Hopefully, you’ve already enjoyed Christmas Day and perhaps learned to appreciate Boxing Day or St. Stephen’s Day on December 26. Now, on the Third Day of Christmas, keeping the festive spirit alive might be a challenge. Enter Saint John the Apostle, who could be the inspiration you need to reignite your holiday cheer.
December 27 marks the Feast of Saint John, known also as St. John the Evangelist or St. John of Patmos. He was uniquely described in the New Testament as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Unlike St. Stephen, who was martyred on the previous day, St. John led a long life, becoming the only apostle to pass away from old age rather than martyrdom. His contributions to Christendom include the Gospel of John, three Epistles, and the terrifying Book of Revelation, written while exiled on Patmos.
Legend has it that St. John faced down his own martyrdom when given poisoned wine during his preaching in Ephesus, a city in modern-day Turkey.
He blessed the wine, and the poison supposedly emerged as a snake. This tale is commemorated with a special drink on his feast day, known as St. John’s Love, a mulled wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and other ingredients, varying by region.
In England, St. John’s Love was traditionally served from a large wassail bowl, a practice famously depicted by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in their 1957 Christmas special, where Sinatra nostalgically speaks of Christians having “a wonderful time in Merrie Olde England.”
For Catholics, it is traditional to bring wine to Mass on this day to be blessed. Wine is kept for special occasions such as weddings or as gifts for the sick.
Catholic or not, sharing a cup from the wassail bowl with loved ones on this day is a great, traditional way to keep the holiday spirit going well after Christmas Day. If she’s with you, consider offering the first cup to your mother in remembrance of Jesus entrusting His own mother to St. John from His place on the Cross.
