1st - St. Giles, Hermit, c.710. Cared for the diseased, especially lepers. Founded a monastery in Provence, an important place on the pilgrimage route to Compostela & Holy Land.
2nd - New Guinea Martyrs,1942. During W.W. II, Christians were severely persecuted by the Japanese, and over 330 died for their faith. Among them were 12 English, 8 Australians & 2 Papuans, both priest and lay, belonging to the Anglican Church.
- Blessed John du Lau & Companions, Martyrs, 1792. These has refused to take the oath of the "Civil Constitution of the Clergy" in Revolutionary France. As reach refused the oath was executed by the Jacobins.
3rd - St. Gregory the Great, Bishop & Teacher, 604. Perhaps in Anglican Communion best remembered for organising the mission, headed by Augustine, to convert Anglo-Saxons. A renowned theologian and peacemaker of his time.
4th - St. Birinus, Bishop & Apostle of West Saxons 650. Instrumental in converting the kingdom of Wessex to the Christian faith. See at Dorchester, close to Oxford.
5th - St. Bertin, Abbot & Missionary, 698. A monk at Luxeuil who helped to evangelise northern France with Omer. Together they built the church which later became the cathedral of Saint-Omer.
6th - Allen Gardiner, Missionary, 1951. Founder of the South American Missionary Society.
7th - St. Evurtius, Bishop, 4th C. Bishop of Orleans. Could be identified as Eortiu who attended the Council of Valencia in 374. Added to BCP calendar in 1604 to distinguish the birthday of Elizabeth I.
8th - Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary To-day, with the birth of Mary, 'a shrine is built for the creator of the universe". Her birth is the bridge between the old & new covenants, and ushers in the covenant of grace.
9th - St. Omer, Monk & Bishop, c.699. a monk at Luxeil from where he founded the monastery of Sithui, now Saint-Omer, A most eloquent preacher as well as missionary.
- Peter Claver, Jesuit, 1654. Apostle to the Negro slaves in Cartagena, now in Columbia, headquarters for slave trading. Here he provided food, medicine and other help to the slaves as well as teaching them the Christian faith. Worked for over 40 years as the servant of Christ to slaves, criminals as well as the more affluent.
- Charles Fuge Lowder, Priest, 1880. He epitomizes the 19thC Anglo Catholic slum priest. Worked tirelessly amongst the poor & destitute in London Docks area.
10th - St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Augustinian friar, 1305. "St. Nicholas' Bread" immortalised in paintings by Raphael, Francesco and others when he distributed rolls of bread to the sick and women in labour as well as the poor. Popular preacher and confessor in Tolentino.
- St. Finnian of Molville, Scholar & Educator, 579. Founded monasteries at Moville & Dromin. Amongst his pupils was Columba.
11th - St. Deniol, Monk & Bishop, c.584. Founded 2 monasteries, Bangor Fawr & Bangor Iscoed which became famous. Appointed bishop of Bangor and took part in the famous synod of Brefi, c.545 against Pelagianism
- SS. Protus & Hycanith - martyrs of the 4thC. An inscription by Damasus stated they were martyrs and brothers. Jereome described them as "teachers of the Christian law." Their cult was early and widespread.
12th - St. Ailbe, Bishop, 6th C. Spent a great deal of time preaching in southern Ireland where he is reputed as founding the see of Imlech. Reputed to have written a monastic Rule.
13th - John Chrysostom, Bishop, 407.One of the 4 Greek Doctors of the Church. A brilliant preacher, which earned the surname "Chrysostom", meaning "golden-mouthed" in the 6th C. Despite being Bp. of Constantinople, spent much time in exile when he fell foul of the Empress Eudoxia. Sometimes still kept on the 27th January.
14th - Holy Cross Day. Tradition tells that St. Helena, mother of Constantine founded the cross on which our Lord was crucified. On this site built the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, dedicated on this day in 335.
15th - St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage & Martyr, 258. Like Ambrose was elected bishop by the people not long after becoming a priest. Martyred during one of the fiercest persecutions under Valerian. In his short time as bishop preached and wrote prolifically. One of his best loved works is his treatise on the Lord's Prayer.
