Numbers in Religion

THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

     The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are the crowning endowments of the soul that possesses sanctifying grace.  These gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES

     In His beautiful Sermon on the Mount, Christ held up to all men the ideal of Christian perfection in the eight beatitudes:

1.  Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of   heaven.

2.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.

3.  Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

4.  Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for justice, for they      shall be satisfied.

5.  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

6.  Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

7.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

8.  Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for      theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

THE NINE CHOIRS OF ANGELS

     There are nine choirs of angels in heaven: Angels, Archangels, Thrones and Dominations, Principalities and Powers, Virtues, Seraphim and Cherubim.  These choirs or classes of angels are all mentioned in Holy Scripture, but we have little information as to the distinctions between the choirs.

THE TWELVE ARTICLES OF FAITH CONTAINED IN THE APOSTLES' CREED

     The most blessed Mary asked each of the Apostles to define a mystery, according as the divine Spirit should inspire them.  Thereupon Saint Peter began, and was followed by the rest in the following order:

1.  Saint Peter: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

2.  Saint Andrew: And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

3.  Saint James the Greater: Who was conceived through operation of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.

4.  Saint John: Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.

5.  Saint Thomas: Descended into hell, arose from the dead on the third day.

6.  Saint James the Less: Ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

7.  Saint Philip: From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

8.  Saint Bartholomew: I believe in the Holy Ghost.

9.  Saint Matthew: In the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of saints.

10. Saint Simon: The forgiveness of sins.

11. Saint Thaddeus: The resurrection of the flesh.

12. Saint Mathias: Life everlasting. Amen.

     The song, Twelve Days of Christmas, is a very old song, one that belongs way back in history.  You must realize that it was written and sung more than two hundred years ago, probably before there was any United States.  Also, under persecution, the Catholics of those days did not dare to keep books and records.  The assignment of the twelve articles of faith to the different apostles is not in the bible, but was a part of other writings.  The language is not the same as we use today, but the articles of faith have the same meaning.

     The Apostles' Creed goes back to the time when the Apostles were still alive, and is the oldest creed still used.  After heresies began the Church saw a need to expand the Creed and the Nicene Creed was adopted at the First Council of Nice in 325 A.D.  The Nicene Creed is the one used in our Masses today.