St. John of the Cross, December 14
A Spanish Carmelite, John of the Cross (1542-1591) worked with St. Teresa of Ávila to reform the order, and was imprisoned by his own brothers for it. In his cell he wrote poetry, later expanded in The Dark Night of the Soul and The Spiritual Canticle. He is a Doctor of the Church.
On the General Roman Calendar, December 14 is a memorial: Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor.
Other saints on December 14
- St. Odile, abbess, patron of Alsace (720)
Name days on December 14
In countries that keep name days, December 14 is the day for people named Odile.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Odile | December 14 |
December 14 on the calendar
December 14 is the 348th day of the year (the 349th in a leap year), with 17 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday |
| 2027 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | Thursday |
| 2029 | Friday |
| 2030 | Saturday |
Keeping December 14
December 14 falls during Advent. 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. If you know someone named Odile, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around December 14
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| December 11 | St. Damasus I |
| December 12 | Our Lady of Guadalupe |
| December 13 | St. Lucy |
| December 15 | St. Nino of Georgia |
| December 16 | St. Adelaide |
| December 17 | St. Olympias |
The day before, December 13, is the day of St. Lucy. The day after, December 15, belongs to St. Nino of Georgia. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.