As a learning community centred in Christ, we walk hand in hand with God on our journey in faith.
The Catholic Christmas season begins with the Christmas Eve Vigil Masses, celebrating the Nativity of the Lord, and ends on Sunday, January 12, the Baptism of the Lord.
"Let us bear this in mind: God is hidden in our life, he is always there – he is concealed in the commonest and most ordinary situations in our life. He does not come in extraordinary events, but in everyday things; he manifests himself in everyday things. He is there, in our daily work, in a chance encounter, in the face of someone in need, even when we face days that seem grey and monotonous, it is right there that we find the Lord, who calls to us, speaks to us and inspires our actions."
Pope Francis (Angelus on November 27, 2022)
The 12 days include the feasts associated with the Octave and four additional celebratory days.
The first day of Christmas is the Nativity of the Lord.
The second day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Stephen, who died a martyr condemned unjustly.
The third day of Christmas is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist.
The fourth day of Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, a day in which we remember all the innocent infants slain by King Herod as he looked for the newborn Messiah.
The fifth day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop of Canterbury and martyr.
The sixth day of Christmas celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus.
The seventh day of Christmas is the Feast of (Pope) St. Sylvester and New Year’s Eve in the secular calendar.
The eighth day of Christmas is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and New Year’s Day.
The ninth day of Christmas is a day in which we celebrate the Feasts of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen.
The tenth day of Christmas is the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, and the entire month of January is dedicated to His Holy Name!
The eleventh day of Christmas is the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first person born in the United States to be canonized.
The twelfth day of Christmas is the day before Epiphany. We also celebrate St. John Neumann’s feast day on the twelfth day of Christmas (January 5).