St. John Baptist de la Salle, April 7
A wealthy canon of Reims, John Baptist de la Salle (1651-1719) gave up his fortune to found the Brothers of the Christian Schools. He opened free schools for poor children, taught in French rather than Latin and trained teachers. He is the patron of teachers.
On the General Roman Calendar, April 7 is a memorial: Saint John Baptist de la Salle, priest.
April 7 on the calendar
April 7 is the 97th day of the year (the 98th in a leap year), with 268 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | Wednesday |
| 2028 | Friday |
| 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | Sunday |
Keeping April 7
April 7 falls in spring. As a memorial, the saint is named in the opening prayer of every Mass celebrated that day. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival.
Saints of the week around April 7
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| April 4 | St. Isidore of Seville |
| April 5 | St. Vincent Ferrer |
| April 6 | St. Marcellinus of Carthage |
| April 8 | St. Julie Billiart |
| April 9 | St. Waltrude |
| April 10 | St. Fulbert of Chartres |
The day before, April 6, is the day of St. Marcellinus of Carthage. The day after, April 8, belongs to St. Julie Billiart. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.