The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
Matthew 2:13-18
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a
dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,
and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the
child, to destroy him." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother
by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet,
"Out of Egypt I have called my son."
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was
infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around
Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he
had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
