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Who is known as the "boy bishop"?This famous saint was consecrated a bishop at the tender age of 30!
Did you know that St. Nicholas was consecrated a bishop at 30, leading to his nickname of “boy bishop”?
Or that he is a reported attendee of the Council of Nicaea?
Yes! There is so much more to the life of this powerful saint than what is commonly known!
While we recognize St. Nicholas as the source behind the legendary Santa Claus, we may not know the many fascinating facts of his life. St. Nicholas was not a mythical figure, but a man who served the Church, risked his mortal life for the poor and persecuted, and whose charity made him a saint!
St. Nicholas (270-343) was the bishop of Myra in what is now Turkey. He was beloved during his life for his quiet generosity, always attuned to the needs of the poor and suffering. Many miracles were attributed to St. Nicholas’s intercession. Strong devotion to the saint known as the “gift-giver” grew rapidly until he was revered worldwide as Santa Claus.
But it was not just gift-giving and service that defined St. Nicholas—he endured great suffering for Christ as well. Under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, Nicholas spent seven long, hard years tortured and imprisoned for his faith in Christ. In 313 A.D., the first Christian emperor, Constantine, issued the Edict of Milan, giving religious liberty to all Christians and freeing St. Nicholas.
Alongside 317 other bishops, St. Nicholas participated in the Council of Nicaea, the first council of the Church, in 325 A.D. The main purpose was to resolve confusion—caused by the Arian heresy—over the nature of the Son in His relationship to the Father. The Council of Nicaea formulated the Nicene Creed—the Creed we pray at Sunday Mass to this day—which outlines the basic Christian belief that the Son is “consubstantial” with the Father. In this way, the greatest gift St. Nicholas helped give us is our Creed!
Inspired by St. Nicholas, may we remember that we are never too young or too old to be called by Christ! This “boy bishop” lived his life with striking charity and Christian witness, reminding us that the greatest legacy we can leave behind is one of love.
This Christmas, allow St. Nicholas to give you one more gift: the gift of the true meaning of Christmas! This beautiful Fontanini Kneeling Santa Figure, which shows Santa adoring the Christ Child, is the perfect way to demonstrate the reality of Christmas and how Santa participates in it. Order today from The Catholic Company and get your own Kneeling Santa in time for Christmas!
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What is the "Christmas Nail"?
It’s a little ornament that carries a profound meaning.
Maybe this Christmas, a friend will visit your house. As they admire your Christmas tree decorated with lights, images of the Nativity, perhaps some colorful ribbon and a snowman or two, they’ll spy a strange little ornament hanging close to the trunk of the tree. It’s almost invisible—hidden behind branches and lights and other decorations.
It’s a plain, long nail—much like the nails that pierced the hands and feet of Christ during His Passion. Your guests might wonder why such a nail would be found on a Christmas tree.
You’ll explain to them that Jesus was born in Bethlehem so that, thirty-three years later, He could die for our sins on Calvary. The Nail is a reminder of the Passion this little babe would undergo, as innocent at His death as He was at His birth. It reminds us of His sufferings and the incredible love that motivated both His earthly nativity and His death. This Nail decorates a Christmas tree, and the nails of His Passion decorated the Tree of the Cross.
The Nail is not in a place of prominence, but almost hidden away near the trunk. It is not so much a decoration, but a prayerful reminder for the family and for those guests with particularly keen eyes and hearts.
A poem explains the meaning of The Christmas Nail:
This is The Christmas Nail.
It is to be hung on a sturdy branch,
a branch near the trunk,
a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers
dropping by to admire one’s tinseled tree.
The nail is known only to the home that hangs it.
Understood only by the heart that knows its significance.
It is hung with the thought that the Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ-tree
which only He could decorate for us,
ornamented with nails as this.
You can make this tradition your own with a Christmas Nail available from The Catholic Company. Hung on a red ribbon, this Nail will become a beloved part of your Christmas tree. Comes with The Christmas Nail poem and a listing of Scripture prophecies about the Messiah. And this season, it’s on sale! Order yours today!
