Holy Innocents Day
Holy Innocents Day
Celebrated annually on December 28th the Holy Innocent Day is observed by Christians to remember the loss of the innocent male children who were executed in Bethlehem according to the Biblical narrative in the book of Matthew. It is also known as the Feast of the Holy Innocent Day or Childermas.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2020 | 28th December | Monday | United States |
2021 | 28th December | Tuesday | United States |
2022 | 28th December | Wednesday | United States |
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Related: Other National Days Celebrated on December 28th:
Why Holy Innocents Day
History has witnessed several cold-blooded genocides propagated by Kings and rulers to safeguard their selfish agendas at any cost. The Holy innocent day is observed in the backdrop of one such heart-wrenching incident. The victims were none other than innocent children who were executed as per the orders of King Herod, the ruler of Judea.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the author recounts an incident where the three wise men or Magi visits King Herod from the East in search of the “King of Jews” who was born according to the celestial signs they perceived. King Herod who was appointed by the Romans to rule the region in 37 BC, saw this as a threat to his position. He called for the council of chief priests and scribes who were well-versed with the Jewish scriptures to know where this child was born. They informed King Herod that according to the prophecy in their scriptures Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea.
Though Herod was thoroughly disturbed by the news, being a shrewd man, he enquired them about the birth of this child and directed the wise men to Bethlehem asking them to report back once they knew the whereabouts of this infant so that he could go and worship him. After their encounter with Infant Jesus, the wise men were warned in a dream not to return back to Herod and they left to their own country through a different route.
Herod became angry and sent an order to kill all the male children who were under two years according to the time approximations given to him by the wise men from the east. The children who were executed were regarded as the first of many martyred saints by the early church. It is a day of mourning and fasting in Rome. The Christians were expected to refrain from meat or food cooked in fat.
In a few religious communities, the day was observed as the traditional feast of the youth. This day is accompanied by many strange customs that were practised in different parts of the world. Most of these customs aim at the reversal of the adult-child role or in giving all the authority to the youngsters for a day. Children were allowed to sit at the head of the table or make all the decisions for the day. The youngest priests and nuns were given all the authority for the day in many convents and monasteries. The election of a boy bishop was a practice in England during the feast. The customs were denounced by the Council of Basel in 1431 as they were thought to mock religion.
This day is a reminder of the precious God-given lives of children who are lost by war, abortion and other atrocities in our society. In memory of the many innocent lives Let the symbol of love, Jesus Christ preside in our hearts this Christmas season, let love for mankind grip our minds and conscience.
How Can We Observe Holy Innocents Day
- Adult Role Play
On this day, let your kids or the youngest person in the family be the boss!
- Take A Stand
You can use this opportunity to create awareness regarding the atrocities against children including social evils like child labour by organizing seminars and public platforms.
- Share on Social Media
Post the photos, videos and articles on social media using the #HolyInnocentsDay
Interesting Facts On Holy Innocents Day:
- The Western churches observe the Feast Of Holy Innocents on December 28th whereas the Eastern Churches observe it on December 29th.
- In England around 1000 years ago, the day came to be known as Childermas as the contraction of the words children and mass
- The Boy Bishop practise is similar to the Saturnalia, an annual feast in Rome where even the slaves were made masters for the day,
- In many cultures, this day is considered as an unlucky day and was called the “cross day of the year” by the Irish.
- In countries like Spain and Mexico, December 28 is the counterpart of April fools day where children prank the elders.
History Of Holy Innocents Day:
While the exact origin of this day remains unknown, the records of this feast dates back to the late 4th century