[17] The custom of blessing bread and distributing it amongst the
faithful, prevails still in the French Church, as may be seen at any
festival in a church of importance. The blessed bread is not to be
confounded with the Holy Eucharist. It is taken about the church in
baskets, and is a sort of sweet-cake. This is a relic of the ancient
Love Feasts or Agapae.
January 4.
Octave of the Holy Innocents.
S. TITUS, _B. and Ap. of Crete, circ_. A.D. 105.
SS. AQUILINUS, GEMINUS, EUGENIUS, AND OTHERS, _Martyrs in Africa_.
S. DAFROSA, _W. C., at Rome_, A.D. 361.
S. RUMON, _B. C., at Tavistock, in Devonshire_.
S. GREGORY, _B. of Langres, in France, circ_. A.D. 541.
S. PHARAILDIS, _V., in Brabant, about_ A.D. 745.
S. RIGOBERT, _B. of Rheims_, A.D. 749.
S. LIBENTIUS, _Abp. of Bremen_, A.D. 1013.
B. ANGELA, _of Foligni, in Umbria_, A.D. 1309.