A brief commentary on the feast of the Return of the Child Jesus from Egypt, celebrated on January 7 in the Roman and other martyrologies. The entry surveys variant dates proposed by different liturgical sources.
1st century
THE RETURN OF THE CHILD JESUS
Commentary
Jesus Christ: The return of the child Jesus from Egypt
From various sources.
It is celebrated in the Martyrologies — the Roman, those of Bede, Usuard, Ado, Wandelbert, Notker, Maurolycus, the old Roman, and the German MS. Florarium — on the 7th of the Ides of January January 7, the return, or bringing forth, of the child Jesus from Egypt. On this matter the interpreters of Sacred Scripture may be consulted. In what year it occurred we shall perhaps discuss elsewhere. Others assign this return to January 11. On which day Notker writes: "The bringing forth of the Lord from Egypt, which according to some is celebrated on the 7th of the Ides of January, according to others on the Nones of January January 5, on account of the journey of many days." Rabanus and others agree.
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