Today is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, also called Childermas, or Innocents’ Day, which is celebrated in the Christian churches in the West on December 28 and in the Eastern churches on December 29. This Feast commemorates the massacre of the children by King Herod in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:16–18).

Today the Church remembers the Holy Innocents, the male children executed because of Herod’s fury to find the Christ child. Herod, fearing for his throne after the Magi told him of the birth of Jesus, ordered the massacre of all Bethlehem boys age two and under hoping that Jesus would be among those killed (Matthew 2:1-18). According to Matthew, this fulfilled a prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”

As we celebrate this feast, we should recall that the slaughter of innocents that goes on today. Abortion is a barbaric practice which kills innocent babies in the womb. It is a good time to re-double our efforts to pray for an end to abortion. Please lift up your prayers for these babies, and for all expectant parents and their unborn children.