title, which is, in full, "The Presentation of Christ in the Temple, commonly called The Purification of St. Mary the Virgin." This connexion of the two events is, doubtless, to show the close relation which the acts of the Blessed Virgin bore to the Incarnation of our Lord; and that she is most honoured by associating her with her Divine Son. The common name of this festival is Candlemas Day, from a very ancient ceremony of walking in procession with lighted candles, and singing hymns. It is the fortieth day after Christmas, that being the period at which the rites of Churching and Presentation were enjoined by the Law, to which our Lord thus showed His obedience, and the Blessed Virgin her humility. As the one had no original sin, so the other needed no ceremonial purification after His holy conception and birth. But, as at Christ's Baptism, so at His Presentation in the Temple, He says, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." THE ANNUNCIATION, a very ancient festival of the Church, called in the Calendar of Proper Lessons "the Annunciation of our Lady," and commonly, "Lady Day." Being the 25th of March, it is exactly nine months before Christmas Day, and thus marks the fact of our Lord's Incarnation at the very time when the words of the angel were fulfilled by the Holy Ghost overshadowing the Blessed Virgin. On this day the year began under the “Old Style.” The other three days commemorate THE VISITATION of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, her CONCEPTION, and her NATIVITY, and do not call for any remark. The holiness of the Blessed Virgin, through her association with her Divine Son, has always been kept vividly in view by the Church; but while excess of sentiment has led to the dishonour of her name by speaking of her as if she herself were Divine, so want of faith in the principle of the Incarnation has led to an irreverent depreciation of her holiness. Our two principal and three minor festivals show the true course to follow to esteem her above all other Saints as the Mother of our Lord, but yet to honour her so that her honour may be to the glory of God. § 6. Festivals in honour of Saints associated with our Lord. Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle St. Matthias the Apostle . Jan. 25. St. Mark the Evangelist April 25. St. Philip and St. James the Apostles May I. *St. John the Evangelist, before the Latin Gate 6. St. Barnabas the Apostle June 11. Nativity of St. John the Baptist 24. St. Peter the Apostle 29. *St. Mary Magdalen July 22. St. James the Apostle 25. *St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin 26. St. Bartholomew the Apostle Aug. 24. *Beheading of St. John the Baptist 29. St. Matthew the Apostle Sept. 21. St. Luke the Evangelist Oct. 18. St. Simon and St. Jude the Apostles 28. All Saints Nov. 1. 30. Dec. 21. 26. 27. 28. The Holy Innocents * Minor Festivals, or "Black Letter" days. 87. Minor Festivals in honour of other Saints, with the dates of their deaths. 543 544 St. David, Welsh Archbishop 560 St. Machutus, Welsh Bishop of St. Malo 604 St. Gregory, Bishop of Rome Jan. 20. Feb. 5. Aug. 10. Sept. 26. Feb. 14. Oct. 9. Jan. 18. July 20. Jan. 8. Oct. 6. Jan. 21. 22. Dec. 13. Nov. 25. Oct. 25. Feb. 3. April 23. 604 St. Augustine, Archbishop of Canter- June 17. June 5. Nov. 20. Mar. 18. . J translation June 20. May 19. 862 St. Swithin, Bishop of Winchester 988 St. Dunstan, Archbishop of Canter April 19. Oct. 13. Nov. 17. April 3. Some of these are the names of saints to whom the Church is only less indebted than to the Holy Apostles themselves; and it is to be regretted that those of others, such as St. Aidan, St. Cuthbert, St. Thomas of Canterbury, and the great Eastern saints have been omitted. CHAPTER XV Fasts "Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God."-JOEL i. 14. A S the Festivals of the Church originated in the joy of Easter, so the Fasts originated Origin of in the sorrow of Good Friday. Christian Fasts. The institution of fasting, and the observance of Fast Days was, indeed, handed down to the Christian Church from the Old Dispensation our Lord adopted while He lived on earth; and He told His disciples that they should fast (as they afterwards did) when the Bridegroom should be taken away from them. In the Primitive Church many Fast Days were observed, and with great strictness. “There are those,” wrote St. Chrysostom (A.D. 347—407) who rival one another in fasting, and show a marvellous emulation in it. Some, indeed, who spend two whole days without food; and others who reject from their tables the use of wine, oil, and every delicacy, and, taking only bread and water, persevere in this practice during the whole of Lent." Many such testimonies to the habits of the early Church of Christ 66 Primitive modes of fasting. |