Feast of the Annunciation (Lady Day) ``Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be; even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c. A.D Feast of the Annunciation Exactly nine months to the day before the Feast of the Nativity, we celebrate the annunciation that the angel -- the archangel -- Gabriel makes to Mary. Mystical significance is given to this date by Jacobus de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa in his "Golden Legend" written in 1275: This blessed Annunciation happened the twentyfifth day of the month of March, on which day happened also, as well tofore as after, these things that hereafter be named. On that same day Adam, the first man, was created and fell into original sin by inobedience, and was put out of paradise terrestrial. After, the angel showed the conception of our Lord to the glorious Virgin Mary. Also that same day of the month Cain slew Abel his brother. Also Melchisedech made offering to God of bread and wine in the presence of Abraham. Also on the same day Abraham offered Isaac his son. That same day St.

John Baptist was beheaded, and St. Peter was that day delivered out of prison, and St. James the more, that day beheaded of Herod. And our Lord Jesu Christ was on that day crucified, wherefore that is a day of great reverence. It was this day on which Our Lord entered the world, and on this day, thirty-three years later, that He left it. It must be remembered that it was on this day, not Christmas, that Christ came to the world, as a baby inside Mary's womb; today is the feast of the Incarnation! The Gospel reading today is that of Luke: Luke 1:26-38: And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: Because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Our Lady uttered her fiat -- her words "Let it be done to me according to thy word" -- and the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity condescended to take on a human nature and become man. God became man! Father Alban Butler writes in his "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Other Principle Saints" (1864) these beautiful words to indicate the import of Mary's "yes": The world, as heaven had decreed, was not to have a Saviour till she had given her consent to the angel's proposal; she gives it, and behold the power and efficacy of her submissive fiat! That moment, the mystery of love and mercy promised to mankind four thousand years before, foretold by so many Prophets, desired by so many Saints, is wrought on earth.

That moment, the Word of God is for ever united to humanity; the Soul of Jesus Christ, produced from nothing, begins to enjoy God, and to know all things past, present, and to come: that moment, God begins to have an adorer who is infinite, and the world a mediator who is omnipotent; and, to the working of this great Mystery, Mary alone is chosen to co-operate by her free assent. The prophets represent the earth as moved out of its place, and the mountains as melting away before the very Countenance of God looking down upon the world. Now that He descends in person, who would not expect that the whole heavens should be moved? Yes, the whole heavens were moved, and we Catholics are moved yet, honoring Christ's Incarnation at each and every Mass when we kneel in gratitude during the Creed, at the words "Et homo factus est" ("And became man"). Angelus Bells at one time (and still in some places) reminded us three times a day -- morning, noon, and evening -- of St.

Gabriel's announcement, Mary's fiat, and the Creator of the Sun and Moon and Stars deigning to take on a human nature, all according to prophecy: Isaias 7:13-15: ...Hear ye therefore, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are grievous to my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good. Isaias 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse [David's father], and a flower shall rise up out of his root. It is through Our Lady that the Ancient of Days sprang from the root of Jesse according to the flesh, thereby restoring the Davidic Kingdom and coming to reign as King of Kings from the Heavenly Jerusalem. 1 Tertullian (b. c.

160) writes of the significance of Mary's heritage when arguing against those who denied Christ's human nature: Now, since He is the blossom of the stem which sprouts from the root of Jesse; since, moreover, the root of Jesse is the family of David, and the stem of the root is Mary descended from David, and the blossom of the stem is Mary's son, who is called Jesus Christ, will not He also be the fruit? For the blossom is the fruit, because through the blossom and from the blossom every product advances from its rudimental condition to perfect fruit. What then? They, deny to the fruit its blossom, and to the blossom its stem, and to the stem its root; so that the root fails to secures for itself, by means of the stem, that special product which comes from the stem, even the blossom and the fruit; for every step indeed in a genealogy is traced from the latest up to the first, so that it is now a well-known fact that the flesh of Christ is inseparable, not merely from Mary, but also from David through Mary, and from Jesse through David.

