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Holy Innocents day (feast)

December 28 falls the feast of the holy innocents, however the date [1]have nothing to do with the chronological order of the event; the feast is kept within the octave of Christmas because the Holy Innocents gave their life for the newborn Savior.

In the Philippines it is also called day of fools or niƱos inocentes and playing practical jokes like april fools day, but it is discourage by the church since it is not day of practical jokes, it is the day of the first martyrdom for the sake of Christ in the time of King Herord. Some practical jokes, like borrowing money without the intention of paying back.


History of the Holy Innocents


[2]The Innocents be called innocents for three reasons. First, by cause and reason of life, and by reason of pain, and by reason of innocence. By reason of life they be said innocents because they had an innocent life. They grieved nobody, neither God, by inobedience, nor their neighbours by untruth, nor by conceiving of any sin, and therefore it is said in the psalter:

The innocents and righteous have joined them to me.

The innocents by their life and righteousness in the faith, by reason of pain, for they suffered death innocently and wrongly, whereof David saith:
They have shed the blood of innocents by reason of innocency.
That they had, because that in this martyrdom they were baptized and made clean of the original sin, of which innocence is said in the psalter:
Keep thou innocence of baptism and see equity of good works.
Holy church maketh feast of the Innocents which were put to death because of our Lord Jesu Christ. For Herod Ascalonita for to find and put to death our Lord which was born in Bethlehem, he did do slay all the children in Bethlehem and there about, from the age of two years and under unto one day, unto the sum of one hundred and forty-four thousand children. For to understand which Herod it was that so cruelly did do put so many children to death.


Reference sites:
 [1]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07419a.htm
[2]http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/golden143.htm

                             

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1 Comments

Balut said…
Thanks for the info/trivia!

Merry Christmas my friend and I wish you the most blessed and fruitful New Year!

Knowing you from the blogosphere is one among my best blessings in 2012 :)