originally scheduled for Dec. 3

A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. Jeremiah 31:15

The ‘Feast of the Holy Innocents’ is celebrated on December 28. One of the most beautifully haunting carols written, the ‘Coventry Carol’ from the Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors, comes out of it. In it, it tells the tale of Herod killing the young boys as he tries to murder the Christ-child. This carol is sung by the women as a lullaby to the children right before Herod has them killed. This is undoubtedly the most horrendous acts taking place in the Nativity narration and is recorded in the book of Matthew, chapter 2. Here, we see the tetrarch Herod sending servants to kill all of the male children under the age of two. Many point to this as showing how the story of the birth of Christ is just that-a story-because there is nothing in the history of Herod, as recorded by the historian Josephus to support it. But why think that way? Matthew was a historian as well, and writes about it. But Josephus, who did write on Herod’s life recorded many of the vast amount of murders that Herod committed, even that of his own family. Even Caesar Augustus remarks about Herod that it is ‘…better to be Herod’s pig than his son.’ But Josephus did not set out to write an exhaustive autobiography on Herod. After all, he was an Edomite and set in power by the Romans, so he wasn’t considered worthy of being honored in any way. Plus, he often used hired mercenaries for these things so not all of his heinous acts are recorded. And perhaps the most overlooked thing is the fact that the ‘Slaugher of the Innocents’ was only male children under the age of two. And only in the Bethlehem area. From what we know of the population, we can assume instead of thousands being killed, probably less than 20. Much less, depending on how many people had already left after the census. The death of any child, from conception on is a tragedy. But statistically, 20 deaths is an insignificant number. When infant mortality for the time taken into consideration, as well as the physical location of Bethlehem, being nothing but a village distant from population center and the way news was shared we can assume that this event held little significance outside of the local community and even there would have quickly been forgotten in the daily struggle for life in a brutal time under a brutal ruler.

Herod the king, in his raging, charged he had this day

His men of might, in his own sight, all young children to slay.

-Coventry Carol, from the Pageant of Shearmen and Tailors, 15th Century