Childermas: The Feast of the Holy Innocents

According to Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew, when the three wise men arrived in Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus, they inquired of King Herod where to find the newborn King of the Jews. Herod told them that when they found the child, they should report back to him so that he in turn could worship the newborn Jesus. An angel warned them not to tell Herod, so they took a different route home and Herod, in a fit of rage, ordered that all male children under the age of two should be killed. Joseph had been warned by an angel in a dream to take Mary and Jesus and flee, so Herod's attempt on Jesus' life was thwarted. The children who were murdered are known as the Holy Innocents and are considered the first martyrs in the name of Jesus.

Scholars argue as to just how many children were killed because of Herod's edict. Early documents listed the number as high as 64,000; later ones state that in a town the size of Bethlehem, perhaps only six children would have been killed. Whatever their number, the Holy Innocents are remembered with a feast day of December 28.

Childermas is observed in various ways according to different traditions. In Spain and other Hispanic countries, Childermas is a day for pranks and fun much like April Fools Day. Foods that are red are eaten to recall the blood of the innocent children and all children are blessed with a special prayer. Anglicans remember Childermas with special prayer on December 28, and it is suggested that they also remember these infant martyrs weekly on the day of Childermas for that year (Fridays in 2007). The traditional song for Childermas is the Coventry Carol, which was composed for a mystery play in the sixteenth century.

For further information on the the commemoration of the Holy Innocents, please see The Desmond Tutu Centre for Leadership or Catholic Culture.

History's Greatest Christians: St. Nicholas of Myra

December 6 marks the feast day of St. Nicholas of Myra, the great Christian bishop who is more popularly known as Santa Claus. In Holland and many other countries, children leave their shoes out on the night of December 5 for St. Nicholas to fill with money and small treats such as chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil. The Dutch brought this custom with them to the New World, where it evolved into the custom of Santa Claus that is popularly known today.

Nicholas was born in the fourth century AD in what is now Turkey. Though his parents were wealthy and he lived a life of privilege, Nicholas always possessed a heart for helping the poor, especially after his parents died. According to legend, Nicholas was consecrated as Bishop of Myra because a council of Bishops had met to decide on a new Bishop for Myra, and the one of them saw in a dream that they should consecrate the first man to walk through the church doors for prayer in the morning. That man was Nicholas, who used his power as bishop to help the poor. Many legends surround his great deeds, including that he saved three impoverished young women who could not marry because their father could not provide them with dowries. Without dowries, the young women faced lives of prostitution, but Nicholas visited them by night and threw bags of gold through their open window. For this reason, Nicholas is often depicted with three bags of gold.

Whatever the legends that may surround him, it is known that Nicholas was in fact a great defender of both the poor and the Christian faith. For his faith, Nicholas was tortured and imprisoned by Emperor Diocletian. He died on December 6, 345.

For more information on the life and deeds of St. Nicholas, see Who is Santa Claus: The True Story Behind a Living Legend by Robin Crichton, copyright 1987 by Canongate Publishing. Resources for celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas can be found at The St. Nicholas Center.