St John the Evangelist

John the Evangelist  is the name given to the author of the Gospel of John. Christians have traditionally identified him with John the Apostle, John of Patmos, or John the Presbyter. The Gospel of John refers to an otherwise unnamed "disciple whom Jesus loved," who "bore witness to and wrote" the Gospel's message. The feast day of Saint John in the Catholic Church, which refers to him as Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist is on December 27th, the third day of Christmastide. In the Tridentine Calendar he was commemorated also on each of the following days up to and including January 3rd, the Octave of the December 27th feast. This Octave was abolished by Pope Pius XII in 1955. The traditional liturgical color is white. Justin Martyr referred to John as an apostle of Jesus who lived in Ephesus. St. Irenaes, Eusebius and still others all agree that John left the isle of Patmos where he was banished for preaching the gospel (Revelation 1: 9). The last living apostle then spent his remaining days in Ephesus until he died somewhere around the close of the first century. A well-known reference book on New Testament Martyrs, written by John Foxe (1515 - 1587), states that the apostle, as punishment for being a believer in Christ, was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.

Christmastide

He Cometh with Clouds

"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him."

(Revelation 1: 7)

The Light Brightens

St Lucy

St Lucy, a virgin of Syracuse, noble by birth and by her Christian faith, went to the tomb of St Agatha at Catheria and obtained the cure of her mother, Eutichia who was suffering from a hemorrhage. Soon after, she gained her mother’s permission to distribute to the poor all the possessions which were to have served as her dowry. As a result of this charitable action, she was accused of being a Christian and brought before Paschasius the Prefect. When neither promises nor threats could induce her to sacrifice to the idols, Paschasius became enraged and commanded Lucy to be taken to a place where her virginity would be violated. But the power of God gave the virgin a strength that matched the firmness of her resolution, so that no force could move her where she stood. And so the prefect commanded a fire to be kindled all around here, but the flames did not harm her. After she had suffered many torments, her throat was pierced through with a sword. Wounded she foretold that the Church would have peace after the deaths of Diocletian and Maximilian, and on December 13th she gave up her spirit to God. Her body was first buried at Syracuse, then taken to Constantinople, and finally transferred to Venice.

Prayer in Honour of Saint Lucy

O God, our Creator and Redeemer, Mercifully hear our prayers that a we venerate Thy servant, St Lucy, for the light of faith Thou didst bestow upon her, Thou wouldst vouchsafe to increase and to preserve this same light in our souls, that we may be able to avoid evil, to do good and to abhor nothing so much as the blindness and the darkness of evil and of sin.

Relying on Thy goodness, O God, we humbly ask Thee, by the intercession of Thy servant, St Lucy that Thou wouldst give perfect vision to our eyes, that they may serve for Thy greater honour and glory, and for the salvation of our souls in this world, that we may come to the enjoyment of the unfailing light of the Lamb of God in paradise.

St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear our prayer and obtain our petitions.

St Nicholas

The great popularity of St Nicholas in both the East and the West is demonstrated by the numerous churches dedicated to him and the frequent use of Nicholas as a Christian name. He was made Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor, where he died in the year 324 AD. Many of the legends concerning St Nicholas had to do with his abounding charity and extraordinary miracles, and particularly his Christ-like love for children, so that in Christian countries he is said to make an annual visit on his feast day to bring presents to little ones.

Advent