St. Adelaide, December 16
A Burgundian princess, Adelaide (c. 931-999) was widowed young, imprisoned by a rival king, then married the emperor Otto I. As regent for her grandson Otto III she supported the Church and founded monasteries. She retired to the abbey of Selz, in Alsace.
December 16 has no celebration on the General Roman Calendar, so this page follows the Roman Martyrology, which remembers Saint Adelaide, empress on this date.
Name days on December 16
In countries that keep name days, December 16 is the day for people named Adelaide, Alice, and Heidi. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | December 16 |
| Alice | December 16 |
| Heidi | December 16 |
December 16 on the calendar
December 16 is the 350th day of the year (the 351st in a leap year), with 15 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | Thursday |
| 2028 | Saturday |
| 2029 | Sunday |
| 2030 | Monday |
Keeping December 16
December 16 falls during Advent. Since the general calendar has no celebration that day, the Mass is usually that of the weekday of the season, and the saint may be remembered in local calendars or in personal prayer. 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 Adelaide, Alice, and Heidi, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around December 16
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| December 13 | St. Lucy |
| December 14 | St. John of the Cross |
| December 15 | St. Nino of Georgia |
| December 17 | St. Olympias |
| December 18 | St. Flannan |
| December 19 | Bl. Urban V |
The day before, December 15, is the day of St. Nino of Georgia. The day after, December 17, belongs to St. Olympias. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.