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Showing results for Holy Innocents' Day. Search instead for innocents' day.

Holy Innocents' Day

American  

noun

  1. December 28, a day of religious observance commemorating the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem by Herod's order.


Holy Innocents' Day British  

noun

  1. Dec 28, a day commemorating the massacre of male children at Bethlehem by Herod's order (Matthew 2:16); Childermas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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I must give you a little specimen of Ælfric's writing, a piece taken from his beautiful homily on Holy Innocents' Day.

From Our Catholic Heritage in English Literature of Pre-Conquest Days by Hickey, Emily

The most important of the three feasts was that of the boys on Holy Innocents’ Day, a theoretically appropriate date.

From Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan by Miles, Clement A.

The collect for Holy Innocents' Day in our Prayer-book formed part of the service.

From Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

The youthful bishop was elected by the choir-boys, and exercised his functions until Holy Innocents' Day.

From Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

The devil's passing-bell tolls on Christmas Eve from the church tower at Dewsbury, and a muffled peal bewails the slaughter of the children on Holy Innocents' Day.

From Vanishing England by Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)

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