St. André Bessette, January 6
A frail, barely literate Holy Cross brother, André Bessette served for decades as doorkeeper of a college in Montreal. Thousands came to him for prayer and healing, and he built the Oratory of St. Joseph on Mount Royal. He died in 1937 and was canonized in 2010.
On the U.S. liturgical calendar, January 6 is an optional memorial: Saint André Bessette, religious.
Other saints on January 6
- The Epiphany, on its traditional date (kept on a Sunday in the U.S.)
Name days on January 6
In countries that keep name days, January 6 is the day for people named André.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| André | January 6 |
January 6 on the calendar
January 6 is the 6th day of the year, with 359 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 | Thursday |
| 2029 | Saturday |
| 2030 | Sunday |
Keeping January 6
January 6 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. If you know someone named André, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around January 6
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| January 3 | Most Holy Name of Jesus |
| January 4 | St. Elizabeth Ann Seton |
| January 5 | St. John Neumann |
| January 7 | St. Raymond of Penyafort |
| January 8 | St. Severinus of Noricum |
| January 9 | St. Adrian of Canterbury |
The day before, January 5, is the day of St. John Neumann. The day after, January 7, belongs to St. Raymond of Penyafort. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.