The ‘Roman Calendar’ lists the days on which the Western Church celebrates various feasts and solemnities. On most days the life of a saint is celebrated, though some days are memorials of events in the life of Christ and Our Lady and the Church. This list is not exhaustive, some saints have not been listed, and new saints and Beata are constantly being added to the calendar; however all the major saints of whom children may have heard, or after whom they may have been named, are most probably listed here.
In many countries of the world where there is a large Catholic population it is customary to celebrate not only birth days, but ‘name days’, the feast day of the saint after whom the child has been named. It is therefore possible to make it a classroom custom to celebrate ‘name days’. If children have not been named after a saint then they could simply adopt a saint as their special patron and their ‘name day’ could be celebrated on the day of their chosen patron.
Children called Mary, Madonna, Marie, Maria may choose any of the Marian feasts as their special name day. The name ‘Lillian’ is also associated with Our Lady as one title for Our Lady is ‘The Lily of the Valley’. In France the symbol of the lily is commonly accepted as a symbol of Our Lady. There are also many modern variation on saints names, such as ‘Catrina’ or ‘Katrina’ for Catherine or Emily for St. Aemilia. Girls with feminine versions of the name of a male saint, celebrate their ‘name day’ on the feast of that male saint. For example, all Georgia and Georginas celebrate their name days on the feast day of St. George while Patricias celebrate their name day on the feast of St. Patrick.
If you are not sure whether a name is associated with a saint two good sources to check are : The New Catholic Encyclopaedia, and Butler’s Lives of the Saints.
The greatest days in the Church’s Calendar are called Solemnities, beneath which are Feasts, Memorials and Optional Memorials.
A similar calendar exists for Catholics of the Byzantine heritage and it is called the ‘Byzantine Calendar’.
JANUARY:
1. SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD.
2. ST. BASIL THE GREAT AND SAINT GREGORY NAZIANZEN (Bishops and Doctors of the church).
3. ST. GENEVIEVE.
4. ST. GREGORY OF LANGRES, (Bishop).
5. ST. SIMON STYLITES.
6. SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY
7. ST. RAYMOND OF PENYFORT
8. ST. APOLLINARIS OF HIERAPOLIS (Bishop).
9. ST. PETER OF SEBASTE (Bishop).
10. ST. WILLIAM (Bishop).
11. ST. SALVIUS (Bishop).
12. ST. ARCADIUS (Martyr).
13. ST. HILARY (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
14. ST. MACRINA THE ELDER.
15. ST. PAUL THE HERMIT.
16. ST. PRISCILLA, ST. JEREMY AND COMPANIONS, AND ST. JULIANA.
17. ST. ANTHONY (Abbot).
18. ST. VOLUSIAN (Bishop).
19. ST. HENRY OF UPPSALA (Bishop and martyr).
20. STS. FABIAN AND SEBASTIAN.
21. ST. AGNES.
22. ST. VINCENT.
23. ST. EMERENTIANA.
24. FRANCIS DE SALES.
25. FEAST OF THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL.
26. STS. TIMOTHY AND TITUS.
27. ST. ANGELA MERICI.
28. THOMAS AQUINAS (Doctor of the Church).
29. ST. SABINIAN (Martyr).
30. ST. MARTINA.
31. ST. JOHN BOSCO.
FEBRUARY:
1. ST. BRIGID.
2. FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD.
3. ST. BLASE.
4. ST. ISIDORE OF PELUSIUM (Abbot).
5. ST. AGATHA.
6. ST. PAUL MIKI AND COMPANIONS.
7. ST. LUKE THE YOUNGER.
8. ST. JEROME EMILIANI.
9. ST. APPOLINIA.
10. ST. SCHOLASTICA.
11. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES.
12. ST. MARINA.
13. ST. CATHERINE DEI RICCI.
14. STS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS.
15. ST. SIGFRID.
16. ST. GILBERT OF SEMPRINGHAM.
17. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE SEVEN FOUNDERS OF THE ORDER OF SERVITES.
18. ST. SIMEON (Bishop).
19. ST. BONIFACE OF LAUSANNE (Bishop).
20. ST. ZENOBIUS AND COMPANIONS.
21. ST. PETER DAMIAN (Bishop).
22. FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF PETER.
23. ST. POLYCARP.
24. ST. MONTANUS.
25. ST. ETHELBERT OF KENT.
26. ST. VICTOR THE HERMIT.
27. ST. GABRIEL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS.
28. ST. OSWALD OF WORCESTER.
MARCH:
ST. FELIX II.
