Found 19 resource(s) in 'Holy Days', for April 2024.
High Days and Holy Days for April 2024
Sundays of the Month Editor: Continuing our new feature, as we thought you might find it helpful to know what the Sundays of each month are called… 7th April 2nd Sunday of Easter 14th April 3rd Sunday of Easter 21st April 4th Sunday of Easter 28th April 5th Sunday of Easter High Days and... (6490 words)1st April – Fooling Around
I was about six when I began to enjoy April Fool’s Day. My older brother was very clever at appropriate hoaxes, not only deceiving me but also mum and dad. On the whole my childish efforts were encouraged. The day was full of laughs, even at school, where the teachers would try to trick us... (307 words)1st April – All Fools’ Day
In years gone by, the rules surrounding April Fool were this: between midnight and noon on 1st April, everyone is ‘fair game’ to be made a fool of. It is the morning of the practical joke. But the aim is not just to discomfort the victim: he must be tricked into taking action himself, sent... (178 words)2nd April – Hugh of Grenoble, he fought corruption and built hospitals
Murky crimes committed by various church leaders, local shops in trouble, roads needing repair, and hospitals in a sorry state…. wanting to retire, but the law said no… it seems that Hugh of Grenoble was dealing with 21st century problems in the 11th century. Born at Chateauneuf in 1052 as the son of a knight,... (294 words)3rd April – Richard of Chichester: more clearly, dearly and nearly
Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from? Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it. He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer. But Richard was... (360 words)5th April – Vincent Ferrer
– Dominican who opposed a Pope Leaving England to live in Spain was popular long before the TV show ‘Location Location Location’ was ever invented. Back in 1350 Vincent Ferrer’s parents had left England to settle in Valencia, where their son Vincent was born and grew up. In 1367, when he was 17, Vincent felt... (340 words)8th April – Lady Day or The Annunciation
This beautiful event (Luke 1:26-38) took place in Nazareth, when Mary is already betrothed to Joseph. The Archangel Gabriel comes to Mary, greets her as highly favoured, tells her not to be afraid, that she will bear a son Jesus, and that her elderly cousin Elizabeth is already pregnant (with John the Baptist). The church... (189 words)*New 9th April – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Lutheran pastor and martyr
Standing up to tyrants, no matter what the cost. That kind of courage has been in the headlines since the war in Ukraine began, as many brave people have defied Putin’s oppression. Dietrich Bonhoeffer did not have Putin to contend with, but Hitler. Bonhoeffer did not back down either, when the time came. Bonhoeffer grew... (420 words)13th April – Carpus, Papylus & Agathonice
– martyrs of the Early Church In the month of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of Himself for us, the martyrdoms of Carpus, Papylus and Agathonice are well worth remembering. What they said as they died could be said by the many thousands of Christians who are facing persecution all over the world today. Carpus, Papylus and... (326 words)19th April – Alphege, the archbishop taken captive by Danes
Alphege is the saint for anyone who refuses to let others suffer on their behalf. His is a tale of courage and self-sacrifice, with some details that are still poignant, even down 1000 years of history. Alphege began like many other leading churchmen of his time; born of a noble family, with a good education,... (270 words)21st April – Anselm
– the man who proved there is a God Anselm is a good saint to remember next time someone asks you to prove that there is a God. His brilliant and original Proslogion, written 1077-8, sets out the ‘ontological’ proof for God’s existence. Nearly ten centuries later, it is still studied by theological students as... (246 words)23rd April – St George, our Patron Saint who isn’t English
The English have a patron saint who isn’t English, about whom next to nothing is known for sure, and who, just possibly, may not have existed at all. But that didn’t stop St George being patriotically invoked in many battles, notably at Agincourt and in the Crusades, and of course it is his cross that... (445 words)23rd April – St George of the Golden Legend
The Saint of an English Army before he was Patron Saint of England, St George may have been a soldier, but he was no Englishman. Some stories say that he was an officer in the Roman army under Diocletian, who refused to abandon his faith during the Terror, and was martyred at Lydda in Palestine... (425 words)23rd April – St George, Hiccup and the Dragon
Have you seen the film How to Train your Dragon? It’s set in a Viking village under attack from dragons, who steal livestock and burn down houses. Hiccup, the village Chief’s son, invents a machine to capture dragons. However, when he catches one of the most dangerous dragons, he cannot kill it, when he sees... (299 words)26th April – Mark
– disciple, apostle, writer of the second gospel Mark, whose home in Jerusalem became a place of rest for Jesus and His 12 apostles, is considered the traditional author of the second gospel. He is also usually identified as the young man, described in Mark 14:51, who followed Christ after his arrest and then escaped... (186 words)27th April – Tertullian
– fierce firebrand of the Early Church Tertullian was born in Carthage, North Africa, about 155 AD. He had pagan parents and his father may have been a centurion. Carthage was a prestigious Roman colony and Tertullian was given a good education in Greek, Latin, literature, history and philosophy. On arrival in Rome, Tertullian probably... (379 words)27th April – Zita
-the long-suffering servant girl of Lucca If you have ever been in trouble for simply doing good, then Zita is the saint for you. Born in 1218 to poor but devout parents in Monsagrati, Zita was sent at the age of 12 to work as a servant for the rich Fatinelli family in nearby Lucca.... (319 words)28th April – Peter Chanel
– missionary and martyr in the South Pacific 1841 Many of us can show great dedication in pursuit of a career that will bring us a good salary or position. Peter Chanel should be the patron saint of anyone who shows quiet determination in doing what they believe to be God’s call upon their life;... (396 words)29th April – Catherine of Siena
– or how to survive in a large family Catherine of Siena, who was born 1347, should be the patron saint of anyone who has grown up in a large family, and mastered the two vital skills for survival: how to stand up for yourself, and how to make peace with others. Catherine had siblings!... (367 words)
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