Tag: St. Patrick’s Day

Sunday, The Day of the Sun

SUNDAY

The Day of the Sun

sunnandaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
sonntag (Germanic)
dies solis (Latin)
ravi-var (Hindu)
etwar (Islamic)
dimanche (French)
nichi youbi (Japanese)

Traditionally seen as the first day of the week by the ancient Hebrews and as identified by the fourth commandment (Exodus, xx, 8-11). This day was in ancient times dedicated to the Sun and later as ‘The Lord’s Day’. Sunday is traditionally a time for rest, reflection and worship. It is believed to be a lucky day for babies born on this day according to tradition as the child was thought to be safe from witches and evil spirits. Some born on this day are believed to have psychic or devining abilities. Any cures that are administered on a Sunday were believed to be more likely to succeed. In some parts of the British Isles (UK) there is a belief that announces that any agreements that are made on a Sunday are not legal as it will offend God to make any transactions of a day of reflection and dedicated to worship. In the USA this is enforced by the saying ‘ Never make plans on a Sunday’. In rural areas of the British Isles those employed for a new job on a Sunday would soon leave their post:

‘Saturday servants never stay,

Sunday servants run away.’

It was also thought to be unlucky to put clean sheets on the bed on a Sunday along with cutting your hair or nails. Regarding music, choir singers who sang a false note on this day were according to a traditional English (UK) belief expected to have a burnt Sunday dinner. You could expect a busy profitable week ahead, especially if you were in business, if you found a pair of gloves on this day, and quite naturally very unlucky to be the person who had lost them according to a rural English (UK) belief. A prehistoric cairn marks the spot of Druid worship where a Christian settlement was created Slieve Donhard, near Newcastle, England. Set up by Donhard (a convert of St. Patrick), pilgrimages regularly visit the place of worship, high on the hill, as it is said that St. Patrick himself appears as a result of Donhard’s faith each Sunday of the year. As he appears before everyone, it is said that St. Patrick also leads the people in the mass.  According to the English historian Richard Grafton certain dates of the month were unlucky as published in the ‘Manual’ in 1565. Days throughout the year were identified and of course could have related to any day of the week. The date was the most important point to consider. The work was reputed to have some credence with support given by astronomers of the day.

Ah, What A Special Little Lad Decked Out In His Irish Finery!

Cyrus, the Cat of the Day
Name: Cyrus
 Age: Two years old
Gender: Male
 Kind: Domestic Medium, Long Hair
Home: Mexico
Cyrus came as a stray… and from day one it was like if he’d lived here all along. He got along totally awesomely with adults, kids and even dogs… small ones anyway, and was a total dream cat.

He appeared one day out of nowhere, and I felt sad and fed him once, well… I guess he liked it and stayed. He was an outside cat, by his own insistence, and often times I had to go look for him, only to find him in the next block in the house in the exact location as ours… I guess he “almost” got it right, just missed by a block!

Such a sweet kitty… as you can see by the picture, he didn’t even mind the hat one bit! He seems happy at his new home, so I did not try to convince him to come back to mine. I have two Huskies who are not exactly ‘cat-friendly’ but at his new home he is fed and loved. As he picked my house in the first place when he was a stray, I couldn’t feel too possessive when he decided to move in on the next block. He is such a friendly cat that he charmed them at once, and is well loved there. And as you can see, he is a very cute Leprecat, a good tempered kitty, and wishes everyone a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Saint of the Day for August 16th is St. Bridget

St. Bridget

St. Bridget arrived in Ireland a few years after St. Patrick. Her father was an Irish lord named Duptace.

As Bridget grew up, she became holier and more pious each day. She loved the poor and would often bring food and clothing to them. One day she gave away a whole pail of milk, and then began to worry about what her mother would say. She prayed to the Lord to make up for what she had given away. When she got home, her pail was full! Bridget was a very pretty young girl, and her father thought that it was time for her to marry. She, however, had given herself entirely to God when she was very small, and she would not think of marrying anyone. When she learned that her beauty was the reason for the attentions of so many young men, she prayed fervently to God to take it from her. She wanted to belong to Him alone. God granted her prayer. Seeing that his daughter was no longer pretty, her father gladly agreed when Bridget asked to become a Nun. She became the first Religious in Ireland and founded a convent so that other young girls might become Nuns. When she consecrated herself to God, a miracle happened. She became very beautiful again! Bridget made people think of the Blessed Mother because she was so pure and sweet, so lovely and gentle. They called her the “Mary of the Irish.”