2. ST. CHAD.
3. ST. AELRED OF RIEVAULX.
4. ST. CASIMIR.
5. ST. JOHN JOSEPH OF THE CROSS, ST. ADRIAN.
6. ST. COLETTE
7. STS. PERPETUA AND FELICITY.
8. ST.JOHN OF GOD.
9. ST. FRANCES OF ROME.
10. ST.JOHN OGILVIE.
11. ST. SOPHRONIUS (Bishop).
12. ST. ALPHEGE OF WINCHESTER.
13. ST. HELDRAD.
14. ST. MATILDA.
15. ST. LOUISE DE MARILLAC.
16. ST. JULIAN OF ANTIOCH.
17. ST. PATRICK.
18. ST. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM.
19. ST. JOSEPH.
20. ST. CUTHBERT.
21. ST. SERAPION.
22. ST. NICHOLAS OF FLUE.
23. ST. TURBIUS DE MONGROVEJO.
24. ST. IRENEAUS OF SIRMIUM.
25. SOLEMNITY OF THEANNUNCIATION OF OUR LORD.
26. ST. BASIL THE YOUNGER.
27. ST. JOHN OF EGYPT.
28. ST. GUNTRAMNUS.
29. ST. RUPERT.
30. ST. ZOZIMUS.
31. ST. GUY OF POMPOSA.
APRIL:
1. ST. HUGH OF GRENOBLE.
2.ST. FRANCIS OF PAOLA.
3. ST. SIXTUS.
4. ST. IDISORE.
5. ST. VINCENT FERRER.
6. ST. CELESTINE I. (Pope).
7. ST. JOHN BAPTISTE DE LA SALLE.
8. ST. PERPETUUS (Bishop).
9. ST. WALDETRUDIS.
10. ST. FULBERT (Bishop).
11. ST. STANISLAUS (Bishop).
12. ST. SEBAS THE GOTH (Martyr).
13. ST. MARTIN I (Pope).
14. ST. TIBURTIUS, VALERIUS AND MAXIMUS (Martyrs).
15. ST. BASILISSA AND ANASTASIA (Martyrs).
16. ST. BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS.
17. ST. STEPHEN HARDING (Abbot).
18. ST. APOLLINIUS THE APOLOGIST (Martyr).
19. ST. LEO IX (Pope).
20. ST. AGNES OF MONTEPULCIANO.
21. ST. ANSELM (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
22. ST. LEONIDES (Martyr).
23. ST. GEORGE.
24. ST. FIDELIS OF SIGMARINGEN (Martyr).
25. ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST.
26. ST. STPEHN OF PERM (Bishop).
27. ST. ZITA.
28. ST. PETER CHANEL.
29. ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA.
30. ST. PIUS V.
MAY:
1. ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER.
2. ST. ATHANASIUS (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
3. FEAST OF ST. PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES.
4. ST. FLORIAN (Martyr).
5. ST. HILARY OF ARLES (Bishop).
6. ST. PETRONAX.
7. DOMITIAN.
8. ST. BONIFACE IV (Pope).
9. ST. GERONTIUS (Bishop).
10. ST. JOHN OF AVILA.
11. ST. WALTER OF L’ESTERP.
12. ST. NEREUS AND ACHILLES.
13. ST. GLYCERIS.
14. ST. MATTHIAS, APOSTLE.
15. ST. ISIDORE THE FARMER.
16. ST. JOHN NEPOMUCEN.
17. ST. PASCHAL BAYLON.
18. ST. JOHN I (Pope and martyr).
19. ST. DUNSTAN.
20. ST. BERNADINO OF SIENA.
21. ST. ANDREW BOBOLA.
22. ST. RITA.
23. ST. WILLIAM OF ROCHESTER (MARTYR).
24. ST. DAVID, KING OF SCOTLAND.
25. ST. BEDE.
26. ST. PHILIP NERI.
27. ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY.
28. ST. JUSTUS OF URGEL.
29. ST. CYRIL OF CAESAREA (Martyr).
30. ST. ISAAC OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
31. FEAST OF THE VISITATION.
JUNE:
1. ST. JUSTIN (Martyr).
2. ST. MARCELLINUS AND PETER.
3. ST. CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS.
4. ST. VINVENTIA GEROSA.
5. ST. BONIFACE (Bishop and Martyr).
6. ST. NORBERT (Bishop).
7. ST. ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER.
8. ST. WILLIAM OF YORK.
9. ST. EPHREM.
10. ST. ITHAMAR (Bishop).
11. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST.BARNABAS, APOSTLE.
12. ST. ANTONINA (Martyr).
13. ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA (Doctor of the Church).
14. ST. METHODIUS I OF CONSTANTINOPLE (Bishop).
15. ST. EDBURGA OF WINCHESTER.
16.ST. JOHN FRANCIS REGIS.
17. ST. BOTOLPH (Abbot).
18. ST. AMANDUS (Bishop).
19. ST. ROMUALD (Abbot).
20. ST. ADALBERT OF MAGDEBURG.
21. ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA.
