Christmas: December 27th
Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist
Other Titles: Third Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
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Today is the third day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist. Born in Bethsaida, he was called while mending his nets to follow Jesus. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and the life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament. He is the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and His fraternal love. With James, his brother, and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, he leans on the Master's breast. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts His Mother to his care. John's pure life kept him very close to Jesus and Mary in years to come. John was exiled to the island of Patmos under Emperor Domitian.

Feast of Saint John - Day ThreeSt. John was born in Bethsaida, and like his brother James, was a fisherman. He was called while mending his nets to follow Jesus. He became the beloved disciple of Jesus. He wrote the fourth Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse. His passages on the pre-existence of the Word, who by His Incarnation became the light of the world and life of our souls, are among the finest of the New Testament.
He is the evangelist of the divinity of Christ and His fraternal love. With James, his brother and Simon Peter, he was one of the witnesses of the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, he leans on the Master's breast. At the foot of the cross, Jesus entrusts His Mother to his care. John's pure life kept him very close to Jesus and Mary. In years to come John was exiled to the island of Patmos under Emperor Domitian, but lived to an old age. — From the Daily Roman Missal
- Day Three activity (Blessing of Wine)
- Day Three Recipe (St. John's Wine)

St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
St. John, the Evangelist, who is styled in the Gospel, "the beloved disciple", was a Galilean, son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother to St. James the Greater, both of whom were fishermen. The two were called by Jesus to be disciples as they were mending their nets by the Sea of Galilee.

- Read more about St. John:
- Catholic Ireland
- Catholic News Agency
- Loyola Press for children
- Catholic Ireland
- St. John's relics have been lost, but read Saints in Rome for the churches in Rome that are dedicated to St. John and about his house in Ephesus.
- Read the three audiences of Pope Benedict XVI about St. John:

December 27, Feast of St. John the Evangelist
Station with Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major):
St. John, the principal evangelist of the Divinity of Christ, is also the one among the apostles whose teaching best brings out the profound changes effected in our human lives by the Incarnation of the Word; "born of God", henceforth we are to live, by grace, the very life of Christ which springs forth in us to eternal life. The reason for the station church, St. Mary Major, is easily seen; John was entrusted as a son to the Mother of God.
For Further Info:
Vatican on the Basilica
Churches of Rome
Rome Art Lover
For further information on the Station Churches, see The Stational Church.