10 December — Our Lady of Loreto

optional memorial

Since the Middle Ages veneration for the Holy House of Loreto has been the origin of that particular shrine which still today is visited by many faithful pilgrims in order to nourish their faith in the Word of God made flesh for us.

In the Holy House, before the image of the Mother of the Redeemer and of the Church, Saints and Blesseds have responded to their vocation, the sick have invoked consolation in suffering, the people of God have begun to praise and plead with Mary using the Litany of Loreto, which is known throughout the world. In a particular way all those who travel via aircraft have found in her their heavenly patron.

In light of this, Pope Francis has decreed, by his own authority, that the optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Loreto should be inscribed in the Roman Calendar on 10 December, the day on which the feast falls in Loreto, and celebrated every year. This celebration will help all people, especially families, youth and religious to imitate the virtues of that perfect disciple of the Gospel, the Virgin Mother, who, in conceiving the Head of the Church also accepted us as her own.

• Decree (pdf)
• Latin liturgical texts (pdf)

27 December — St John, Apostle and Evangelist

feast

St John was a first-century Galilean fisherman, son of Zebedee, who, with his brother James, left their nets to follow Jesus. With Peter, these ‘sons of thunder’ form an inner group among the twelve, and John is probably the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’ of the Fourth Gospel. According to ancient tradition, he is the author of this Gospel and also of three letters and the book of Revelation. He is remembered for his contemplative reflection on the life and death of Jesus and for his emphasis on Christian love.