CHRISTMAS IS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Christmas is for friends and family,

But by no means exclusively

After all the Three Wise Men

Were strangers in Bethlehem 

SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE

 

Andrew the Apostle

Also known as Saint Andrew

Was brother of Saint Peter

Born in the village of Bethsaida

On the Sea of Galilee.

Where they were fishermen

Until Jesus called them

To be fishers of men

He was martyred by crucifixion

At the city of Patras in Achaea,

On an X-shaped cross, or “saltire”

Commonly known as

Saint Andrew's Cross

 

His feast day is November 30th

SAINT COLUMBA THE IRISH ABBOT

 

Irish Abbot, Saint Columba,

Born 521 AD in Gartan

Who spread Christianity

As a missionary to Scotland

Founding an Abbey on Iona

Which dominated the region

Politically for centuries

He died at the Abbey in 597 AD

 

His feast day is December 7th

SAINT DAVID OF CEREDIGION

 

Saint David was a scion

Of the royal house of Ceredigion,

Born at the end of the 5th century.

David founded a monastic community

At the Vale of Roses in Pembrokeshire

Where St David's Cathedral stands

A Welsh Bishop of Menevia

He died on the 1st of March in 588

 

His feast day is March 1st

SAINT PATRICK WAS AN ENGLISHMAN

 

Patrick was an Englishman

Who was captured from his home

And taken as a slave to Ireland

By Irish Pirates when he was 16

After six years of slavery

He escaped and returned home

After becoming a cleric,

He returned to the north

And west of Ireland.

In later life, he was ordained Bishop

 

His feast day is March 17th  

 

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY COMMEMORATES

 

Saint Patrick's Day commemorates

Saint Patrick himself and

The arrival of Christianity in Ireland

With the Feast of Saint Patrick

 

His feast day is March 17th

THE DRAGON OF SILENE

 

A dragon makes its nest

At the freshwater spring

The only water source

For the city of Silene

The Dragon must be lured away

Long enough to collect water

So, they temp it with a sheep

When no sheep can be found,

Then a maiden is sacrificed

The victim chosen by drawing lots

And one day it’s the Princess.

The King begs for her life

But his pleas fall on deaf ears

So, she is offered to the dragon

But George of Lydda appeared

While on his epic travels

And he faces the dragon,

After protecting himself

With the sign of the Cross

Slaying the dragon,

And rescued the princess

Then the citizens of Silene

Abandoned their paganism

And converted to Christianity

 

His feast day is April 23rd