Celebrate New Years Day with the Holy Eucharist on the Feast of the Holy Name.
We continue the Twelve Days of Christmas by singing carols, by hearing of God’s promises in scripture come true for all the earth and by celebrating Emmanuel, God with us, in the mystery of the Mass and in the unity of Christian community.
The celebration of a feast for the Holy Name of Jesus dates from the Middle Ages when it was celebrated on January 14 (eight days after the Epiphany). It was moved several times: first to the Second Sunday after Epiphany, then to the Sunday between the Feast of the Circumcision (January 1) and Epiphany (January 6) or in any year where there was no such Sunday to January 2. Since the late medieval period in the English church it has been celebrated on August 7. The 1979 BCP calendar follows Luke 2:21 by combining the circumcision and naming of Jesus Holy Name on the eighth day after Christmas (January 1).