Feast of the Holy Innocents
Stored in Cargo: Feast of the Holy Innocents
| Liturgical Feast | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | December 28 |
| Rank | Feast |
| Type | Fixed |
| Season | |
| Primary Shrine | Church of the Holy Innocents |
| Countries | Universal |
| Dioceses | |
The Feast of the Holy Innocents (Martyrs) is the feast in the Roman Rite commemorating the infants of Bethlehem slain by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the newborn Jesus Christ, as recounted in Matthew 2:16–18. Observed annually on December 28 according to the General Roman Calendar, it falls within the Christmas Octave and highlights the cost of the Incarnation. The commemoration is universal but not a Holy Day of Obligation.
According to the *General Roman Calendar* (2002 edition), the Holy Innocents rank as a feast, taking precedence over the weekday but yielding to Sundays. The Mass uses red vestments for martyrdom, with the Gloria sung due to the Christmas season. Proper texts in the Missale Romanum portray the innocents as the first witnesses to Christ.
The feast underscores the vulnerability of the defenseless and the triumph of life in the face of persecution, inviting reflection on contemporary threats to the unborn and children.
Liturgical observance
The Mass employs red vestments. The Lectionary prescribes 1 John 1:5–2:2 (first reading), Psalm 124:2–5, 7cd–8, and Matthew 2:13–18 (Gospel, the flight to Egypt). Missale Romanum (editio typica tertia ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2002. Lectionary for Mass. I. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 2002.
The Preface of the Holy Innocents is proper, emphasizing their innocent blood as the first offering for Christ. No special rites are mandated universally, though the Liturgy of the Hours includes a hymn invoking their patronage. In the Christmas Octave, the Gloria and Alleluia are retained, distinguishing it from Lenten observances.
History
Evidence suggests the feast originated in the Eastern Church around the 4th century, initially linked to Epiphany before settling on December 28 in the West by the end of the 5th century. The Catholic Encyclopedia. 7. Robert Appleton Company. 1910. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm. The Latin Church formalized it in Rome, as recorded in early sacramentaries.
By the 6th century, it was widespread, with Pope Gregory the Great (d. 604) noting its observance. The 1969 reform retained December 28 as a feast without change, though older rubrics used violet vestments to reflect the innocents' lack of conscious faith."Mysterii Paschalis". Vatican. 1969-02-14. https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19690214_mysterii-paschalis.html. This reflects universal Roman Rite observance; Eastern Catholic churches may observe it on December 29.
Theological significance
The Holy Innocents are venerated as the first Christian martyrs, having shed their blood unwittingly for the sake of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church alludes to their witness in the context of the hidden life of Jesus (CCC 530), portraying them as fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children" (Jeremiah 31:15). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 1997.
Their deaths symbolize the conflict between light and darkness at the Incarnation, as in John 1:5. Pope Innocent I (d. 417) described them as "infants who confessed the name of Christ by dying rather than by speaking." The Catholic Encyclopedia. 7. Robert Appleton Company. 1910. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm. The feast calls the faithful to protect the innocent, echoing contemporary teachings on life issues.
Veneration and traditions
Liturgical tradition holds that the Holy Innocents are invoked as patrons of babies, children, and choirboys. According to popular devotion, medieval customs included children playfully "ruling" the day or misbehaving in mock penance, though these cannot be confirmed as universal and were discouraged by the Church.
In some regions, such as Spain and Latin America, the feast involves blessing of children or donations to orphans, but these are local practices. No specific foods or music are prescribed; hymns like "Salvete Flores Martyrum" appear in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Significant locations
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Shrines
Dynamic shrines
List of shrines
Church of the Holy Innocents (New York)
- 19th-century parish church housing the Shrine of the Unborn, dedicated to miscarried and aborted children (Archdiocese of New York).
- Minor basilica status; plenary indulgence on December 28 under usual conditions."Shrine of the Unborn". Church of the Holy Innocents. https://www.shrineofholyinnocents.org/shrine-of-the-unborn.
Shrine of the Holy Innocents (Kellyville)
- Modern shrine promoting a culture of life, founded for prayer for deceased children (Diocese of Parramatta, Australia).
- Indulgence granted on the feast per local ordinary.
Basilica of the Nativity (Bethlehem)
- 4th-century church over the site of Jesus' birth, associated with the massacre (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem).
- UNESCO site; historical veneration of the Innocents.
References
External links
- Daily Readings for December 28 – USCCB
- Catechism of the Catholic Church §530 – Vatican
- Church of the Holy Innocents – Official Site