Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
A Living Legacy at the Heart of the SNJM Mission
“You shall name Him Jesus” (Lk 1:31).
Every year on January 3, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus—a day of profound significance for the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM). Since their foundation, the SNJM have joyfully and proudly carried this Name that signifies life, salvation, peace, joy, and love—a Name inseparably united to that of Mary, His mother.
A Foundational Devotion for the Congregation
Mother Marie-Rose Durocher held a deep devotion to the Name of Jesus, a devotion she longed to share and inspire in others. This heritage beats at the very heart of the Congregation:
“Jesus and Mary, my strength and my glory!”—SNJM Motto
“Gathered and sent in mission in the name of Jesus and Mary … we respond to the needs of the Church and the world.” – Constitutions, no. 5
Inspired by this Name, the SNJM have always understood their educational mission as a way of helping each person to “name themselves,” to grow, and to be fully liberated.
A Historical Glimpse of the Feast
Devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus developed between the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly through Saint Bernardine of Siena, who popularized the IHS monogram surrounded by a radiant sun.
The devotion was officially recognized by Pope Clement VII in 1530 and entrusted to the Franciscan Order.
In liturgical history:
- the feast date shifted several times,
- it was removed from the calendar in 1969,
- and later restored by Pope Saint John Paul II, now celebrated on January 3.
The Roman Martyrology captures the meaning of this feast with Saint Paul’s words:
“The name that is above every name … that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend” (Phil 2:9—10).
A reminder of the power of a Name that lifts up, unites, and transforms.