Mary, Mother of God (Solemnity) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCePGwykjag
Circumcision of the Lord (Feast): Though He was not bound by law, Christ wanted to fulfill the law and to show His descent in the flesh from Abraham and so was circumcised on the eighth day of his life (Luke 2:21) and received the name expressive of His office, Jesus, (Saviour). He was, as Saint Paul says, “made under the law”, that is, He submitted to the Mosaic Dispensation, “that he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). “The Christ, in order to fulfil all justice, was required to endure this humiliation and bear in His body the stigma of the sins which He had taken upon Himself.” The circumcision took place, not in the Temple, though painters sometimes so represent it but in some private house, where the Holy Family had found a rather late hospitality. The public ceremony in the synagogue, which is now the usage, was introduced later.
As Christmas was celebrated on 25 December, celebration of Circumcision fell on the first of January. In the ages of paganism, however, the solemnisation of the feast was almost impossible due to orgies connected with the Saturnalian festivities being celebrated at the same time. Even in our own day the secular features of the opening of the New Year interfere with the religious observance of the Circumcision and tend to make a mere holiday of that which should have the sacred character of a Holy Day. Saint Augustine of Hippo points out the difference between the pagan and Christian manners of celebrating the day: pagan feasting and excesses were to be expiated by Christian fasting and prayer. The Feast was kept at an early date in the Gallican Rite, as is clearly indicated in a Council of Tours in 567, in which he Mass of the Circumcision is prescribed. The feast celebrated at Rome in the seventh century was not the Circumcision as such, but the octave of Christmas. The Gelasian Sacramentary gives the title “In Octabas Domini”, and prohibits the faithful from idolatry and the profanities of the season. The earliest Byzantine calendars (eighth and ninth centuries) give for the first of January both the Circumcision and the anniversary of Saint Basil. The Feast of the Circumcision was observed in Spain before the death of Saint Isidore in 636. It seems, therefore, that the octave was more prominent in the early centuries and the Circumcision later. As paganism passed away the religious festivities of the Circumcision became more conspicuous and solemn, yet, even in the tenth century, Atto, Bishop of Vercelli, rebuked those who profaned the holy season by pagan dances, songs, and the lighting of lamps.
Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord
World Day of Peace: Feast day dedicated to peace. It first observed on 1 January 1968, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI. It was inspired by the encyclical Pacem in Terris by Pope John XXIII and with reference to Paul’s encyclical Populorum Progressio. Our Holy Fathers have used this day to make magisterial declarations relevant to the social doctrine of the Church on such topics as the United Nations, human rights, women’s rights, labour unions, economic development, the right to life, international diplomacy, peace in the Holy Land, globalisation, migrants, refugees and terrorism.
Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus – But now celebrated on 3 January, the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Bl Adalbero of Liege
St Baglan of Wales
St Basil of Aix
Bl Bonannus of Roio
St Brogan
St Buonfiglio Monaldi
Bl Catherine de Solaguti
St Clarus of Vallis Regia
St Clarus of Vienne
St Colman mac Rónán
St Colman Muillin of Derrykeighan
St Concordius of Arles
St Connat
St Cuan
St Demet of Plozévet
St Elvan
St Eugendus of Condat
St Euphrosyne of Alexandria
St Fanchea of Rossory
St Felix of Bourges
St Frodobert of Troyes
St Fulgentius of Ruspe
St Gisela of Rosstreppe
St Gregory Nazianzen the Elder
Bl Hugolinus of Gualdo Cattaneo
Bl Jean-Baptiste Lego
Bl Jean of Saint-Just-en-Chaussée
St Joseph Mary Tomasi
St Justin of Chieti
Bl Lojze Grozde
St Maelrhys
St Magnus the Martyr
Bl Marian Konopinski
St Mydwyn
St Odilo of Cluny
St Odilo of Stavelot
St Peter of Atroa
St Peter of Temissis
Bl René Lego
St Sciath of Ardskeagh
St Severino Gallo
St Telemachus
St Thaumastus of Mainz
St Theodotus
St Tyfrydog
Bl Valentin Paquay
St Vincent Strambi
St William of Dijon
St Zedislava Berka
St Zygmunt Gorazdowski
—
Breton Missionaries to Britain
Martyred Soldiers of Rome: Thirty soldiers martyred in Rome as a group during the persecutions of Diocletian. We don’t even known their names. They were martyred c 304 at Rome, Italy.
Martyrs of Africa – 8 saints: Eight Christians martyred together in Africa, date unknown. The only details we have are four of their names – Argyrus, Felix, Narcissus and Victor.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Andrés Gómez Sáez
AnaStpaul 