 Philippe de Commynes, the minister of King Louis XI of France tells in his memoirs how the king observed this custom, and describes the trepidation he felt when he had to inform the king of an emergency on the day.Bishop Athanasius Schneider has suggested that society is becoming ever more cruel and that the feast day becomes a remembrance day for the victims of abortion and violence against children.In Spain, Hispanic America, and the Philippines, December 28 is still a day for pranks, equivalent to April Fool's Day in many countries.