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The story of the coming of the Magi grew in the telling. By the 6th century they had acquired names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. By medieval times they were considered to be kings. Whoever they were, we do know from Matthew that they brought three gifts to Jesus. What about their gifts of gold, frankincense...

Magi from the East – it isn’t a lot to go on. The Magi had originally been a religious caste among the Persians. Their devotion to astrology, divination and the interpretation of dreams led to an extension in the meaning of the word, and by the first century the Magi in Matthew’s gospel could have...

The story of the coming of the Magi grew in the telling. By the 6th century they had acquired names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. By medieval times they were considered to be kings. Whoever they were, we do know from Matthew that they brought three gifts to Jesus. What about their gifts of gold, frankincense...

How the New Year and Resolutions began All in the month of January Remember the ‘Millennium Bug’? Remembering ‘Blood on the Tracks’ Remembering TS Eliot – author of ‘The Wasteland’ Jan Brueghel the Elder – painting paradise Holocaust Memorial Day ‘particularly significant’ in 2025 How Councils avoid pothole compensation claims Bobbies on the beat are...

Many saints have fed the poor, but not many were interested in actual food production.  Nathalan (died c.678) was, so perhaps he might be the patron saint of anyone who produces food – and gives most of it away to those in need. Scotland in the 7th century must have been a hungry place, especially...

Courage, vision and leadership are found in the most unlikely of places. Mary Slessor was born in December 1848 into a wretchedly poor family. Her father was an alcoholic who lost his job as a shoemaker. Mary was the second of seven children, and in 1859 they moved from Aberdeen into the fetid slums of...

If you have nothing much going for you, Antony Pucci (1819-92) should be your patron saint. He came from nowhere – a peasant family in Tuscany. He went nowhere – he spent his life as a parish priest in the Tuscan city of Viareggio. He was unattractive to look at.  He wasn’t good with words...

Persecution of Christians worldwide – new World Watch List coming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025 – 18th to 25th January Love Matters: new resources developed for dioceses, schools and youth groups New report unites faith and education leaders to transform England’s education system Assisted dying – a slippery slope? Donald Trump and God...

Heroes are not always men or women of action. Sometimes the fight for right over wrong can be even more powerful when done through words and argument. Hilary was such a champion of the Christian faith. Born into a wealthy pagan family in Poitiers in 315, he first became an orator of Neo-Platonism. Here he...

1st January was not always the start of a New Year. The Babylonians began their New Year on 23rd March. For them, it was a logical choice, as with the arrival of Spring, crops were being planted, and a new cycle of life was beginning. For centuries the Romans agreed with them, but they chose...

At the start of the New Year From the Vicar What’s the Big Idea? – an introduction to the books of the New Testament: Acts Reflecting Faith: taking down the Christmas tree decorations Praying with the prayers of the Bible Time to think Pray with your shoes Left out in the cold Ten things God...

What do you do when you find a large spider web in your house? If you ever feel some sympathy for the spider who went to all that trouble, then Felix is a good patron saint for you. He was saved by such a spider, spinning such a web. Felix had been born to a...