Christmas
Saturday, December 26, 2026
On Saturday, December 26, 2026, the Catholic Church is in Christmas and the liturgical color is red. The Church celebrates St Stephen, Protomartyr.
Liturgical color: Red · for the feast of St Stephen, Protomartyr
Day 2 of Christmas this year, with 15 days to go.
Fra Angelico · Saint Dominic Adoring the Crucifixion · c. 1442 · public domain
Saint of the day
Feast
St Stephen, Protomartyr
First deacon and first Christian martyr (Acts 6–7). Stoned to death while a young Pharisee named Saul guarded the cloaks of his killers. His dying words echoed his Master's: 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.'
Saint Stephen, who saw heaven open, give us your forgiveness toward those who wound us.
A feast ranks below a solemnity and above a memorial.
About Christmas
The Christmas season runs from Evening Prayer on 24 December to the Baptism of the Lord in January — well past 25 December. It holds the Nativity, the Holy Family, Mary the Mother of God, and the Epiphany.
Why red?
Red is worn on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, at Pentecost, and on the feasts of martyrs: the color of both fire and blood.
Verse of the day
Luke 2:11
Read it in context — the whole Catholic Bible is in the app, offline and free.
Frequently asked
What liturgical color is worn on December 26, 2026?
Red, for the feast of St Stephen, Protomartyr. Red is worn on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, at Pentecost, and on the feasts of martyrs: the color of both fire and blood.
What liturgical season is December 26, 2026 in?
Christmas. The Christmas season runs from Evening Prayer on 24 December to the Baptism of the Lord in January — well past 25 December. It holds the Nativity, the Holy Family, Mary the Mother of God, and the Epiphany.
Is December 26, 2026 a holy day of obligation in the United States?
No. In the United States the holy days of obligation are Mary, Mother of God (1 January), the Assumption (15 August), All Saints (1 November), the Immaculate Conception (8 December), and Christmas (25 December); the Ascension is observed on a Thursday or the following Sunday depending on the diocese.
Which saint is celebrated on December 26, 2026?
St Stephen, Protomartyr. First deacon and first Christian martyr (Acts 6–7). Stoned to death while a young Pharisee named Saul guarded the cloaks of his killers. His dying words echoed his Master's: 'Lord, do not hold this…
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- Common Catholic prayersThe Rosary, the Chaplet, the Angelus — full texts
- Traditional novenasComplete nine-day texts
- The whole liturgical calendarEvery day from July 2026 to December 2027