22. PAULINUS OF NOLA (Bishop).
23. ST. ETHELDREDA.
24. SOLEMNITY OF THE BIRTH OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.
25. ST. PROSPER OF AQUITANE.
26. ST. JOHN OF THE GOTHS.
27. ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
28. ST. IRENEAUS (Bishop and Martyr).
29. SOLEMNITY OF STS. PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES.
30. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE FIRST MARTYRS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME.
JULY:
1. ST. GALL OF CLERMONT.
2. ST. MONEGUNDIS.
3. FEAST OF ST. THOMAS, APOSTLE.
4. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL.
5. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ANTHONY ZACCARIA
6. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. MARIA GORETTI.
7. ST. FELIX OF NANTES.
8. ST. ADRIAN III (Pope).
9. ST. VERONICA GIULIANI
10. STS. RUFINA AND SECUNDA (Martyrs).
11. MEMORIAL OF ST. BENEDICT. (Abbot).
12. ST. JOHN THE IBERIAN.
13. ST. HENRY THE EMPEROR.
14. ST. CAMILLUS De LEELIS.
15. MEMORIAL OF ST. BONAVENTURE (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
16. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF MT.CARMEL.
17. ST. ENNODIUS (Bishop).
18. ST. FREDERICK OF UTRECHT.
19. ST. MACRINA THE YOUNGER.
20. ST. JOSEPH BARSABAS.
21. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI (Doctor of the Church).
22. MEMORIAL OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE.
23. OPTIONAL MEMORIALOF ST. BRIDGET.
24. STS. BORIS AND GLEB (Martyrs).
25. FEAST OF ST. JAMES THE APOSTLE.
26. MEMORIAL OF STS.JOACHIM AND ST. ANNE.
27. ST. NATALIA.
28. ST. BOTVID.
29. MEMORIAL OF ST. MARTHA.
29. ST. WILLIAM PINCHON.
30. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS (Bishop).
31. ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA.
AUGUST:
1. MEMORIAL OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI (Bishop and Doctor of the Church); also feast day of ST. SOPHIA and her children FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY.
2. ST. EUSEBIUS OF VERCELLI (Bishop).
3. ST. NICODEMUS.
4. MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN VIANNEY.
5. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE DEDICATION OF ST. MARY MAJOR.
6. FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD.
7. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. SIXTUS AND COMPANIONS.
8. MEMORIAL OF ST. DOMINIC.
9. ST. OSWALD OF NORTHUMBRIA.
10. FEAST OF ST. LAWRENCE. (Martyr).
11. MEMORIAL OF ST. CLARE; also the Feast day of St. Susanna.
12. ST. EUPLUS.
13. STS. PONTIAN AND HIPPOLYTUS.
14. ST. EUSEBIUS OF ROME.
15. SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY.
16. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. STEPHEN OF HUNGARY (King).
17. ST. HYACINTH.
18. ST. HELENA.
19. ST. LOUIS OF ANJOU (Bishop).
20. MEMORIAL OF ST. BERNARD (Abbot and Doctor of the Church).
21. MEMORIAL OF ST. PIUS X.
22. MEMORIAL OF THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY.
23. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ROSE OF LIMA.
24. FEAST OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE.
25. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. LOUIS IX, King of France
26. ST. JOAN ELIZABETH BICHIER DES AGES.
27. MEMORIAL OF ST. MONICA.
28. MEMORIAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
29. MEMORIAL OF THE BEHEADING OF ST.JOHN THE BAPTIST.
30. ST. MARGARET WARD (Martyr).
31. ST. AIDAN OF LINDISFARNE (Bishop).
SEPTEMBER:
1. ST. GILES (Abbot).
2. ST. AGRICOLUS (Bishop).
3. MEMORIAL OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT.
4. ST. ROSE OF VITERBO.
5. ST. BERTINUS (Abbot).
6. ST. DONATIAN.
7. ST. CLOUD.
8. FEAST OF THE BIRTH OF OUR LADY.
9. ST. PETER CLAVER.
10. ST. AUBERT (Bishop).
11. ST. THEODORA OF ALEXANDRIA.
12. ST. GUY OF ANDERLECHT.
13. MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
14. FEAST OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE HOLY CROSS.
15. MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS.
16. MEMORIAL OF STS. CORNELIUS AND CYPRIAN.
17. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ROBERT BELLARMINE (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
18. ST. JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO.
19. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. JANUARIUS.
20. ST. VINCENT MADELGARIUS (Abbot).
21. FEAST OF ST MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.
22. ST. SALABERGA.
23. ST. MARTHA OF PERSIA.
24. OUR LADY OF RANSOM.
25. ST. ALBERT OF JERUSALEM (Bishop).
26. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF STS. COSMOS AND DAMIAN (Martyrs).
