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The Expectation of Mary

Yesterday we imagined Mary and Joseph setting out from Nazareth to reach Bethlehem. Today we think about Mary’s pregnancy due to an old custom of recalling the Annunciation on 18 December. This began with the Mozarabic Rite in Toledo and the tradition remains in Spain where they speak of Our Lady of the O as […]

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Mary & Joseph have set out…

Today is another Advent staging post. It’s just over a week to go before Christmas and if Mary and Joseph are to be in Bethlehem they will need to have started their 90 mile journey from Nazareth. By tradition they set out about now and are accompanied by the singing of the O Antiphons at […]

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Britain’s Christmas Story on BBC1

One reason for the BBC being accused of ignoring religion is that its often very good programmes are hidden. Britain’s Christmas Story is a good example. Part one was shown yesterday morning. Even the Sunday morning political shows have small audiences. When Robert Peston switched his Sunday morning show to the evening viewing figures shot […]

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St Lucy brings light to Advent

In Sweden this morning a young girl representing St Lucy wearing her crown of candles will make an early morning appearance in many homes and schools. There will also be Lucia processions in many darkened churches tonight. Lucy wore candles on her head to light the way and leave her hands free to assist persecuted […]

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St Nicholas’s Day in London

Haydn’s St Nicholas Mass will be the setting on Friday 6 December for the St Nicholas Day Solemn Mass at St Matthew’s Westminster.  The Mass, starting at 6.30pm, will be attended by members of the St Nicholas Society. Bishop Stephen Venner will preside and Tim Livesely of Embrace the Middle East charity, will speak. It is […]

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St Andrew’s Day & Advent

Scotland is keeping its patronal festival this Saturday 30 November with much noise. But St Andrew is the also patron of Amalfi, Barbados, Greece, Russia, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul and fishermen. Amalfi holds Andrew’s main relics whilst his head is in Patras where there is a long outdoor procession today. Look on Amalfi Cathedral […]

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St Andrew’s Day & Advent

Scotland is keeping its patronal festival this Saturday 30 November with much noise. But St Andrew is the also patron of Amalfi, Barbados, Greece, Russia, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul and fishermen. Amalfi holds Andrew’s main relics whilst his head is in Patras where there is a long outdoor procession today. Look on Amalfi Cathedral […]

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Not Christmas yet…

Tim Stanley has written in his Daily Telegraph column about Christmas being marked too early. The date of his article is significant because 11 November was not only Armistice Day but St Martin’s Day which in Milan and parts of Spain triggers the start of Advent on the following Sunday. But, as Tim Stanley points […]

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