St. John the Apostle, December 27
Son of Zebedee and brother of James, John is called “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and was the only one of the Twelve at the foot of the cross. Tradition credits him with the fourth Gospel, three letters and the Book of Revelation, written on the island of Patmos. His symbol is the eagle.
On the General Roman Calendar, December 27 is a feast: Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist.
Name days on December 27
In countries that keep name days, December 27 is the day for people named John, Jack, Johnny, Jon, Ian, Sean, Evan, Ivan, and Juan. These names come from the same saint, as variants, nicknames or forms used in other languages.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| John | December 27 |
| Jack | December 27 |
| Johnny | December 27 |
| Jon | December 27 |
| Ian | December 27 |
| Sean | December 27 |
| Evan | December 27 |
| Ivan | December 27 |
| Juan | December 27 |
December 27 on the calendar
December 27 is the 361st day of the year (the 362nd in a leap year), with 4 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday |
| 2027 | Monday |
| 2028 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | Thursday |
| 2030 | Friday |
Keeping December 27
December 27 falls in the Christmas season. As a feast, it is kept by the whole Church with its own readings and the Gloria at Mass. 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 John, Jack, Johnny, and Jon, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around December 27
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| December 24 | Sts. Adam and Eve |
| December 25 | Christmas |
| December 26 | St. Stephen |
| December 28 | Holy Innocents |
| December 29 | St. Thomas Becket |
| December 30 | St. Egwin |
The day before, December 26, is the day of St. Stephen. The day after, December 28, belongs to Holy Innocents. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.