Found 28 resource(s) in 'Holy Days', for May 2024.
High Days and Holy Days for May 2024
Sundays of the Month 5th Sixth Sunday of Easter 12th Seventh Sunday of Easter 19th Day of Pentecost / Whit Sunday 26th Trinity Sunday Editor: As the Church’s year does not change, much of this material has appeared before. The item on Corpus Christi is new. 1 May Day 1 ... (9756 words)1st May – May Day, unbridled merriment
May is the month when the ancient pagans used to get up to ‘all sorts’! The Romans held their festival to honour the mother-goddess Maia, goddess of nature and growth. (May is named after her.) The early Celts celebrated the feast of Beltane, in honour of the sun god, Beli. For centuries in ‘Olde England’... (431 words)1st May – Philip, the apostle with common sense
Is there someone in church whom you respect for their spirituality and common sense combined? Someone you feel easy about approaching to ask questions? That person’s patron saint should be Philip. Philip came from Bethsaida and was a disciple of Jesus from early on. He knew how to lead others to Jesus; he brought Nathanael... (166 words)1st May – James the Less, quiet son of Alphaeus
One thing for sure: the apostles were not self-obsessed. In fact, many a church historian has wished that they had left us just a few more personal details about themselves in the New Testament. James the Less is an excellent example. This is the name we give to James the son of Alphaeus, but beyond... (283 words)2nd May – Athanasius, theologian who gave us the Nicene Creed
This is the name behind the Athanasian Creed. Athanasius (296-373) was born into a prosperous family in Alexandria in Egypt, studied in the Christian school there and entered the ministry. He was twenty-nine years old when he accompanied Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, to the Church’s first ecumenical Council, at Nicaea in 325. Although Athanasius... (375 words)5th May – Rogation Sunday (Sunday before Ascension)
In the Anglican Church, Rogation is celebrated on the fifth Sunday after Easter. Rogation means an asking of God – for blessing on the seed and land for the year ahead. It is appropriate in any emergency, war, plague, drought or foul weather. The practice began with the Romans, who invoked the help of the... (332 words)8th May – Julian of Norwich, a voice from a distant cell
Many years ago, studying English literature at university, I was intrigued to be introduced to the work of Julian of Norwich. She was writing at the end of the 14th century, when our modern English language was slowly emerging from its origins in Anglo-Saxon and Middle English. Our lecturer was mainly concerned with her importance... (276 words)9th May – Pachomius, a patron saint for administrators
Have you ever worked for a disorganised organisation? You know the scene: your boss lives in a mild panic, your goals and deadlines keep being changed, your colleagues whisper darkly in corners, emails contradict each other, meetings lead to more confusion… and you go home each night with a headache. Pachomius should be the patron... (355 words)10th May – Comgall, the saint for those in education
Here is a great saint for all teachers, head teachers and principals of educational institutions, and indeed anyone whose vocation is to train and equip others. For Comgall (c 516 – c 601) was founder and first abbot of Bangor, which became the largest monastery in Ireland. And large means LARGE – for including several... (248 words)14th May – Matthias the Apostle, called by lots
Have you ever happened to be in the right place at the right time, with certain qualifications, and suddenly realise that God is singling you out for a special task? If so, Matthias is a good patron saint for you! In Acts 1 (15 – 26) the apostles had a task to do: Judas had... (172 words)14th May – Matthias, the replacement apostle
If you’re saying to yourself, ‘Who?’ you’ll be in good company. May 15th is the feast day of St Matthias the Apostle, and in describing him thus we have said just about all there is to know about him. He gets just one mention in the Bible, in the first chapter of Acts, immediately prior... (334 words)16th May – Caroline Chisholm, helping the emigrants to Australia
If you want an example of someone who can show you their faith through their works, Caroline Chisholm is a saint for you. This doughty little 19th century English woman had such a compassionate heart that she helped tens of thousands of people, from India to Australia. Caroline was born in Northamptonshire in May 1808.... (380 words)19th May – Dunstan, the abbot who restored monastic life in England
Dunstan (909-988 AD) stands out as an example of what just one person can achieve when they follow the call of God on their life. Dunstan was born near Glastonbury, of a noble family with royal connections and church connections; his uncle was Archbishop of Canterbury. But in 935, at the age of 26, he... (366 words)19th May – Fire of Pentecost
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” Acts 1:8 We all get tired and battle weary sometimes. The disciples of Jesus had just been through a three-year long roller coaster... (234 words)19th May – Fire of Pentecost
