Happy Autumnal Equinox!

[CrossCuT]

Best time of the year! Im so excited!!!!

 

The Autumnal Equinox is defined as the time when the suns rays reach the equator. The days and nights are now equal which also the reason for its name equinox (Latin for  "equal light").The sun will continue to sink until it reaches its lowest point at the Winter Solstice (Dec 21, 2015).

Edited September 23, 2015 by CrossCuT

[Nihil Obstat]

More importantly, Ember Days.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

More importantly, Ember Days.

I've never heard of Ember Days. 

[CrossCuT]

I am unfamiliar with Ember Days but it makes me feel like we should all make a bonfire and roast marshmallows over the embers!!

[Nihil Obstat]

Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class. At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales. The Church, when converting heathen nations, has always tried to sanctify any practices which could be utilized for a good purpose. At first the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December; the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests. The "Liber Pontificalis" ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering the fast, but probably it is older. Leo the Great (440-461) considers it an Apostolic institution. When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. This pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week--these were formerly given only at Easter. Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. They were brought into England by St. Augustine; into Gaul and Germany by the Carlovingians. Spain adopted them with the Roman Liturgy in the eleventh century. They were introduced by St. Charles Borromeo into Milan. The Eastern Church does not know them. The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05399b.htm

 

It is somewhat penitential. A good day for prayer.

 

[truthfinder]

Piggybacking Nihil's Ember day post, because of some finagling with how Sundays of September were counted, in some years (such as this one) the Holy Cross ember days actually happens the week after.  (New Liturgical Movement has a complicated explanation of all this).  So beside the issues listed, Ember Days were also traditional for the ordaining of priests (particularly the Saturday Ember of Pentecost).  In the EF, there can also be numerous more readings at Mass, although in many places these are still left out.  

As to the practical, it's the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: fast and partial abstinence (only one meal with meat) with full abstinence on Friday. It actually nice to have a seasonal fast. And the bonfire imagery isn't too far off - it's supposed to help enkindle the embers of our devotion.

[AccountDeleted]

It's spring here....just saying.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

As to the practical, it's the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: fast and partial abstinence (only one meal with meat) with full abstinence on Friday. It actually nice to have a seasonal fast. And the bonfire imagery isn't too far off - it's supposed to help enkindle the embers of our devotion.

As a non-Catholic, I'm caught off guard when posts mention that certain days are set aside for abstinence. Although I know that phrase means abstaining from eating meat, the phrase still catches my eye and I have to remind myself of its meaning and that the Catholic Church is NOT requiring married couples to abstain from marital relations on certain days. This is the first time I have seen the phrase "partial abstinence" and I had to stop myself from wondering, "How exactly does THAT work?"  

Edited September 23, 2015 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Nihil Obstat]

As a non-Catholic, I'm caught off guard when posts mention that certain days are set aside for abstinence. Although I know that phrase means abstaining from eating meat, the phrase still catches my eye and I have to remind myself of its meaning and that the Catholic Church is NOT requiring married couples to abstain from marital relations on certain days. This is the first time I have seen the phrase "partial abstinence" and I had to stop myself from wondering, "How exactly does THAT work?"  

If I remember correctly, the Eastern fasting traditions do sometimes also include abstinence in the sexual sense. I am not very familiar with how that works.