GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDER.

New Zealand Tablet, 24 December 1908, Page 3

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDER.

December 27, Sunday.— St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. „ 28, Monday.— The Holy Innocents, Martyrs. „ 29, Tuesday.— St. Thomas of Canterbury, Bishop and Martyr. „ 30, Wednesday. — St. Elizabetli of Hungary, Widow. „ 31, Thursday. — St. Sylvester, Pope and Confessor. January 1, Friday.— Feast of the Circumcision. Holiday of Obligation. „ 2, Saturday.— Octave of St. Stephen. St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Widow. St. Elizabeth was the daughter of the King of Hungary, and the wife of Louis, Landgrave of Thuringia. Sho was remarkable for her charity, and took a special deilght in serving the sick with her own hands. On the death of her husband, St. Elizabeth was driven from her home, and reduced to take shelter with her children in a building that had been used for swine. These and other privations she bore uncomplainingly. She died in 1231, in the 24th year of her age. St. Sylvester, Pope and Confessor. St. Sylvester, a native of Rome, was called to rule the Church during the twenty-one years which followed the accession of Constantine. One of his principal cares was to provide churches for the faithful, who were now, for the first time, allowed perfect liberty in tlie exercise of their religion. The most important event in the nontificate of St. Sylvester was the celebration of the First General Council, which was presided over by the Papal legates, and in which the errors of Arius were condemned. St. Sylvester died in 335.