Home › Notable Days and Festivals › Notable Days and Festivals: Feast

Notable Days and Festivals: Feast

Lammastide literally signified the season of First Fruits; since on Lammas Day, a term compounded out of the Anglo-Saxon hlaf, a loaf, and mæsse, a feast, (Aug. ist), it was formerly the custom to offer bread made of new wheat in the churches. Martinmas Day (Nov. 4th), latterly corrupted into Martlemas Day, denotes the Feast of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours in the fourth century. Candlemas Day, or the Feast of the Purification (Feb. 2nd), which commemorates the presentation of the Infant in the Temple in accordance with the Jewish Law instituted 1490 B.c., because the early Christians walked in procession to Mass with lighted candles in their hands on this day. This religious observance was introduced by Pope Gelasius in the fifth century, as a literal bearing out of the words spoken by Holy Simeon when he took the child Jesus in his arms : 'Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel" (Luke ii. 29-32). It is still the practice in the Roman Catholic Church to make offerings of candles for the use of the altar on this day. Lady Day (Mar. 25th) is but another name for the Feast of the Annunciation, or the day upon which "the angel of the Lord appeared unto Mary," and announced that she was to become the Mother of the Son of God. Midsummer Day (June 24th) expresses the midday of the year; while Michaelmas Day (Sept. 29th) is the Feast of St. Michael, the patron saint of the Roman Catholic Church. As Notable Days and Festivals. the latter feast falls upon the first day of autumn, the hiring of labourers and domestics in the rural districts takes place at this time. Christmas Day is, to put it literally, the Feast Day of Christ, being the anniversary of the Nativity of the Blessed Redeemer.