Luthran Church Year
Dates of "3. Weihnachtstag" (3^rd Day of Christmas, St John's Day)

The 3^rd Day of Christmas on December 27 is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist [St John Day], frequently referred to as “the Beloved Disciple” in the Gospels. He was one of the first disciples called by Christ and is considered the author of the Gospel of John, at least the first of the Epistles of John and the Book of Revelation. He was also the only apostle not to die a martyr’s death even though the emperor Dometian tried very hard to make it twelve for twelve.

Readings: Epistle: Hebrews 1: 1-14 / Ecclesiastical Letters 15: 1-8; Gospel: John 1: 1-14

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.

1685-12-27 Do
1686-12-27 Fr
1687-12-27 Sa
1688-12-27 Mo
1689-12-27 Di
1690-12-27 Mi
1691-12-27 Do
1692-12-27 Sa
1693-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1694-12-27 Mo
1695-12-27 Di
1696-12-27 Do
1697-12-27 Fr
1698-12-27 Sa
1699-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1700-12-27 Mo
1701-12-27 Di
1702-12-27 Mi
1703-12-27 Do
1704-12-27 Sa
1705-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1706-12-27 Mo
1707-12-27 Di
1708-12-27 Do
1709-12-27 Fr
1710-12-27 Sa
1711-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1712-12-27 Di
1713-12-27 Mi
1714-12-27 Do
1715-12-27 Fr
1716-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1717-12-27 Mo
1718-12-27 Di
1719-12-27 Mi
1720-12-27 Fr
1721-12-27 Sa
1722-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1723-12-27 Mo - Cantata BWV 64 Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1724-12-27 Mi - Cantata BWV 133 Ich freue mich in dir (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1725-12-27 Do - Cantata BWV 151 Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1726-12-27 Fr
1727-12-27 Sa
1728-12-27 Mo
1729-12-27 Di
1730-12-27 Mi
1731-12-27 Do
1732-12-27 Sa
1733-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1734-12-27 Mo - Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248/3 Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (1^st performance, Leipzig)
1735-12-27 Di
1736-12-27 Do
1737-12-27 Fr
1738-12-27 Sa
1739-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1740-12-27 Di
1741-12-27 Mi
1742-12-27 Do
1743-12-27 Fr
1744-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten
1745-12-27 Mo
1746-12-27 Di
1747-12-27 Mi
1748-12-27 Fr
1749-12-27 Sa
1750-12-27 So So.n.Weihnachten

Vocal works with no definitive date

(1728-1731) - Cantata BWV 151 Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt (2^nd performance, Leipzig)
(After 1740) - Cantata BWV 133 Ich freue mich in dir (2^nd performance, Leipzig)
(c1742) - Cantata BWV 64 Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeiget (2^nd performance, Leipzig)

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

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