27. MEMORIAL OF ST. VINCENT De PAUL.
28. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. WENCESLAUS (Martyr).
29. FEAST OF STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS.
30. MEMORIAL OF ST. JEROME (Doctor of the Church).
OCTOBER:
1. MEMORIAL OF ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS.
2. MEMORIAL OF THE GUARDIAN ANGELS.
3. ST. THOMAS OF HEREFORD (Bishop).
4. MEMORIAL OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI.
5. ST. AYMARD OF CLUNY.
6. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. BRUNO.
7. MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY.
8. ST. DEMETRIUS (Martyr).
9. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF STS. DENIS, RUSTICUS AND ELEUTHERIUS (Martyrs).
10. ST. FRANCIS BORGIA.
11. ST. BRUNO THE GREAT OF COLOGNE (Bishop).
12. ST. WILFRID (Bishop).
13. ST. EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.
14. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. CALLISTUS I (Pope and Martyr).
15. MEMORIAL OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA.
16. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
17. MEMORIAL OF ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (Bishop and Martyr).
18. FEAST OF ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST.
19. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ISAAC JOGUES AND COMPANIONS (Martyrs).
20. ST. ANDREW OF CRETE (Martyr).
21. ST. JOHN OF BRIDLINGTON.
22. ST. NUNILO AND ALODIA.
23. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN OF CAPISTRANO
24. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ANTHONY CLARET (Bishop).
25. ST. GAUDENTIUS (Bishop).
26. ST. CEDD (Bishop).
27. ST. ODHRAN.
28. FEAST OF STS. SIMON AND JUDE, APOSTLES.
29. ST. NARCISSUS OF JERUSALEM (Bishop).
30. ST. SERAPION OF ANTIOCH (Bishop).
31. ST. WOLFGANG (Bishop).
NOVEMBER:
1. SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS.
2. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ALL SOULS.
3. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. MARTIN DE PORRES.
4. MEMORIAL OF ST. CHARLES BORROMEO (Bishop).
5. STS. ELIZABETH AND ZACHARY.
6. ST. ILLTYD.
7. ST. WILLIBRORD (Bishop).
8. ST. GODFREY OF AMIENS (Bishop0.
9. FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF ST. JOHN LATERAN.
10. MEMORIAL OF ST. LEO THE GREAT.
11. MEMORIAL OF ST. MARTIN OF TOURS.
12. MEMORIAL OF ST. JOSAPHAT. (Bishop and Martyr).
13. ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CABRINI.
14. ST. DYFRIG (Bishop).
15. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. ALBERT THE GREAT (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
16. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. MARGARET OF SCOTLAND.
17. MEMORIAL OF ST.ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY.
18. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE DEDICATION OF THE CHURCHES OF STS. PETER AND PAUL.
19. ST. BARLAAM.
20. ST. DASIUS.
21. MEMORIAL PRESENTATION OF MARY.
22. MEMORIAL OF ST. CECILIA.
23. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. CLEMENT I (Pope and Martyr).
24. ST. FLORA.
25. ST. MERCURIUS.
26. ST.LEONARD OF PORT MAURICE.
27. ST. FERGUS (Bishop).
28. ST. CATHERINE LABOURE.
29. ST. RADBOD (Bishop).
30. FEAST OF ST. ANDREW, THE APOSTLE.
DECEMBER:
1. ST. EDMUND CAMPION.
2. ST. BIBIANA (Martyr).
3. MEMORIAL OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER.
4. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN DAMASCENE.
5. ST. SABAS.
6. ST. NICHOLAS (Bishop).
7. MEMORIAL OF ST. AMBROSE (Bishop and Doctor of the Church).
8. SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
9. ST. GORGONIA.
10. GREGORY III (Pope).
11. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL DAMASUS I (Pope).
12. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. JANE FRANCES De CHANTEL.
13. MEMORIAL OF ST. LUCY.
14. MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS.
15. ST. NINO.
16. ST. ADELAIDE.
17. ST. LAZARUS.
18. ST. FLANNAN (Bishop).
19. ANASTASIUS I (Pope).
20. ST. DOMINIC OF SILOS (Abbot).
21. ST. PETER CANISIUS (Doctor of the Church).
22. ST. ISCHYION.
23. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN OF KANTY.
24. VIGIL OF CHRISTMAS.
25. SOLEMNITY CHRISTMAS.
26. FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR.
27. FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST.
28. FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.
29. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. THOMAS A BECKET (Bishop and Martyr).
30. ST. ANYSIA.
31. OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF ST. SLYVESTER I (Pope) and FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY.
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