Saint of the day

Saint of the day

13 December: Saint Lucia, Virgin and Martyr

Charity and the light that brightens the night

A witness of Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice of her life, she is an example of consistency for those who refuse to submit to the powerful of the moment and prevailing ideologies. She is Lucia, the Saint of light and charity, beloved by boys and girls in many European countries. On the night of 13 December, processions of young people light up the darkness with their candles, passing through towns and cities to remember their peer, who gave her life to remain faithful to the true Light: Christ. This tradition is still very much alive, especially in Northern Europe, and pays homage to Lucia’s great charity. Her name, which comes from the Latin word lux, meaning light, is linked to an act of courage and generosity performed by this young woman. It is said that in order to bring food and aid to Christians hiding in the catacombs, she placed some candles over her head to illuminate the dark tunnels. Lighting the catacombs in this way, her hands were free to lend assistance.

12 December: Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Evangelizer of the New World

There is no Latin American who does not know Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is invoked as Empress of the Americas and Patron Saint of Mexico, and is worshipped by indigenous peoples as “Virgen morenita”, young indigenous woman.

10 December: Our Lady of Loreto

The place where Mary said her “yes”

There is a House that is more important than others, a House whose walls witnessed the Annunciation and Mary’s complete openness to God’s will. According to tradition, this House is in Loreto, in the Marian Shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto.

6 December: Saint Nicholas of Bari

An Ecumenical Saint

Nicholas of Myra, also known as Nicholas of Bari, was a Bishop born in Patara, Lycia (modern-day Turkey), around 270 A.D. He is a Saint that brings together most of the Christian Churches and Confessions, and is venerated both in the East and the West. His memorial is 6 December, the day of his death, but he is also remembered by the Church on 9 May, in memory of when his remains were translated to Bari.

Francisco Goya, Santa Barbara, 1773, Museo del Prado (Madrid)

4 December: Saint Barbara, Patron Saint of Firefighters

Witness of Christ who donated her life

Saint Barbara, a martyr rom the third century, is the Patron Saint of Firefighters. Her liturgical memorial is celebrated on 4 December. Devotion to the Saint began to spread in the seventh century, when the first Acta of her martyrdom began to appear.

3 December: Saint Francis Xavier, Patron of the Missions

The Apostle of the Indies

Francisco de Jassu y Xavier, known as Francis Xavier, was the “Apostle of the Indies”, the Patron Saint of the Missions, the great Evangelizer of Asia and one of the first to follow Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

He was born in 1506 in Xavier Castle near Pamplona, to a noble family. In September 1525, he travelled to Paris to study at the College of Saint Barbe, where he shared a room with Pierre Favre, the first priest of the Society, who was joined by Ignatius of Loyola. At first, Francis and Ignatius had a strained relationship because Francis wanted to pursue his academic career.  Ignatius described him as the “lumpiest dough he had ever kneaded”. In 1530, he became Magister Artium and obtained a chair at the College of Dormans-Beauvais.

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