For All the Saints

Commemorations of the Calendar

Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia

Te Hahi Mihinare ki Aotearoa ki Niu Tireni, ki Nga Moutere o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa

Commemoration Opawa-St Martins Parish Commemoration Opawa-St Martins Parish

The Holy Innocents

The church has commemorated the Holy Innocents since the fourth century as those who perished instead of Jesus, and in that sense bore witness to him.

Wikipedia:

The Massacre of the Innocents is the incident in the nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew (2:16–18) in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem. The Catholic Church regards them as the first Christian martyrs, and their feast – Holy Innocents' Day (or the Feast of the Holy Innocents) – is celebrated on 28 December.[2] A majority of Herod biographers, and "probably a majority of biblical scholars," hold the event to be myth, legend, or folklore.[3]

The Magi visit Jerusalem to seek guidance as to where the king of the Jews has been born; King Herod directs them to Bethlehem and asks them to return to him and report, but they are warned in a dream and do not do so. The massacre is reported in Gospel of Matthew:

Featured
Feb 16
The Holy Innocents
Feb 16

The church has commemorated the Holy Innocents since the fourth century as those who perished instead of Jesus, and in that sense bore witness to him.

Feb 16
Saint Mark
Saint Mark
Saint Mark
Saint Mark

Saint Mark is the patron saint of the Anglican church in Opawa. We celebrate Saint Mark’s Day on the Sunday nearest to April 26.

Saint Mark
Saint Anne
Saint Anne
Saint Anne
Saint Anne

Saint Anne is the patron saint of the Anglican church in St Martins. We celebrate Saint Anne’s Day on the Sunday nearest to July 26.

Saint Anne
Te Whiti o Rongomai
Nov-06
Te Whiti o Rongomai
Nov-06

Te Whiti o Rongomai built a model community at Parihaka, Taranaki. After the New Zealand Wars he encouraged his people to resist peacefully the unjust occupation of confiscated land. He was arrested and imprisoned without trial.

Nov-06
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Commemoration Opawa-St Martins Parish Commemoration Opawa-St Martins Parish

Te Whiti o Rongomai

Te Whiti o Rongomai built a model community at Parihaka, Taranaki. After the New Zealand Wars he encouraged his people to resist peacefully the unjust occupation of confiscated land. He was arrested and imprisoned without trial.

November 6

“Te Whiti o Rongomai was born at Ngamotu near New Plymouth, about 1831. He was educated by missionaries and developed an intense love of the Bible. During the turbulent 1860s he sought a peaceful means of fostering Maori claims.

At Parihaka he built a model community, and after the war encouraged his people to resist peacefully the unjust occupation of confiscated land. This led to conflict with the government.

On 5 November 1881 armed constabulary entered Parihaka. They were met by children chanting songs. Te Whiti was arrested and imprisoned without trial for a year.

He died in 1907.” ( For All the Saints)

 

Further Reading

“Te Whiti-o-Rongomai III, Erueti” (Dictionary of New Zealand Biography)

“Remembering Parihaka” (National Library of New Zealand)

"Parihaka o neherā, o nāianei : Parihaka – past and present" - Parihaka Schools Resource, Years 1-13 (Caritas)

Parihaka Marae

 

Saints Days and Commemorations

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