December 28 in the Christian calendar marks the Feast of the Holy Innocents — remembering King Herod’s slaughter of all male children age two or under in Bethlehem and the surrounding region, as relayed in the Gospel of Matthew. Herod’s slaughter is an attempt to kill the newborn Jesus, fearing the baby could grow into a future ruler able to threaten his authority.
The story of Herod’s atrocity displays essential theological truths. We see that evil forces will oppress the innocent to stop God’s kingdom from coming. We witness how these attempts fail, despite the extreme lengths taken. For their part, the murdered children have long been celebrated as the first Christian martyrs.
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