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Today, 18 December, is the feast of ... * The Expectation of the Confinement of Mary - festival originated formally at the tenth council of Toledo, in 654; in France this day is sometimes known as 'Notre-Dame de l'O', because on it begins the antiphon, 'O Sapientia', the first of the eight Greater Antiphons, all beginning with 'O' * Rufus and Zosimus, martyrs at Philippi in Macedonia (c. 107) * Quintus, Simplicius, and others, martyrs in Africa (c. 251) * Moyses, martyr (third century) - known for having excommunicated Novatus * Gatian, confessor (c. 301) - first bishop of Tours * Auxentius, confessor (early fourth century) - bishop of Mopsuestia * Bodagisl or Arnoald, confessor (588) - a noble of the courts of Austrasia, father of St Arnoald (bishop of Metz), and husband of St Oda * Flavitas, confessor (620) - lived as a hermit near Sens * Flannan, confessor (seventh century) - first bishop of Killaloe, and amazing worker of miracles (e.g. he sailed to Rome, but on a stone instead of a ship) * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dr Carolyn Muessig Department of Theology and Religious Studies University of Bristol Bristol BS8 1TB UK phone: +44(0)117-928-8168 fax: +44(0)117-929-7850 e-mail: [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%