According to John Mason Neale’s Christmas hymn of 1853, when the good King Wenceslas rushed out with his servant to assist a poor man gathering fuel in the freezing winter weather, it was on the Feast of Stephen. In many continental European countries, including Italy, this holy figure is always celebrated on December 26, the day after Christmas. The saint’s widespread popularity over the centuries is evidenced by the many churches named for him, including Florence’s Santo Stefano al Ponte.
Comments