A Christmastime Saint, Wenceslas
A Christmastime Saint King Wenceslas Today, December 26, is the Feast Of Steven, when, as we all know, "Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Steven," according to the carol written by Anglican cleric John Mason Neale in 1853. I described my painting of St. Wenceslas with this a few years ago for a gallery display Saint Wenceslas September 2, But associated with the Feast of St Steven December 26 St Wenceslas, Svätý Vaclav, Duke of Bohemia (posthumously titled King) has in tradition been celebrated for his generosity and kindnesses to the poor. The patron of the Czech Republic, Wenceslas has long been venerated in Central and Eastern Europe. His tradition in the English-speaking world has been informed by the carol Good King Wenceslas published in 1853 by the Anglican cleric John Mason Neale, who overlooks our scene from his framed photograph. The seven-foot tall saint carries a jug of wine and a basket food for the poor, while his page, P