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What is the meaning behind "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"?Shrouded in powerful imagery and mystery, this beloved hymn is more than a festive song.
In a season where our music is filled with high-spirited festivity, upbeat rhythms, and clichéd images of wreaths and pretty wrapping paper, the haunting melody and archaic imagery of the beloved Advent hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel stand out sharply.
The distinctly biblical feel of the lyrics differs from the more overtly celebratory tone of most carols, and the actual Nativity narrative doesn’t appear in its usual way.
Rather, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel draws from Old Testament imagery of the coming Messiah, creating a hymn that feels anticipatory, prophetic, and timeless. Its incessant cries of “O Come!” echo our own hearts’ desperate cries for a Messiah, making it a beautiful Advent hymn.
Although a classic and well-known hymn, the history of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is surprisingly shrouded in mystery.
Who wrote the lyrics?
It is difficult to attribute the lyrics to any one writer. Originally written in Latin around the 7th or 8th centuries, these verses are actually part of the Divine Office. They are a rendering of the Greater Advent Antiphons, also called the “O” Antiphons based on the initial letter of each. These are sung at the Magnificat during Vespers (Evening Prayer) from December 17th through December 23rd.
These special antiphons are verses extracted from the Old Testament that express our longing for the coming of the Christ.
In fact, the word “come” is used in every O Antiphon.
Once combined with the stunning and easily-recognizable tune, John Mason Neale’s translation of the Latin text turned the verses into a perennial festive favorite.
Who wrote the music?
The haunting melody of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel has its roots as far back as 15th-century France, with a rather uncertain history. It wasn’t until the 1960s that musicologist and nun Mary Berry sourced the 15th-century manuscript that bore the tune’s building blocks, finding it among many others used for processional chants for burials.
So the actual composer of the music for one of the world’s most popular carols is enigmatically anonymous.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is a hymn that transforms the atmosphere of every space where it is heard, as well as the hearts of those who prayerfully listen to its beautiful biblical cries for the Savior we all so desperately need. Play it all Advent long as you finish your preparation for the Christmas season.
If you’re starting to feel behind on those Christmas preparations, no worries! This peaceful hymn will keep you grounded while The Catholic Company helps you finalize all the details. We all need Christmas cards at this time of year, and these delightful 12 Days of Christmas Trifold Greeting Cards are perfect for any Catholic home. Featuring festive original artwork, these cards also provide an explanation of the Catholic origins of the song, making it a rich and powerful card for all your stationery needs this season. Available today at The Catholic Company!
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What is the origin of Christmas stockings?St. Nicholas is said to have inspired this beloved Christmas tradition.
The old man went to bed sad that night. There is no worse feeling for a father than being powerless to protect his children and give them a good life. And it seemed as though he had failed in this regard. It had been a hard year, and he and his daughters barely had enough money to live on from day to day. There was no way he could provide a dowry for them. Without that, they couldn’t marry and faced a life of slavery.
His daughters were afraid, too, but tried to be hopeful. They spoke words of comfort to each other as they did their evening chores. Maybe something good would come along, maybe a miracle would happen, they said. Scrubbing their stockings clean as best they could, they hung them up by the window to dry near the dying fire. Then they went to bed.
The next morning, the daughters went to collect their stockings. But as they approached the window where they hung, what did they see? The stockings were stretched out of shape, with a lump of something in the toes. They quickly investigated, and nearly cried for joy when they found gold coins in each one—more than enough to pay a good dowry. They ran to tell their father, and all four gave thanks to God. Indeed, a miracle had happened.
God’s agent that night had been a clever and generous soul named Nicholas. He had heard of the father’s plight and, wishing to spare the father the shame of accepting charity, had snuck to the window during the night and tossed the money inside, where it had landed inside the girls’ stockings. Nicholas had saved the day—and started a tradition.
