Becket in 1173. King Henry presented himself at the tomb of Becket to make public penance, allowing himself to be scourged by the local clerics.
Canterbury became the third greatest site of pilgrimage in all of Europe.
The first great work of literature composed in English, Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," is set against the backdrop of travelers on a pilgrimage to Becket's shrine.
St. Thomas is, today, the patron saint of priests.
The 12 Days Of Christmas
The first eight days of Christmastide are known as the Octave
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