It is Sunday, January 18, 2026. If you walked into a Catholic parish this morning, you didn't see red vestments for a martyr or white for a confessor. You saw green.
Today is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Honestly, the name "Ordinary Time" is a bit of a letdown. It sounds like the "beige" of the liturgical world. But in the Church’s rhythm, this is actually where the real work happens. It’s the season of the "ordered" life.
But there is a lot more bubbling under the surface today than just a color change.
Catholic Feast Day Today: The Legend of St. Prisca
While the Sunday liturgy takes precedence, the Roman Martyrology still remembers St. Prisca. She is one of those figures where history and legend have done a messy, beautiful tango for nearly two thousand years.
She was a teenager. Maybe thirteen.
Tradition says she was a noble Roman girl during the reign of Emperor Claudius. The story goes that she refused to sacrifice to Apollo, so they threw her into the arena with a lion. But the lion didn't eat her. It just sat there and licked her feet.
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It’s a wild image.
Critics and historians, like those cited in the Catholic Encyclopedia, will tell you the details are "unhistorical." They’ll point out that the "Claudius" in the story might be Claudius II, or that the Acts of her martyrdom were written much later. But for the people of Rome, she’s real. There is a 4th-century church, Santa Prisca, sitting right on the Aventine Hill.
You’ve got to admire that kind of staying power. Even if the lion story is a pious embellishment, the core remains: a young girl in the first or second century chose a different path than the one Rome demanded.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Begins
There is something else happening today that is arguably much bigger for the global Church. Today, January 18, marks the start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
This isn't just some local parish initiative. It’s a massive, eight-day "octave" that runs until the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25.
The theme for 2026 is "One Body, One Spirit," pulled right out of Ephesians 4:4. This year, the Armenian Apostolic Church took the lead in preparing the reflections. That’s a big deal because the Armenian Church is one of the oldest in the world, often overlooked in Western circles.
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Why does this matter to you?
Basically, the Christian world is fractured. You have Catholics, Orthodox, and thousands of Protestant denominations. This week is the one time a year everyone is supposed to stop and acknowledge that the "scandal of division" is actually a problem.
Pope Leo XIV highlighted this in his Angelus today. He didn't just talk about theology; he talked about friendship. He reminded everyone that unity isn't about winning an argument. It’s about a shared mission.
What Most People Miss About "The Chair"
If you’re a history nerd, you might remember that January 18 used to be the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter at Rome.
That changed.
Back in 1960, Pope John XXIII decided to streamline things. Before that, there were two feasts for "The Chair"—one on January 18 (Rome) and one on February 22 (Antioch). Now, the Church just celebrates the one in February.
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But even though it's off the official calendar today, the "Chair" is a symbol that still defines Catholicism. It’s not about a piece of furniture—though there is a literal, ancient chair encased in Bernini’s bronze masterpiece at the back of St. Peter’s Basilica.
It's about the office. It's about the idea that someone has to hold the keys.
Making This Actionable
So, what do you do with all this? If you're looking to actually live out the catholic feast day today, don't just read about it.
First, look at the Gospel reading for today (John 1:29-34). It’s the scene where John the Baptist points at Jesus and says, "Behold, the Lamb of God." John had a massive following, but he stepped aside. He made himself smaller so the mission could get bigger.
Try that today. Find one moment where you can let someone else take the credit or the spotlight.
Second, pray for unity. Not in a vague, "world peace" kind of way. Think of someone you disagree with—maybe someone from a different denomination or even a different political "tribe"—and intentionally pray for their well-being.
Key Takeaways for January 18, 2026:
- The Liturgy: It’s the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time. The focus is on the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.
- The Saint: St. Prisca, the young martyr who represents courage in the face of cultural pressure.
- The Event: The start of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
- The Context: Acknowledge the shift from the old "Chair of St. Peter" feast to the current unified calendar.
The Church is old. It’s complicated. It’s full of legends and messy history. But days like today remind us that the "ordinary" is usually where the most extraordinary transformations begin.