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10th Day of Christmas Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/3/23 Gospel: John 1:29-34

Ninth Day of Christmas Memorial of Saints Basil the Great (330-379) and Gregory Nazianzen (329-390); childhood friends; Basil founded monasteries, and wrote a rule which became important in the guidance of religious communities in the east; ordained bishop of Caesarea in 370; Gregory followed a similar path, ordained a priest, though he longed for the life of a monk; ordained a bishop by Basil; the two were defining figures as the early Church sought to describe Jesus as fully human and fully divine Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/2/23 Gospel: John 1:19-28

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Eighth Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 1/1/23 Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

Seventh Day of Christmas Optional Memorial of Pope St. Sylvester I, 285-335; saw the triumph of Constantine in 312, and two years later became pope; sent four legates to represent him at the great Council of the Western Church at Aries; also sent legates to the Council of Nice in 325, but was unable to attend himself, due to his age; pope for 24 years and 11 months Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/31/22 Gospel: John 1:1-18

Feast of the Holy Family; primarily instituted and promoted by the Church to present the Holy Family as the model and exemplar of all Christian families Sixth Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/30/22 Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

Fifth Day of Christmas Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, 1118-1170; friend of King Henry II; became chancellor of England at the age of 36, then archbishop of Canterbury; but Henry insisted on usurping Church rights; Thomas fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years; he returned, and refused to remit censures on bishops favored by the king; Henry cried out, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?"; four knights took Henry's words as his wish, and killed Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/29/22 Gospel: Luke 2:22-35

Feast of the Holy Innocents; Herod became troubled when the Magi inquired about "the newborn king of the Jews"; he ordered the massacre of all boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under Fourth Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/28/22 Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18

Feast of St. John, 6-100; apostle and evangelist; "the disciple whom Jesus loved"; author of the fourth Gospel, and considered the author of three New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation; his Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus' glory Third Day in the Octave of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/27/22 Gospel: John 20:1-8

Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr; a man "filled with grace and power"; one of the first deacons; some Jews debated with him, but were no match; he was charged with blasphemy, and was stoned to death in about 36 A.D. Second Day of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/25/22 Gospel: Matthew 10:17-22

Solemnity of Christmas Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/25/22 Gospel: Luke 2:1-14

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Emiliana; one of three aunts of St. Gregory the Great; received a vision from her sister Tarsilla--who had died on Christmas Eve--to join her in heaven for the Epiphany Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/24/22 Gospel: Luke 1:67-79

Friday of the Fourth Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. John of Kanty, 1390-1473; born in Poland, ordained a priest and became professor of theology; eventually, he was sent to be a parish priest, where he won his people's hearts; returned to Krakow, and taught scripture for the remainder of his life; a serious man and humble, but known to all of the poor of Krakow for his kindness Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/23/22 Gospel: Luke 1:57-66

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Zeno; martyred soldier at Nicomedia (modern-day Turkey); he laughed while Diocletian sacrificed to a pagan god. Zeno had his jaws shattered, and then was beheaded in 303 A.D. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/22/22 Gospel: Luke 1:46-56

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Optional Memorial of St. Peter Canisius, 1521-1597; received a master's degree at the age of 19, and joined the Jesuits; following ordination, he became known for his editions of the writings of St. Cyril of Alexandria and St. Leo the Great; attended the Council of Trent; sent on a mission to Germany, where he taught in several universities, and helped establish many colleges and seminaries Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/21/22 Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Dominic of Silos, 1000-1073; became a Benedictine, and then abbot of the monastery; exiled by King Gacia III of Navarre for refusing to surrender Benedictine lands to the crown; assisted by King Ferdinand I of Castile and Leon, who made him abbot of St. Sebasitan Abbey at Silos, now called St. Dominic's; he reformed the abbey, and rescued Christian slaves from the Moors; noted for miracles of healing Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/20/22 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38

Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Anastasius I, 340-401; one of the first to condemn the works of Origen; also urged the Church in North Afriday to continue its struggle against Donatism Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/19/22 Gospel: Luke 1:5-25

Fourth Sunday of Advent Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/18/22 Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. John of Martha, 1160-1213; founded the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, to ransom Christian captives from the Moslems; the order spread to France, Spain, Italy, and England, sent many of its members to North Africa, and redeemed many prisoners; John died in Rome Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/17/22 Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17

Friday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Adelaide, 932-999; born in Burgundy, married at 15 or 16, widowed, and imprisoned by her husband's usurper; escaped to Canossa, where she was helped by Otto of Germany, who married her; she established many monasteries and churches Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/16/22 Gospel: John 5:33-36

Thursday of the Third Week of Advent Saint of the Day: St. Maria Crocifissa Di Rosa, 1813-1855; left school at 17 to manager her widowed father's household; she was attracted to the convent, and took care of spiritual needs of young girls working in her father's mills; worked in a Brescia hospital during the 1836 cholera epidemic; founded a home for girls and a school for deaf-mutes; became superior of the Handmaids of Charity of Brescia Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 12/15/22 Gospel: Luke 7:24-30