Facebook Apostles

St. Nicholas' feast day is Dec. 6. One of the most famous stories of his generosity says that he threw bags of gold through an open window in the house of a poor man to serve as dowry for the man’s daughters. The gold is said to have landed in the family’s shoes, which were drying near the fire. This is why children leave their shoes out by the door, or hang their stockings by the fireplace in the hopes of receiving a gift on the eve of his feast.

https://ow.ly/QFKA50X14wu

Along with marking the beginning of Advent, on November 30, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. Since Advent starts on the Sunday closest to November 30, St. Andrew's feast is always tied to it. It gives us an opportunity to remember St. Andrew's example and reflect on our own call to follow Christ. On this day, we begin praying the St. Andrew Novena, also known as the Christmas novena. Prayed daily until Christmas Eve, the novena consists of a short, meditative prayer which is intended to be repeated 15 times and may be followed by the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be: Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of his blessed mother. Amen.