16th - St. Ninian Bishop, c.432. Apostle to the Picts. After being consecrated bishop in Rome in 396 returned to Britain & founded a monastery at Candida Casa from where monks set out for missionary journeys into Scotland.
- Edward Bouverie Pusey, Priest & Tractarian, 1882. Expert in Biblical languages & one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement. Contributed to the revival of the Religious Life in the English Church. So revered that after his death Pusey House and Library was founded.
17th - St. Hildegard of Bingen, Abbess & Visionary, 1179. Her visions of light, which she described as 'the reflection of the Living Light', deepened her understanding of God, creation, sin & redemption.
18th - St. Joseph of Copertino, Franciscan priest, 1663. Canonised for his extreme patience and humility in regards to his ministry in Assisi and other places. In some ways resembles John of the Crosss.
19th - St. Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690. Noted for his lasting reforms in the English Church when he re-organised it into a series of diocese, each led by its own bishop.
- St. Janarius - martyr under Diocletian. Still venerated in Naples.
20th - John Coleridge Pattinson, Martyr & First bishop of Melanesia, 1871. He and his Melanesian brothers were martyred on the island of Nu Kapu in retaliation for white-man's "blackbirding".
21st -ST. MATTHEW, Apostle & Evangelist?. tax-collector before following Jesus. Presumed to be the same as Levi. From earliest times he has been regarded as the author of the gospel bearing his name, but this is not taken seriously to-day.
22nd - St. Thomas of Villanova, Augustinian friar, Archbishop & Reformer, 1555. Known as "The Almsgiver". A mystic and a priest of poverty and prayer. Reluctantly became preacher at court of Charles V, and thus consecrated bishop of Valencia. His many sermons influenced Spanish spiritual literature.
23rd - St. Adamnan, Abbot of Iona, 704. Instrumental in having Irish monasteries adopt the Western keeping of Easter. Responsible too for a Law which protected women by exempting them from going to battle. To-day best remembered for his biography of Colmba of Iona.
- St. Thecla, Virgin, 1stC. Very popular saint in the early church. Converted by St. Paul, but baptized herself with water in a ditch in ampitheatre where animals refused to touch her. Returned to Iconium where she spent the rest of her days as a hermit.24th - Our Lady of Walsingham, Memorial. This ancient shrine was destroyed under Henry VIII. Restored at the end of the 19th C. by Anglo- Catholics, and now is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year.
25th -St. Serguis of Radonez, Monastic Reformer & Teacher, 1392. Regarded as chief of all Russian saints. With his brother, Stephen, founded the famous monastery of the Holy Trinity, and another 40.
- Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop & Spiritual Writer, 1626. On this day, "About 4 0'clock in the morning, died Lancelot Andrews, the most worthy bishop of Winchester, the great light of the Christian world." He is the mentor of Reformed Catholicism in the English Church.
26th - SS. Cosman & Damian. Their names are included in the Roman Canon, although little is known of them. In the 5thC their cult spread throughout Christendom, and a famous basilica was built where they were martyred at Cyrrhus in Syria. Patron saints of doctors.
27th - St. Vincent de Paul, Priest, 1660. After a conversion resolved to give his life to works of charity for all kinds of people. Helped to begin the Sisters of Charity, devoted to caring for the sick and poor.
28th - Wenceslaus of Bohemia, Martyr, 929. Of great piety and kindness as the Xmass carol denotes. Worked for good of his people. Murdered by his brother.
29th - MICHAELMAS. Day when the Church commemorates the angels, especially the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael slew the dragon, and is revered as our protector, Gabriel brought glad tidings to Mary, and Raphael healed Tobit.
30th - St. Jerome, Dr. 420. His greatest & lasting work was to translate the newly-canonized Bible into Latin, what became known as the Vulgate.
EMBER DAYS after Holy Cross Day Days on which the church particularly prays for the ordained ministry and for an increase in vocations.are still kept in the Anglican Communion.
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