Skip to main content
HolidayList
🎉 festival

Feast of St. Ambrose

Monday, December 7, 2026

— days to go

The Feast of St. Ambrose, celebrated on December 7, honors Saint Ambrose (c. 339-397 AD), the Bishop of Milan and one of the four original Doctors of the Latin Church. Born into a Roman Christian family in Trier, present-day Germany, Ambrose was initially a provincial governor before being unexpectedly elected Bishop of Milan by popular acclaim while still a catechumen. As bishop, he became a towering figure of 4th-century Christianity, renowned for his theological writings, his eloquent preaching, and his steadfast opposition to Arianism. Ambrose is credited with developing the Ambrosian chant and the Ambrosian rite still used in the Archdiocese of Milan. He famously baptized Saint Augustine of Hippo and played a crucial role in the conversion of the Roman Empire. His feast day is celebrated with particular solemnity in Milan, of which he is the patron saint.

History

Ambrose was born around 339 in Trier to a Christian family of Roman nobility. Following his father's death, he moved to Rome where he studied law and rhetoric. In 370, he was appointed governor of Liguria and Emilia with his seat in Milan. When the Arian bishop of Milan died in 374, Ambrose intervened to maintain peace between Orthodox and Arian factions. During his speech, a child reportedly cried 'Ambrose for bishop,' and the crowd took it as divine will. Though only a catechumen, he was baptized and consecrated bishop within a week. Ambrose served as bishop for 23 years, during which he wrote extensively on theology and ethics, composed hymns, and wielded significant political influence, notably compelling Emperor Theodosius I to do public penance.

How It's Celebrated

The Feast of St. Ambrose is celebrated with particular grandeur in Milan, where a solemn pontifical Mass is held at the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio, which houses the saint's relics. The Ambrosian rite, the traditional liturgical rite of Milan, is used for these services. Across Italy and Germany, churches named after St. Ambrose hold special masses, and the day is marked by processions featuring the Ambrosian chants he helped establish. In his birthplace of Trier, Germany, commemorations include ecumenical services and cultural events. The festival also includes the blessing of honey and beeswax candles, referencing the legend of bees settling on Ambrose's mouth as an infant without harming him.

Other Years

2021 Tue
07 Dec
2022 Wed
07 Dec
2023 Thu
07 Dec
2024 Sat
12/7
2025 Sun
12/7
2026 Mon
12/7
2027 Tue
12/7
2028 Thu
12/7
2029 Fri
07 Dec

Countries

🇩🇪 DE

You Might Also Like

View all →
🎉 festival Jan 9

Panama's Martyrs' Day

Panama's Martyrs' Day, or Dia de los Martires, is a national day of mourning observed annually on January 9 in Panama, commemorating the Panamanian citizens who lost their lives during the 1964 protests against United States control of the Panama Canal Zone. On January 9, 1964, a dispute over the flying of the Panamanian flag alongside the American flag at Balboa High School in the Canal Zone escalated into a major confrontation between Panamanian civilians and U.S. military forces. Over three days of violent clashes, at least 22 Panamanians and 4 U.S. soldiers were killed, and hundreds more were wounded. The event, known as the Flag Incident or the Day of the Martyrs, marked a turning point in U.S.-Panama relations and was a crucial catalyst in the eventual negotiation of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977, which led to the full transfer of the Panama Canal to Panamanian control on December 31, 1999. Martyrs' Day is a public holiday in Panama, observed with solemn ceremonies, flag-raising events, and memorial services.

PA
🎉 festival Jan 11

No Longer New Year's

No Longer New Year's, observed on January 11, is a semi-humorous unofficial holiday marking the date by which most people have abandoned their New Year's resolutions. Falling ten days into the new year, it serves as a lighthearted reminder of the gap between intention and action when it comes to personal change. Research consistently shows that while approximately 40 percent of Americans make New Year's resolutions, the majority fail to maintain them beyond the first few weeks of January. Common resolutions include exercising more, eating healthier, saving money, and quitting smoking. No Longer New Year's functions as both a gentle critique of the resolution-making tradition and an opportunity for a fresh start, encouraging people to reset their goals with more realistic expectations rather than abandoning them entirely. The day carries a tone of self-compassion, reminding people that meaningful change is a process.

US
🎉 festival Jan 12

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men

The Feast of Fabulous Wild Men is a playful, unofficial holiday observed on January 12 that celebrates men who embrace their individuality, creativity, and unconventional spirit. Emerging in the early 2000s as part of a wave of internet-age novelty holidays, the day encourages men to break free from societal expectations and express their authentic selves without judgment. The festival draws inspiration from the archetype of the 'wild man' found in mythology and literature, from the Greek satyrs and Celtic wild men to the Romantic ideal of the noble savage. In contemporary culture, it serves as a counterpoint to rigid masculine stereotypes, promoting emotional openness, adventure, and self-discovery. The day has gained modest recognition through social media and alternative calendar platforms, appealing to those who celebrate quirky and offbeat holidays.

US
🎉 festival Jan 14

Feast of the Ass

The Feast of the Ass (Latin: Festum Asinorum) is a medieval Christian festival observed on January 14 that commemorates the role of the donkey in biblical history, particularly its association with the Holy Family's flight into Egypt and Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The celebration originated in medieval Europe, especially in France and Germany, as part of the Feast of the Fools tradition during the Christmas season. The ass held symbolic importance in Christian tradition: it was the animal that carried Mary and the infant Jesus into Egypt, and it was the beast upon which Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The festival developed from the Biblical account and from the prophecy of Zechariah: 'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey.' While the more ribald aspects of the festival faded after the Council of Basel in 1431, the symbolic honoring of the donkey persisted in many local traditions.

US