Memorial of Saints (December 17)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• John of Matha, founder
• Lazarus
• Olympias, widow
• Begga,widow
• Sturmi, abbot
• Wivina, virgin

St. John of Matha (d. ca. 1213 A.D.) was the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, more known as the Trinitarians.

John was born at Faucon in Provence of a well-to-do family and after his schooling was completed, he retired to a hermitage. When he found his privacy often disturbed, he went to study theology in Paris where he received a doctorate and was ordained a priest.

It was said that he received the inspiration to devote his life to the ransoming of Christian slaves from the Muslims during his first Mass. He traveled to Rome to secure papal approval for his venture. Innocent III was so impressed that he ordered the bishop of Paris and the abbot of the monastery of St. Victor to draw up a Rule. Once done, Innocent III approved the foundation of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity in 1198 A.D. Members of the Order went to Morocco, Tunis and Spain, and several hundred captives were said to be released.

St. John of Matha spent his last two years in Rome and died there on December 17, 1213 A.D.

This is also the feast day of Lazarus (first century A.D.). Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary. He was the close friend of Jesus who raised him from the dead (John 1:1-44)

Devotion to Lazarus was so widespread in the early Church. The Saturday before Palm Sunday was referred to as Lazarus Saturday because of the procession on that day to the church built over his tomb in Bethany. Lazarus is commemorated in the East on May 4.

December 17 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Daniel, and Sts. Three Youths, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael

Hananiah or Ananias, Mishael, and Azariah, whose names in Chaldean are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are figures from chapter 3 of the biblical Book of Daniel. In the narrative, the three Jewish men are thrown into a fiery furnace by Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon for refusing to bow to the king's image.

Citation from Google Search:

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Wikipedia.org