The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a Christian holiday observed anywhere from the first to the eighth of January, observing the naming of Jesus Christ on the eighth day of his life. It is a time to honor the revelation of Jesus’ name by dream to Saint Joseph, and likewise the revelation of the same to Mary by the Archangel Gabriel at the Annuciation.
The Feast of the Holy Name originated toward the end of the 15th century, celebrated between New Year’s Day and Epiphany. In its older incarnations, the Feast was a celebration of Christ’s naming and circumcision (Luke 2:15-21), and thus a memorial of the first shedding of the Lord’s blood. In its modern form, it is considered to be a central feast of all the mysteries of Jesus Christ.
The greatest promoters of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus were two Christian saints – St. Bernadino of Sienna and his disciple, St. John Capistrano. During the time of their ministry, they carried a monogram of the Holy Name (which looks like the Latin letters “IHS” but is actually the first three Greek letters of the name Jesus) beautifully painted on a tablet, with which they performed miracles and healed the sick. At the end of their sermons, they would ask the faithful to prostrate themselves before the emblem. They also began the practice of placing the “IHS” monogram over gates and doorways.
This behavior was considered slightly heretical at first, resulting in St. Bernadino being called before a papal tribunal for his actions. Capistrano, however, defend his master’s practice so skillfully and successfully that Pope Martin V allowed worship of the Holy Name, and even assisted in a procession of the tablet. The tablet itself has survived, and is now housed at the basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, Rome.
The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus continues to be an important celebration for Christians, especially those in the Western world. It is a time for reflection on the divine revelation of the name of Jesus Christ and the miraculous power for good it can inspire in his followers.