That’s a good one, Derek; very beautifully written, and I didn’t know any of that.
So does that mean this Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday? Like two days ago, today, and tomorrow? And why did they add Saturday on, do you know? (Maybe you said and I missed it; sorry, if so. I’m awfully tired tonight.)
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John-Julian, OJN
Derek, have you any hint about the reason for that odd combination of Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for Ember Days? I could understand Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday or even Monday-Wednesday-Friday, but have never figured out the odd Ember Day constellation.
I assumed that Wednesday and Friday were chosen because they were the traditional days of abstinence and/or fasting.
But even if so, why Saturday? I wonder if that was added as the day for ordinations?
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Derek the Ænglican
Yeah, I’ve always surmized along with bls that Wednesdays & Fridays were the theoretical church-wide fasting days but my guess is that these were not universally observed. Perhaps the fasts were more strictly observed on these days…
As for Saturday, I’m not clear but there were sometimes feasts of twelve lessons on Saturdays as vigils of major feasts. Perhaps these Saturdays were something similar.
Also recall that these were the three non-Sunday days provided for in early medieval lectionaires.
(I’m throwing evidence at the wall and seeing what will stick…)
That’s a good one, Derek; very beautifully written, and I didn’t know any of that.
So does that mean this Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday? Like two days ago, today, and tomorrow? And why did they add Saturday on, do you know? (Maybe you said and I missed it; sorry, if so. I’m awfully tired tonight.)
Derek, have you any hint about the reason for that odd combination of Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for Ember Days? I could understand Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday or even Monday-Wednesday-Friday, but have never figured out the odd Ember Day constellation.
I’ve searched and never found an answer.
I assumed that Wednesday and Friday were chosen because they were the traditional days of abstinence and/or fasting.
But even if so, why Saturday? I wonder if that was added as the day for ordinations?
Yeah, I’ve always surmized along with bls that Wednesdays & Fridays were the theoretical church-wide fasting days but my guess is that these were not universally observed. Perhaps the fasts were more strictly observed on these days…
As for Saturday, I’m not clear but there were sometimes feasts of twelve lessons on Saturdays as vigils of major feasts. Perhaps these Saturdays were something similar.
Also recall that these were the three non-Sunday days provided for in early medieval lectionaires.
(I’m throwing evidence at the wall and seeing what will stick…)