This legend of the Christmas stockings is one of the most famous stories handed down to us about St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra in modern-day Turkey. Appearing under various regional titles—“Father Christmas” in Great Britain, “Sinterklaas” in the Netherlands, or “Papa Noël” in France—good St. Nicholas has become the symbol of generosity everywhere Christmas is celebrated.
Speaking of stocking stuffers, how about a set of our bestselling Catholic Prayer Cards for Kids to stuff in a special kid’s stocking this Christmas? This deck of cards—with charming artwork and easy-to-read prayers—is a perfect intro to foundational Catholic prayers. Available today at The Catholic Company!
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An Advent tradition that reveals Our Lord's HumanityThe Jesse Tree isn’t just for kids!
Christ was a man.
Although we may know this, we often forget to consider the reality of it.
Christ was a man and He descended from a lineage of fallen, broken humans such as ourselves.
We are reminded of this profound reality each Christmas. At Mass on Christmas Eve, we read the genealogy of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. With each name and generation, we are reminded of the humanity of Our Lord, of His beautiful humility, and of our own roles in salvation history.
The beautiful truth of Our Lord’s humanity is not something reserved for Christmas Mass. We should prayerfully consider it all throughout Advent. As we prepare for the coming of Our Lord, it is important to remember how God prepared for the coming of His Son through generations of men and women unknowingly aiding in His divine plan.
This is the beauty of a Jesse Tree! A traditional Advent practice, a Jesse Tree is a special tree (usually an actual tree or a paper tree) that visually recreates the genealogy of Jesus as presented in the Catholic Bible, beginning with Adam and Eve from Genesis through to the birth of the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
Each ancestor of Jesus featured on the Jesse Tree is represented by an easily-recognizable symbol. For example, Jacob is represented with a ladder ornament that recalls his vision of a ladder descending from heaven to earth. Each ornament is hung on the Jesse Tree.
The Jesse Tree is a great way for kids to learn their Bible stories and to help them understand how important every individual is and how they each have a role to play in salvation history.
However, it is also a beautiful reminder for Catholics of all ages to consider the gift of Our Lord’s humanity.
If you don’t have a Jesse Tree, it’s not too late! Get creative and use a small Christmas tree, a sturdy branch from outside, or craft one out of paper or felt!
We also love these Salvation History Wooden Advent Blocks! An updated take on a classic Jesse Tree, these fun and interactive blocks tell the Biblical stories of salvation history while counting down the days till Christmas. This year, start a new beloved Advent tradition that will be sure to last generations!
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How to smuggle sermons out of a Nazi prisonFr. Alfred Delp’s inspiring words couldn’t be held back by iron bars.
“More, and on a deeper level than before, we really know this time that all of life is Advent.” —Fr. Alfred Delp, S.J., writing from prison
Fr. Alfred Delp, a young German Jesuit priest, loved Advent. He considered it not just a liturgical season, but an entire mode of life that we could carry with us throughout the year.
He thought that our whole life, in fact, was an Advent, a preparation for meeting God face-to-face. This spiritual idea would be embodied and fulfilled in his life.
Fr. Delp was a powerful preacher, and as a pastor in Münich, spoke with clarity and vigor against Nazism. But he wasn’t just a preacher of the word—he was a doer as well. For his conviction, the Gestapo arrested him in July 1944.
During his confinement, from a freezing cell with his wrists handcuffed, he penned powerful reflections on his beloved theme of Advent, deepened and magnified by the personal Advent he was experiencing that winter.
He would, in fact, meet God face-to-face on Candlemas, the feast that marks the end of the Christmas season. He was hanged on February 2, 1945, a martyr for the truth, his lifelong Advent coming at last to its glorious fulfillment.
But although this courageous priest did not escape prison, his words did escape.
His Advent reflections, scrawled on scraps of paper, were smuggled out of the prison with his laundry. From there, these writings made it to friends and parishioners back in Münich, and down to us today.
Fr. Delp’s prison writings—along with other Advent sermons preached before his imprisonment—have been collected for you in Advent of the Heart. This inspiring collection introduces you to Fr. Delp’s extraordinary spirituality—and makes a perfect companion for the coming Advent season. Order yours today at The Catholic Company!
