Celebrate the Day of Holy Innocents Mexicans play jokes and pranks to trick friends and family members on December 28, which is similar to April Fool’s Day. In most Spanish-speaking countries, Dec. 28 is observed as the Día de los Santos Inocentes, or the Day of the Holy Innocents, commemorating the Biblical story of King Herod killing babies in Bethlehem. The Day of the Holy Innocents (Día de los Santos Inocentes), on December 28, remembers the biblical story of King Herod’s orders to execute male babies in Bethlehem in order to kill baby Jesus. It is celebrated on December 27th in the Maronite Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, and the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church; on December 28th in the Church of England, the Lutheran Church and the Roman Catholic Church; and on January 10th in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. It commemorates the massacre of male children in Bethlehem when King Herod ordered the execution of male toddlers under 2 years old. They explained that they were looking for the future king of Israel, the Messiah, announced in the Old Testament, who had just been born as demonstrated by the appearance of a new star in the sky. The Holy Innocents were mere children and thus unable to accept the faith for themselves. Eventually, sometime after the 5th century, it became decoupled from Epiphany and became its own feast day. This day is unlike the Feast of Saint Stephen which was celebrated on Wednesday. may also speak through our manner of life. Herod asked the Three Men to indicate the place where the Messiah would be born, but they did not do so. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. However, by the fifth century, it had become a separate festival and eventually became a saint’s day. Is Day of the Holy Innocents a Public Holiday? Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas or Innocents’ Day, Christian feast in remembrance of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18). Celebrated mainly in France, England, Germany and Italy, this festival was even represented by Victor Hugo in Nôtre Dame de Paris. A certain similarity in the anti-conformist and evasive character of this festival is found in some celebrations of Ancient Greece and Rome. Many researchers believe that this is a legend and that this tragic episode never happened since this fact is only mentioned in one of the gospels and in no other text of the time. Today, however, that practice has fortunately died out for the most part. Christianity, began to celebrate this day to commemorate the death of children who were murdered by order of King Herod I the Great. The name of this celebration, Holy Innocents, is due to the young age of these children who could not have committed any sin. However, it wasn’t celebrated as its own feast day but was instead a part of the Feast of the Epiphany and was celebrated in January. However, it is a tradition of more than 2 thousand years ago, with a rather tragic origin. However, it was changed to red vestments during that year. In modern times, it has been known as Holy Innocent’s Day, Childermas, Children’s Mass and Innocents’ Day. One of them, December 28, is the feast of the Holy Innocents. Eventually, sometime after the 5th century, it became decoupled from Epiphany and became its own feast day. Holy Innocents as a holiday can be traced back to the year 485 A.D when it was celebrated as a feast day in the Western Church, or more specifically in the Leonine Sacramentary. December 28, 2019 Holy Innocents, Martyrs—Feast ... 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