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Lammas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In some
English-speaking countries in the
Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is
Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the
festival of the
wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to
church a loaf made from the new crop. In many parts of
England, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits". The blessing of new fruits was performed annually in both the
Eastern and
Western Churches on the
first or the
sixth of August (the latter being the feast of the
Transfiguration of Christ). The Sacramentary of
Pope Gregory I (died 604) specifies the sixth.
[citation needed]
In mediæval times the feast was known as the "Gule of August", but the meaning of "gule" is unclear.
Ronald Hutton suggests that it may be an
Anglicisation of
Gŵyl Awst, the
Welsh name for August 1 meaning "feast of August", but this is perhaps an overly-complicated extraction. Most etymological dictionaries give it an origin similar to gullet; from O.Fr. goulet, dim. of goule "throat, neck," from L. gula "throat,". One can see why Hutton feels differently as this Welsh derivation would point to a pre-Christian origin for Lammas among the
Anglo-Saxons and a link to the
Gaelic festival of
Lughnasadh.
[citation needed]
There are several historical references to it being known as Lambess eve, such as 'Publications of the Scottish Historical Society' 1964 and this alternative name is the origin of the Lambess surname, just as Hallowmass and Christmas were also adopted as familial titles.
Christian
The feast of
St. Peter in Chains, known as Lammas Day in English speaking countries, is a feast commemorating St Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison. The name is from loaf-mass, bread-feast; so called because on this day offerings were originally made of the first-fruits of harvest, the Catholic church baptizing the pagan festival in the tradition of the Hebrew
First Fruits.
Pre-Industrial
In
The Every-Day Book by
William Hone (published: 1838), he speaks of a festival common among Scottish farmers near Edinburgh that happens on August 1, or "Lammas Day." He says that they "build towers...leaving a hole for a flag-pole in the center so that they may raise their colors." When the flags over the many peat-constructed towers were raised, farmers would go to others' towers and attempt to "level them to the ground." A successful attempt would bring great praise. However, people were allowed to defend their towers, and so everyone was provided with a "tooting-horn" to alert nearby country folk of the impending attack and the battle would turn into a "brawl." According to Hone, more than four people had died at this festival and many more were injured. At the day's end, races were held, with prizes given to the townspeople.
Neo-Paganism
Lammas is a
Neo-Pagan holiday, often called
Lughnasadh, celebrating the first harvest and the reaping of grain. It is a cross-quarter holiday halfway between the
Summer Solstice (
Litha) and the
Autumnal Equinox (Mabon). In the northern hemisphere, Lammas takes place around August 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of
Leo in the
tropical zodiac, while in the southern hemisphere Lammas is celebrated around February 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of
Aquarius. On the
Wheel of the Year, it is opposite
Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 2 in the northern hemisphere, and late July / early August in the southern hemisphere.
Other uses
Lammas is one of the
Scottish quarter days.
Lammas leaves or
Lammas growth refers to a second crop of leaves produced in high summer by some species of trees in temperate countries to replace those lost to insect damage. They often differ slightly in shape, texture and/or hairiness from the earlier leaves.
See also
References
- The Stations of the Sun, Ronald Hutton, Oxford 1996
- (1.3.19),Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare, "Come Lammas Eve at night shall she [Juliet] be fourteen." Since Juliet was born Lammas eve, she came before the harvest festival, which is significant since her life ended before she could reap what she had sown and enjoy the bounty of the harvest, in this case full consummation and enjoyment of her love with Romeo.
- 'Publications of the Scottish Historical Society' 1964
External links