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The day Our Lady halted a Prussian armyWhat can Our Lady of Hope teach us?
On January 17th, 1871, in the small farming village of Pontmain, France, the starry night parted for Our Lady.
At the time, France was under serious threat. The Franco-Prussian War was in full force and the Prussian forces were marching on France.
By mid-January, the Prussian army was mere miles from Pontmain.
With the Prussian forces nearly at his village, a 12-year-old French boy named Eùgene Barbadette gazed into the starry winter night. As he looked up, he was struck by a dark patch of the sky entirely free of stars. The sight was so otherworldly that the young boy could not peel his eyes away.
Suddenly, the spot of deep, empty, black night was filled with a radiant light, which faded to reveal an apparition of a beautiful woman smiling down upon him.
The dazzling woman in the sky was clothed in a blue gown covered with golden stars, almost as if the night itself had handed over its very own stars to adorn her. Atop her head rested a regal crown that held a black veil in place.
Eùgene was soon joined by his mother, father, and 10-year-old brother. Immediately Eùgene’s younger brother, Joseph, exclaimed that he, too, could see the stunning woman in the night sky!
The Barbadette parents were bewildered. Their sons were typically very honest and forthright, yet they could not see this apparition that their sons insisted was there. Despite their inability to see, the Barabdette parents were moved by faith. Without witnessing the woman herself, Eùgene’s mother, Victoire, suggested that the mysterious woman may be the Blessed Virgin. She insisted that all pray five Our Fathers and five Hail Marys in her honor.
After praying, the Barbadette family summoned the local schoolteacher, Sister Vitaline. When Sister Vitaline arrived, she cast her eyes up to the place in the sky that the boys pointed out, but all she could see was the strange gap in the starry night where no light shined.
A crowd of around 60 began to form and astonishingly, every child could miraculously see the beautiful woman, but the adults saw nothing at all. Moved by the children’s witness, the crowd began to pray the Rosary.
As the crowd prayed, the children noticed a change in the apparition. A blue oval frame with four candles, two at the level of the shoulders and two at the knees, formed around the Lady, and a short red cross appeared over her heart.
As the Rosary progressed, the figure and its frame grew larger until it was twice life-size. The stars around her began to multiply and attach themselves to her dress until it was covered with them.
Underneath the figure of Our Lady, a banner was rolled out directly onto the night sky with the words “But pray, my children.”
At this point, the Rosary had finished and the crowd, led by the local priest, had begun to sing the Litany of Our Lady. As they sang, the message on the banner changed to read: “God will soon answer you,” and shortly after, “My Son allows Himself to be moved with compassion.”
The children were beside themselves with joy at the beauty of the Lady and her smile, but her expression then changed to one of extreme sadness, as she now contemplated a large red cross that had suddenly appeared before her, with a figure of Jesus on it in an even darker shade of red.
As quickly as it had appeared, the apparition faded away, but those gathered, and the course of history, were permanently changed.
Unbeknownst to those praying with the apparition, as Our Lady appeared to the children, the Prussian General Von Schmidt was given sudden orders to halt his campaign on Pontmain.
Within 10 days, an armistice was signed between France and Prussia. The miraculous intercession of Our Blessed Mother had saved Pontmain!
The message of Our Lady to Pontmain, and to us now, is one of hope: “But pray, my children. God will hear you in a short time. My Son allows Himself to be moved with compassion.”
As we embark on another Advent season, let us remember that we too must allow ourselves to be filled with hope as we prepare for Christ. This stunning Our Lady of Hope Musical Figurine depicts Our Lady in joyful expectation of the birth of her Son and calls us to prepare alongside her. The perfect addition to any Catholic home during the Advent and Christmas seasons, this lovely piece of art will fill your home with the hope epitomized by Our Lady. Order yours today from The Catholic Company and receive it in time for Advent!
