Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: the Seventh Day of Christmas
St. Sylvester
Feastday: December 31
St. Sylvester, born in Rome, was ordained by Pope St. Marcellinus during the peace that preceded the persecutions of Diocletian. He passed through those days of terror, witnessed the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian, and saw the triumph of Constantine in the year 312. Two years later he succeeded St. Melchiades as Bishop of Rome. In the same year, he sent four legates to represent him at the great Council of the Western Church, held at Aries. He confirmed it's decision and imparted them to the Church.
The Council of Nice was assembled during his reign, in the year 325, but not being able to assist at it in person, on account of his great age, he sent his legates, who headed the list of subscribers to its decrees, preceding the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch. St. Sylvester was Pope for twenty-four years and eleven months. He died in the year 335. His Feast Day is December 31st.
St. Melania
Feastday: December 31
439
St. Melania whose feast day is December 31. Melania was born to wealthy Christians, Publicola, a Roman senator, and Albina. At fourteen, she was given in marriage to Valerius Pinianus. When two of her children died soon after childbirth, her husband agreed to lead a life of continency and religious dedication.
Inheriting her father's vast wealth, Melania endowed monasteries in Egypt, Syria, and Palestine and aided churches and monasteries in Europe. To escape the barbarian invasions, she fled with her mother and husband to Tagaste in Numidia in the year 410.
In 417, all three made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and settled at Jerusalem, where Melania became a friend of St. Jerome. After the death of her mother in 431 and her husband in 432, Melania attracted disciples to her solitary way of life and built a convent, for which she was Abbess until her death on December 31, 439.
The life of St. Melania reminds us of the fleeting character of earthly wealth. We should strive to emulate her use of wealth as well as talents to further the cause of Christ.
St. Barbatian
Feastday: December 31
5th century
Confessor and counselor to the Roman Empress Galla Placidia. A priest of Antioch, Turkey, he went to Rome where the empress sought his council. She built a monastery for him at Ravenna.
St. Zoticus
Feastday: December 31
Patron of the poor
350
Zoticus (d.c. 350) + Priest and patron of the poor. Originally from Rome, he journeyed to Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey) when it became the capital city of the Empire under Constantine the Great (r. 324-337). There he founded a hospital for the poor and defended orthodox Christianity before the pro-Arian emperor Constantius II (r. 641-668). Feast day: December 31.
Sts. Sabinian & Potentian
Feastday: December 31
390
Martyrs considered the patron saints of the dioceses of Sens, France. It is considered like]y that Sabinian and Potentian were bishops of Sens, with Potentian succeeding Sabinian.
St. Columba of Sens
Feastday: December 31
273
A Spanish martyr of noble descent. At sixteen she left Spain, fleeing imperial persecution. She and other Spanish Christians sought refuge in France, but they were martyred in the persecution instituted by Emperor Aurelian. Her shrine is in Sens, France.
St. Donata
Feastday: December 31
unknown
Roman martyr with Hilaria, Nomiflanda, Paulina, Rustica, and Serotina. Their relics are enshrined in the Via Salaria Catacombs, in Rome.
St. Hermes
Feastday: December 31
270
A martyr who suffered under Emperor Aurelian. He may be confused with another Hermes.
St. Offa
Feastday: December 31
1070
Abbess of the Benedictine convent of St. Peter’s, near Benevento, Italy.
Scriptural Readings:
11:08 PM (12 minutes ago)
First Reading - 1 Jn 2:18-21
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh, even now there are become many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us; but that they may be manifest, that they are not all of us. 20 But you have the unction from the Holy One, and know all things. 21 I have not written to you as to them that know not the truth, but as to them that know it: and that no lie is of the truth.
11:08 PM (12 minutes ago)
Psalm - Ps 96:1-2, 11-13
1 A canticle for David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Sing ye to the Lord and bless his name: shew forth his salvation from day to day. 11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea be moved, and the fulness thereof: 12 The fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful. Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice 13 Before the face of the Lord, because he cometh: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with his truth
Gospel - Jn 1:1-18
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. 9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. 13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15 John beareth witness of him, and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me, is preferred before me: because he was before me. 16 And of his fulness we all have received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him
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