A 19th-century American who lost his hearing to scarlet fever, Syle was the first deaf person ordained in The Episcopal Church. Feast day: Aug. 27, along with Thomas Gallaudet.

A formal assembly or council of church leaders convened to deliberate and make decisions on matters of doctrine, discipline, governance, or policy.

A 17th-century scholar and bishop, Taylor is one of the leading devotional writers in English history. Feast day: Aug. 13.

Pronounced "teck," an acronym for The Episcopal Church. To be avoided in formal communications.

A service typically held on Wednesday of Holy Week, featuring candles and structured around psalms, readings, and responsories.

A 16th-century Spanish mystic and monastic reformer. Feast day: Oct. 15.

“That” introduces a restrictive clause, and “which” introduces a non-restrictive or parenthetical clause. When in doubt, “which” always takes a comma before it, and “that” does not take a comma: I drove a rental car that was left for me by the agency. I drove a rental car, which was left for me by the...

A seventh-century monk, scholar and reformer who served as the seventh archbishop of Canterbury. Feast day: Sept. 19.

A 15th-century German monastic, priest, and spiritual writer, who stressed the importance of imitating Christ by loving one's neighbor as oneself. Feast day: July 24.

The apostle known for voicing the first explicit acknowledgement of Christ's divinity, "My Lord, and my God." Sometimes known as Doubting Thomas because he refused to believe that Jesus Christ had been resurrected without seeing him. Feast day: Dec. 21.