#Ember days 2019 series#

Intercessio nos, quaesumus, Domine, sanctae Luciae virginis et martyris gloriosa confoveat, ut eius natalicia et temporaliter frequentemus, et conspiciamus aeterna.įirst, you will have immediately caught the elegant hyperbaton, the separation of intercessio and the adjective that goes with it, gloriosa. It is based on a prayer in the ancient Gelasian Sacramentary for St. This prayer was not in the pre-Conciliar editions of the Missale Romanum. In the meantime, let’s have a look at Lucy’s Collect in the Ordinary Form. Do you remember the little mnemonic poem? “Lenty, Penty, Crucy, Lucy”, or else “ Fasting days and Emberings be / Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie.” Next week we also have Ember Days, which in Advent come after the Feast of St. Lucy was something of a patroness for Dante and that he was devoted to her because, as we glean from various works, he may have had a problem not just with his eyes but also struggling with sins of the eyes. In the Paradiso she is placed directly across from Adam in the Heaven of the Rose. Eagles, of course, are “eagle-eyed” and see very well.

In Purgatory the eagle that bears Dante upward in a dream is actually Lucy who is bearing him to the gate of Purgatory. It is Lucy who asked Beatrice to help Dante. Lucy shows up fairly often in Dante’s great Divine Comedy. Lucy is therefore the patroness of sight. Other accounts say that to protect her virginity she disfigured herself by cutting her own eyes out and sending them to her suitor, a plot likely to discourage him. Some accounts have Lucy slain by having her throat thrust through with sword. Lucy will usually be depicted in art with a lantern, or with a crown of candles, or – most commonly – with her own eyes on a platter. Lucy, whose name from the Latin lux, for “light”, reminds us who dwell in the still darkening northern hemisphere that our days will soon be getting longer again. Today in the Gregorian calendar is the feast of St.

#Ember days 2019 series#

Is a shorter mnemonic for when they fall.Īnne is sharing a series of Notable Dates and Festivals throughout the year - you can find them listed by clicking to the link here.13 December was the darkest day – with the least sunlight – of the old Julian calendar. Or in an old Englishrhyme 'Fasting days and Emberings be Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie.' 'Lenty, Penty,Crucy, Lucy' Which means: “Holy Cross, Lucy, Ash Wednesday, Pentecost, are when the quarter holidays follow.” Their dates can be remembered by this old mnemonic: “Sant Crux, Lucia, Cineres,Charismata Dia Ut sit in angaria quarta sequens feria.” This was the case in Rome and so, when the early Christians began converting pagans, they decided to sanctify these agricultural rituals to turn their hearts to the one true God. Historically, ancient cultures were bound to the land and members of pagan religions would invoke their gods for protection over their crops. In Latin these days are referred to as Jejunia quatuor tempora (the fast of the four seasons), while in English they became known as “Ember Days” (from a corruption of the Latin word tempora). The Ember Days began on the Wednesday immediately following those days. fourth and last set comes after Whitsunday / Pentecost Sunday.They were introduced to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy.įasting four times a year was also a tradition adopted from the Old Testament. Advent Ember Days - Dec 20 Ember Wednesday of Advent, Dec 22 Ember Friday, Dec 23 Ember Saturday.Autumn Ember Days - Sep 20 Ember Wednesday of Michaelmas, Sep 22 Ember Friday, Sep 23 Ember Saturday.Summer Ember Days - May 31 Ember Wednesday of Pentecost, June 2 Ember Friday, June 3 Ember Saturday.

Lenten / Spring Ember Days - Mar 1 Ember Wednesday of Lent, Mar 3 Ember Friday, Mar 4 Ember Saturday.

Written by Anne Newman Thursday, 14 March 2019 with updates 2023 Ember Days In 2023:

Ember Days - 3 days at the start of each season