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth” Acts 1:8 We all get tired and battle weary sometimes. The disciples of Jesus had just been through a three-year long roller coaster... (234 words)19th May – Day of Pentecost, Whit Sunday
Pentecost took place on the well-established Jewish festival of Firstfruits, which was observed at the beginning of the wheat harvest. It was seven weeks after Easter, or 50 days including Easter. A feast day to celebrate the country’s wheat harvest does not sound exactly world-changing, but that year, it became one of the most important... (354 words)19th May – Pentecost in Jerusalem
On that long ago first morning of Pentecost, Jerusalem was crowded with thousands of visitors, for it was one of the most popular feast-days in the Jewish calendar – the Feast of Firstfruits, looking forward to the wheat harvest. In one small room of that great city, a small group of people who had followed... (249 words)19th May – Pentecost, not a Ghost but a Gift
We used to call it Whitsun – ‘White Sunday’ because long ago children marched to church in white on that day. There are no processions nowadays, and we’ve even changed its name. It’s now ‘Pentecost’, which is more accurate but needs explaining. Pentecost marks a vital event in Christian history. It is celebrated 50 days... (296 words)20th May – Alcuin of York, Abbot of Tours, a teacher of genius
Here is a saint for all primary school teachers who have a passion to help children learn to read and write. Alcuin was born near York in about 735. His family were of noble stock, and they sent him to York Cathedral School, which had the best teachers in the land. They soon realised that... (305 words)21st May – Helena, Protector of the Holy Places
Helena should be the patron saint of all mothers who help their sons achieve great things. Helena was born at Drepanum in Bithynia about 250. Although only a stable-maid or innkeeper’s daughter, she caught the eye and affections of a Roman general, Constantius Chlorus, while he was stationed in Asia Minor on a military campaign.... (360 words)24th May – John & Charles Wesley, evangelists & hymn-writers
John and Charles Wesley were the founders of Methodism. Two of 19 children born to Samuel and Susannah Wesley of Epworth Rectory in Lincolnshire in 1703 and 1707, their father was the local rector, while their mother was a spiritual inspiration to her many children. Both John and Charles went to Christ Church, Oxford (1720... (412 words)24th May – The hymns of the Wesleys
The Church calendar celebrates the lives of John and Charles Wesley. John’s great gift to the Christian cause was the little matter of founding the world-wide movement known as Methodism. His brother Charles had an equally profound impact through his hymns. He wrote over 6,000, most of which aren’t sung nowadays, but among the ones... (247 words)25th May – The Venerable Bede, great historian
The Venerable Bede was an outstanding scholar who accomplished several ‘firsts’. He was the first historian to date events from the birth of Christ. He was the first person to write scholarly works in the English language. And, of course, his world-famous, magisterial Ecclesiastical History of the English People, completed in 731, is still in... (392 words)*NEW 25th May – Aldhelm, unconventional Bishop of Sherborne
Aldhelm is the saint for you if you are intelligent but unconventional. Aldhelm was born in 640, into a family closely related to Ine, the King of Wessex. Educated at the monastic community in Malmesbury in Wiltshire, he went for further study in Canterbury. He proved a brilliant student and was sent back to Malmesbury... (229 words)26th May – Augustine of Canterbury, apostle to the English
Augustine, a 6th century Italian prior, holds a unique place in British history. He became the ‘apostle to the English,’ although it was with great reluctance. In 596 Augustine was chosen by Pope Gregory to head a mission of monks whom he wanted to send to evangelise the Anglo-Saxons. Augustine was not a bold man,... (339 words)30th May – Josephine Butler, social reformer for women
Josephine Butler is the ‘saint’ for anyone who believes in social justice. This remarkable 19th century clergyman’s wife became a renowned campaigner for women’s rights and for putting a halt to human trafficking. Josephine was born in Northumberland in 1828, the daughter of a wealthy family of liberal politics and committed Christian faith. They had... (356 words)30th May – Joan of Arc, saving France from the English
How far would you go to respond to God’s call on your life? When, as the daughter of a peasant family in Champagne in 1426, 14-year-old Joan heard heavenly voices calling her to ‘save France’ from the English, she decided to obey the call, no matter what the consequences. Teenage girls who want to rescue... (361 words)31st May – Mary, the Blessed Virgin, visits Elizabeth
Mary – the virgin mother of Jesus. For centuries the eastern and western churches have considered her pre-eminent among all the saints. In the gospels, Mary makes her first appearance as a teenager. Nothing is known of her childhood, and what we do know of her is found mostly in Matthew 1 – 2 and... (323 words)
That's all in this category for this month - want more? Click here to view all items in this category (for any month).