Holy Innocents, Martyrs is the Patron St of Newborn baby boys
During Herod’s reign in Judea, the Wise Men from the East came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn King of the Jews, alarming Herod.
After learning from the priests that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, he deceitfully asked the Wise Men to return with news of the Child.
Warned by God in a dream, they took another route home. St. Joseph was also told in a dream to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt.
Furious, Herod ordered the slaughter of all boys under two in Bethlehem, making these innocents the first martyrs.
We honour them on the Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28.
| Holy Innocents, Martyrs – Feast Day – December 28 2024 | |
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| Date of Death | 1 AD |
| Place of Death | Bethlehem |
| Feast Day | December 28 |
| Patron Saint of | Newborn baby boys |
Holy Innocents, Martyrs History
At the time of the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Herod the Great reigned as king in Judea. Upon hearing that Wise Men from the East had arrived in Jerusalem, seeking the newborn “King of the Jews,” Herod was deeply troubled.
His fear stemmed from the possibility that this new king might threaten his throne. In a state of great anxiety, he summoned the chief priests and scribes of the people to learn where Christ was prophesied to be born. They revealed that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem, fulfilling the words of the prophet Micah.
Herod, concealing his malicious intent, met with the Wise Men privately. He instructed them, saying, “Go and search diligently for the Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may go and adore Him.”
However, the cunning king had no intention of worshipping Christ; rather, he sought to eliminate any threat to his rule.
However, Divine Providence intervened. The Magi, having adored the Holy Child and offered their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, were warned in a dream not to return to Herod.
Obedient to the heavenly message, they departed for their country by another route. Meanwhile, St. Joseph, the earthly guardian of Jesus, was also visited by an angel in his sleep, who commanded him to “take the Child and His Mother and flee into Egypt,” for Herod sought the Child’s life. St. Joseph promptly obeyed, leading the Holy Family into safety under God’s protection.
When Herod realized that the Wise Men had not returned to him, his fury knew no bounds. In his wrath, he decreed the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem and its surrounding regions who were two years old or younger, hoping that among them would be the Christ Child.
This tragic event marked the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents, those innocent children whose lives were cruelly taken before they had the chance to know the world or its perils.
These little ones, though unaware of their martyrdom, were nevertheless the first to shed their blood for Christ.
They are revered as the flowers of the Church’s martyrs, triumphing over the world by their innocent sacrifice.
In their purity, they were spared from the snares and sins of the world, and their deaths, though mournful, were a manifestation of God’s mysterious mercy.
On this Feast of the Holy Innocents, we reflect on how God’s plans, though sometimes beyond our understanding, are always directed toward the greater good.
As St. Bernard once wrote, “How many of these children, had they lived, would have been ensnared by the world’s dangers, falling into sin and misery? How often do we lament tragedies, not realizing that they may be Heaven’s greatest acts of mercy?”
The Holy Innocents remind us that, in God’s providence, what may seem like misfortune is often His way of protecting souls from greater harm.
Their feast day calls us to trust in His divine plan, especially in moments of suffering or loss. Through their intercession, we are reminded of the hope and promise that Christ, the true King of the Jews, came to bring: salvation for all who believe.
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