Luthran Church Year
Dates of "2. Weihnachtstag" (2^nd Day of Christmas, St Stefanus Day)

In Western Christianity, December 26 is called "St. Stephen's Day", the "feast of Stephen" [St Stefanus Day] mentioned in the English Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas". It is a public holiday in many nations that were historically Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran: Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, UK (where it is also called "Boxing Day"), Ireland, Italy, Germany, Finland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Readings: Epistle: Titus. 3: 4-7 / Acts 6: 8-15 & 7: 55-60; Gospel: Matthew 23: 35-39 / Luke 2: 15-20

Musical Context of Bach Cantatas: Motets & Chorales for Christmas

Dates in the Lifetime of J.S. Bach

All dates are in ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD.
Abbreviations of German weekdays: Sonntag, Montag, Dienstag, Mittwoch, Donnerstag, Freitag, Samstag.

1685-12-26 Mi
1686-12-26 Do
1687-12-26 Fr
1688-12-26 So
1689-12-26 Mo
1690-12-26 Di
1691-12-26 Mi
1692-12-26 Fr
1693-12-26 Sa
1694-12-26 So
1695-12-26 Mo
1696-12-26 Mi
1697-12-26 Do
1698-12-26 Fr
1699-12-26 Sa
1700-12-26 So
1701-12-26 Mo
1702-12-26 Di
1703-12-26 Mi
1704-12-26 Fr
1705-12-26 Sa
1706-12-26 So
1707-12-26 Mo
1708-12-26 Mi
1709-12-26 Do
1710-12-26 Fr
1711-12-26 Sa
1712-12-26 Mo
1713-12-26 Di
1714-12-26 Mi
1715-12-26 Do
1716-12-26 Sa
1717-12-26 So
1718-12-26 Mo
1719-12-26 Di
1720-12-26 Do
1721-12-26 Fr
1722-12-26 Sa
1723-12-26 So - Cantata BWV 40 Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1724-12-26 Di - Cantata BWV 121 Christum wir sollen loben schon (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1725-12-26 Mi - Cantata BWV 57 Selig ist der Mann (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1726-12-26 Do
1727-12-26 Fr
1728-12-26 So
1729-12-26 Mo
1730-12-26 Di
1731-12-26 Mi
1732-12-26 Fr
1733-12-26 Sa
1734-12-26 So - Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248/2 Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1735-12-26 Mo
1736-12-26 Mi
1737-12-26 Do
1738-12-26 Fr
1739-12-26 Sa
1740-12-26 Mo
1741-12-26 Di
1742-12-26 Mi
1743-12-26 Do
1744-12-26 Sa
1745-12-26 So
1746-12-26 Mo
1747-12-26 Di
1748-12-26 Do
1749-12-26 Fr
1750-12-26 Sa

(1725-1730) - Cantata BWV 121 Christum wir sollen loben schon (2^nd performance, Leipzig)
(1746-1750) - Cantata BWV 40 Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes (2^nd performance, Leipzig)

Sundays and Holidays in the Lifetime of J.S. Bach

Prepared by Dr. Georg Fischer (April 2007), Aryeh Oron (March 2010)
Contributed by Dr. Georg Fischer (March 2010)
Please direct any questions or comments to: Dr. Georg Fischer