a partner church in the WOLDSBURN benefice
CHURCH AT KIRKBURN
PLEASE FOLLOW ALSO SUBSIDIARY LINKS AT TOP OF EACH PAGE
provide food for themselves and their families. With the coming of christianity the old festivals took on a new meaning and the baking of bread from the new harvest and its placing on the altars of the churches brought a deeper significance. Lugnasadh has an older name, Bron Trogain, which refers to childbirth. At Bron Trogain the earth brings forth her first fruits so that her people might live. Apparently one feature of the Tailltean games was the “ Tailltean marriage” (a marriage that lasted a year and a day until the next Lammas at which time the couple could either continue or cease the relationship ) The Catherine wheel was a feature of Lammas in the middle ages. St. Catherine of Alexandria was broken on the wheel, and though her date has been moved around by the Roman church , Lammas was the most favoured time for her popular celebration. A large wagon wheel covered with tar was taken to the top of a hill, set on fire, and rolled down the hill. One interpretation of this ceremony is that it is a representation of a pagan rite commemorating the end of summer, the flaming wheel being the dying Sun.
The Church used Lammas as part of its own thanksgiving for the harvest and the Anglo Saxons made loaves of the first grain (Lammas loaves) and placed them on the church altars as a symbolic giving of thanks to God.
Lammas has been celebrated throughout the world since time immemorial. Although the ancients directed their thanks to God through various names or objects it is clear that relatively unsophisticated as well as more advanced civilizations were persuaded that grain was a free gift from God and that thanks should be given for that gift. In England the festival of Lammas is a “black letter day” in the prayer book (i.e. not as important as a red letter day) and actually I can’t even find a mention of it in my lectionary, either black, red, or sky blue pink. I personally think that the observation of Lammas should be revived. It is a natural corollary to Rogation tide (a time to ask blessings on land, crops, fish. minerals and talents etc) and it is just as important to remind people of the actual gifts which God gives to us all without discrimination as it is to direct people towards what might be given in the future..
The Church used Lammas as part of its own thanksgiving for the harvest and the Anglo Saxons made loaves of the first grain (Lammas loaves) and placed them on the church altars as a symbolic giving of thanks to God.
Lammas has been celebrated throughout the world since time immemorial. Although the ancients directed their thanks to God through various names or objects it is clear that relatively unsophisticated as well as more advanced civilizations were persuaded that grain was a free gift from God and that thanks should be given for that gift. In England the festival of Lammas is a “black letter day” in the prayer book (i.e. not as important as a red letter day) and actually I can’t even find a mention of it in my lectionary, either black, red, or sky blue pink. I personally think that the observation of Lammas should be revived. It is a natural corollary to Rogation tide (a time to ask blessings on land, crops, fish. minerals and talents etc) and it is just as important to remind people of the actual gifts which God gives to us all without discrimination as it is to direct people towards what might be given in the future..
LAMMAS THROUGH THE AGES 2
