Saints

Bishop. Born in Iceland in 1133, Thorlac went to Paris and Lincoln to study. When he returned home he is said to have ignored advice to marry a rich widow - at a time when many other Icelandic priests were married - and instead started a house of canons regular at Thykkviboer. He was consecrated bishop of Skalholt in 1178 and set about reforming the Church in Iceland, drawing up a code for both ... Read More

Italian Franciscan Friar from Umbria. Born in 1230, he wrote many songs of praise and was an early pioneer in Italian theatre, being one of the earliest scholars who dramatised Gospel subjects. Born Jacopo dei Benedetti, he was a member of a noble family. He studied law in Bologna and became a successful lawyer. In his late 20s, he married a young noblewoman, named Vanna, who was a pious and gen... Read More

O God, our loving Father, help us Rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, That we may share in the song of the Angels, the gladness of the shepherds And the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the Door of love all over the world. Deliver us from evil by the blessing That Christ brings, and teach us To be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy To be... Read More