Pentecost ember days11/10/2023 ![]() “Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. ![]() While they were initially observed only in Rome, their observance quickly spread as the Catholic Encyclopedia further adds: Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Pentecost Sunday, and after September 14th (Exaltation of the Cross). ![]() In the Roman Synod of 1078 under Pope Gregory VII, they were uniformly established for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after December 13th (St. The Liber Pontificalis ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering the fast, but probably it is older. Leo the Great (440-461) considers it an Apostolic institution.”īy the time of Pope Gregory I, who died in 601 AD, they were observed for all four seasons though the date of each of them could vary. “At first the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests. Like Rogation Days, Ember Days developed early in these times, taking the form that would continue for centuries. Despite our undeserving, God has given us access to this gift and we owe Him an immense amount of gratitude and we should show our love for Him by striving to receive this gift and share it with the world.Ember days are categorized by three elements: prayers for both thanksgiving and petition, penance in the form of fasting and abstinence, and ordinations. Today and this coming Friday and Saturday, let’s spend time in prayer and fasting as we reflect on the great gift of the Holy Spirit and how we can better receive Him in our souls. When we fast along with our prayers, we are aiding in this by weakening our attachments to earthly things and strengthening the bonds with the things of Heaven.Įmber days remind us of who we are and Who God is, and they invite us to atone for what causes the gap between those two things, insofar as we are able. Taking these days to pray, fast, and reflect on what obstacles prevent us personally from receiving the Holy Spirit and to atone for our sins helps us to make room in our souls to truly be a worthy dwelling place for the Spirit with His help. We are sinners and so cannot have the Holy Spirit dwell in us without His help. We exercise them in reparation for our sins and for other special intentions we might have, particularly for the Church and Her members.Įmber days may seem to fit better in those seasons of a more penitential nature, like Advent and Lent, and these seasons do in fact have their own Ember days, but the purpose of Ember days during the Octave of Pentecost is to remind us that in order to truly receive the Holy Spirit, we must humble ourselves before God and recognize that we are nothing without Him. They are days to be spent in prayer and sacrifice (fasting is encouraged) and they remind us what God has done for us and that we are in debt to Him and are undeserving of His kindnesses. Ember days are days of a penitential nature that fall during different times of the year and they are usually on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. However, this year in the traditional rite, May 31 falls during the Octave of Pentecost (which was its own octave before Vatican II) and it is also on a Wednesday, so it is what’s called an Ember Day. Today, in the Novus Ordo rite, the Feast of the Visitation is celebrated and in the traditional rite, the Queenship of the Virgin Mary is usually celebrated.
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