Six saints’ memorials added to liturgical calendar

February 02, 2021

Pope Francis has introduced the memorials of three saints into the Roman liturgical calendar, and added a celebration of Sts. Mary and Lazarus to the existing memorial of St. Martha on July 29.

The new memorials are for:

• St. Gregory of Narek, abbot and Doctor of the Church, February 27,
• St. John De Avila, priest and Doctor of the Church, May 10, and
• St. Hildegard of Bingen, virgin and Doctor of the Church, September 17.

In a decree the Congregation for Divine Worship explained the addition of Sts. Mary and Lazarus:

The traditional uncertainty of the Latin Church about the identity of Mary—the Magdalene to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection, the sister of Martha, the sinner whose sins the Lord had forgiven—which resulted in the inclusion of Martha alone on 29 July in the Roman Calendar, has been resolved in recent studies and times, as attested by the current Roman Martyrology, which also commemorates Mary and Lazarus on that day. Moreover, in some particular calendars the three siblings are already celebrated together.

 

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Further information:

• Pope Francis adds memorials of 6 Saints to Roman Calendar (Vatican News)
• Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship (Vatican press office/ 1 of 2)
• Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship (Vatican press office/2 of 2)