Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration – Confident.Faith

Today we commemorate Athanasius of Alexandria, Pastor and Confessor. Born in Alexandria around AD 295, Athanasius would later serve as bishop of that city — a post he held for forty-five years. At the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, Athanasius defended Christian orthodoxy against the Arian heretics. Exiled five times and nearly murdered twice, Athanasius remained steadfast in his faith and lived his final days restored to his ecclesiastical office. The Athanasian Creed is named in his honor, because it confesses the truth of the divinity of Christ, which Athanasius championed during his life.

Today we celebrate the Festival of St. Philip and St. James, Apostles. St. Philip, from Bethsaida in Galilee, was one of the first disciples called by Christ. In turn, Philip would bring Nathanael to Jesus. According to tradition, Philip labored and died in Phrygia. St. James, son of Alphaeus and Mary (one of the faithful women who stood at the foot of the cross), is little mentioned in the New Testament and there are no sure records concerning his work after the resurrection or his death. We commemorate these two men as followers of and workers for Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Today we celebrate the Festival of St. Mark, Evangelist. Author of the second Gospel, Mark was originally from Jerusalem, where his mother’s home served as the center of the Church in that city. Mark would accompany Paul and Barnabas from Jerusalem to Antioch and then from Antioch on Paul’s first missionary journey. Barnabas would then go on a second missionary journey with Mark to Cyprus. Tradition holds that Mark was instrumental in founding the Church in Alexandria, where he served as the first bishop and died a martyr’s death.

Today we commemorate Johann Walter, Kantor. Having begun his service — as a composer and bass singer — in the court of Frederick the Wise at the age of twenty-one, Johann Walter would go on to publish a collection of hymns that would become the basis of many subsequent hymnals. Walter would serve for a total of thirty years as kantor in the cities of Torgau and Dresden. Additionally, he aided Martin Luther in the preparation of the German Mass.