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How did the Miraculous Medal get its name?It does indeed involve miracles. Many, many miracles…
As Catholics, we probably recognize the Miraculous Medal. The stunning image of Our Lady standing atop a globe with radiant light beaming from her outstretched hands is seen all around us, on medals around our necks, adorning homes and churches, and as centerpieces on rosaries. However, we may not know that the original name of the medal was the “Medal of the Immaculate Conception.”
The “Medal of the Immaculate Conception” was spread through the advocacy of St. Catherine Labouré, to whom Our Lady herself gave this image. Upon distribution of these medals to the faithful, numerous miracles were reported almost immediately and the medal was aptly called miraculous.
Let’s take a look at some of these miracles that gave the Miraculous Medal its name:
1. In Paris, an 8-year-old girl was the only one in her class who did not wear a medal and was the only one who caught cholera. She was given a medal and returned to school the next day.
2. A pregnant woman contracted cholera and was thought close to death. After being given the medal, she had a smooth delivery and both mother and baby were found to be healthy.
3. A child who had been unable to walk was healed when he wore the medal on the first day of a novena.
4. In 1842, a young man named Alphonse Tobie Ratisbonne experienced a conversion. From a Jewish family, Ratisbonne had a deep and very public hatred of Catholicism. During a trip in 1841, he unexpectedly spent time in Rome and met Baron Bussieres, a newly-converted Catholic. The two argued about the Faith and the Baron gave Ratisbonne a Miraculous Medal, challenging him to wear it and recite the Memorare prayer. Shortly after, Our Lady appeared to Ratisbonne in exactly the same way as she is depicted on the Miraculous Medal. He was converted immediately and was baptized that same night.
After only four years, the number of medals distributed reached the millions, and by Catherine’s death in 1876, the number was in the billions.
Our Lady still desires to perform miracles through her Miraculous Medal! Invoke her great and loving intercession with this beautiful Miraculous Medal Rosary with a matching blue Miraculous Medal box. Conveniently proportioned so that it can be kept readily at hand, this stunning rosary and box will become a daily reminder for you to invoke the miraculous love of Our Lady. Get yours today from The Catholic Company!
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What do the liturgical colors of Advent signify?This December, instead of red and green, learn from the colors of purple and rose.
Once Thanksgiving has come and gone, our culture moves on quickly to the celebration of the Christmas season. All around us, there will be an explosion of Christmas reds and greens, holly and evergreen, ornaments and wreaths. However, you might notice that your parish is colored a different way.
Rather than reds and greens, the altar is draped in a deep violet, the priests wear violet vestments, and our wreaths have candles of that same violet and a lovely rose.
Why does the Church abstain from the colors of Christmas until the 24th? And why do these seemingly random shades of violet and rose take their place?
It is because violet and rose are the liturgical colors of Advent. As a preparatory season, Advent does not yet share in the joy of Christmas. Rather, it anticipates it through penance and the practice of patient waiting.
Violet is the liturgical color that symbolizes penance, sacrifice, and prayer, and as such, it characterizes both Advent and Lent. Moreover, during Advent, we meditate particularly on the coming of our King at Christmas. In this way, the color violet—traditionally associated with royalty—takes on a dual meaning, representing both the penitential nature of the season and the kingship of the coming Christ.
The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday. On this day, we celebrate that our wait is almost over and we witness the sudden introduction of a lovely shade of rose in our churches and our Advent wreath. As the liturgical color used to signify joy, rose is used in the third week of Advent in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.
These colors of the Advent season are not arbitrary—rather, they are intentional reminders of how we should orient our hearts as we prepare for the coming Christ. While it is fine to join in the festivity around us, we must keep our hearts aligned with the Church during this season, joining in the hopeful and penitential anticipation of our coming Savior.
This Advent Blessings St. Benedict Medal Bracelet was created to help you do just that. Beautifully adorned with violet and rose beads, this bracelet is a perfect reminder to pray for an increase of hope, love, joy, and peace in Christ during Advent. Order yours today from The Catholic Company and receive it in time for Advent!
