tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6574198575168538104.post1507941902644304608..comments2024-02-27T14:15:43.978-06:00Comments on Modern Medievalism: Farewell to AlleluiaThe Modern Medievalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07238571174836044412noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6574198575168538104.post-57826285374039769122017-02-17T13:13:27.402-06:002017-02-17T13:13:27.402-06:00Hi there MM,
I am reviewing my family's own &...Hi there MM,<br /><br />I am reviewing my family's own "domestic church" traditions and had a question you might be able to help me with regarding "holidays versus holy days."<br /><br />Looking over something like, say, the General Roman calendar, one notes there are feasts and then there are Feasts!<br /><br />By which I mean, some Saints days seem to have in history maintained the character of a purely liturgical commemoration (except perhaps in one city or something like that) whereas others took on the character of a secular "holiday."<br /><br />For modern Americans, St Valentine, St Patrick, and All Hallowed's Eve are examples of days (not to mention Christmas and Easter) that have gone from being purely liturgical to also more organic celebrations with their own traditions and imagery.<br /><br />On the other hand, I've never heard of anyone doing much in this regard for the Feast of Saint Augustine or Sts Soter and Cajus. It seems like these are "feasts" liturgically only.<br /><br />However, I know there are a variety of Feasts that have waned in modern American culture but which did have significant traditions associated with them medievally (and later) beyond the liturgical: Nicholas, Barbara, Lucy, Agnes, St John the Baptist, St Swithun, Michaelmas, etc<br /><br />I'm wondering if you can comment on what the medieval cycle of the year would have really felt like to them, what days would have really been Holidays as opposed to just Holy Days (which occur at some level on something like 2/3rds of the days of the year).<br /><br />There is something wonderfully arbitrary about this, as it doesn't seem to correspond strictly with the official rank of the Feast. I don't know of particular profound traditions around the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple (though perhaps they exist in the East), yet the Swedes have a whole lovely holiday around Santa Lucia.<br /><br />If I'm looking to establish a yearly "cycle" for my kids based roughly on the liturgical calendar, but with an eye to making these days have the significance of a Holiday with its own extra-liturgical imagery and traditions (like Valentines)...what feasts should I highlight on the liturgical calendar as having medievally traditions and significance we could re-source?Jelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607822575954711599noreply@blogger.com