St. Thomas Becket, December 29
Chancellor and friend of King Henry II, Thomas Becket became archbishop of Canterbury in 1162 and defended the freedom of the Church against the king. Four knights murdered him in his cathedral on December 29, 1170. His shrine became the goal of the pilgrims of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
On the General Roman Calendar, December 29 is an optional memorial: Saint Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr.
Other saints on December 29
- St. David, king and prophet
December 29 on the calendar
December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (the 364th in a leap year), with 2 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 December 29
December 29 falls in the Christmas season. As an optional memorial, each parish or priest may choose whether to celebrate it. 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 December 29
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| December 26 | St. Stephen |
| December 27 | St. John the Apostle |
| December 28 | Holy Innocents |
| December 30 | St. Egwin |
| December 31 | St. Sylvester I |
| January 1 | Mary, Mother of God |
The day before, December 28, is the day of Holy Innocents. The day after, December 30, belongs to St. Egwin. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.