"This fruit," therefore, "of David's loins," that is to say, of his posterity in the flesh, God swears to him that "He will raise up to sit upon his throne." If "of David's loins," how much rather is He of Mary's loins, by virtue of whom He is in "the loins of David?" St. Augustine (b. 354), in his first sermon on the New Testament, explains what Our Lord's being born of a woman teaches about the dignity of women: But now, would He have been any less a man, if He had not been born of the Virgin Mary" one may say. "He willed to be a man; well and good; He might have so been, and yet not be born of a woman; for neither did He make the first man whom He made, of a woman." Now see what answer I make to this. You say, Why did He choose to be born of a woman? I answer, Why should He avoid being born of a woman? Granted that I could not show that He chose to be born of a woman; do you show why He need have avoided it.

But I have already said at other times, that if He had avoided the womb of a woman, it might have betokened, as it were, that He could have contracted defilement from her; but by how much He was in His own substance more incapable of defilement, by so much less had He cause to fear the woman's womb, as though He could contract defilement from it. But by being born of a woman, He purposed to show to us some high mystery. For of a truth, brethren, we grant too, that if the Lord had willed to become man without being born of a woman, it were easy to His sovereign Majesty. For as He could be born of a woman without a man, so could He also have been born without the woman. But this hath He shown us, that mankind of neither sex might despair of its salvation, for the human sexes are male and female. If therefore being a man, which it behoved Him assuredly to be, He had not been born of a woman, women might have despaired of themselves, as mindful of their first sin, because by a woman was the first man deceived, and would have thought that they had no hope at all in Christ.

He came therefore as a man to make special choice of that sex, and was born of a woman to console the female sex, as though He would address them and say; "That ye may know that no creature of God is bad, but that unregulated pleasure perverteth it, when in the beginning I made man, I made them male and female. I do not condemn the creature which I made. See I have been born a Man, and born of a woman; it is not then the creature which I made that I condemn, but the sins which I made not." Let each sex then at once see its honour, and confess its iniquity, and let them both hope for salvation. The poison to deceive man was presented him by woman, through woman let salvation for man's recovery be presented; so let the woman make amends for the sin by which she deceived the man, by giving birth to Christ. For the same reason again, women were the first who announced to the Apostles the Resurrection of God. The woman in Paradise announced death to her husband, and the women in the Church announced salvation to the men; the Apostles were to announce to the nations the Resurrection of Christ, the women announced it to the Apostles.

Let no one then reproach Christ with His birth of a woman, by which sex the Deliverer could not be defiled, and to which it was in the purpose of the Creator to do honour. This parallel between Eve and the Blessed Virgin is why Our Lady is referred to as "the New Eve," as Christ is referred to as "the New Adam." St. Irenaeus (b. c. 115) wrote in his Apology, Book II, Chapter XII: Those, therefore, who allege that He took nothing from the Virgin do greatly err, since, in order that they may cast away the inheritance of the flesh, they also reject the analogy between Him and Adam.... Wherefore also Luke, commencing the genealogy with the Lord, carried it back to Adam, indicating that it was He who regenerated them into the Gospel of life, and not they Him. And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith. Something for you to keep in mind: note that St.

Luke said that Mary was espoused to -- that is, married to -- Joseph when Gabriel came to her. She was not "an unwed mother," as you so often hear these days, apparently in some attempt to normalize unwed motherhood, or to take the shame out of it ("Mary was an unwed mother, so big deal!"). In Truth, though, Our Lady was married. Jewish marriage at that time began with the betrothal, or kuddushin. This was an exchange of marital vows and signified the beginning of the marriage. After the kuddushin, the couple were taxed together, referred to as man and wife, considered married by law in terms of inheritance, etc., and they could only separate through divorce, and then only if the marriage hadn't been consummated. But the couple did not live together until months later, when they would have a celebration of their marriage vows, at which point the groom would take his wife to their new home (called "home-taking" or nisuin).

Anyway, as to depictions of Mary at the Annunciation, we read in "Legends of the Madonna" (1895) It is usual to exhibit her as kneeling in prayer, or reading with a large book open on a desk before her. St. Bernard says that she was studying the book of the prophet Isaiah, and as she recited the verse, "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son," she thought within her heart, in her great humility, "How blessed the woman of whom these words are written! Would I might be but her handmaid to serve her, and allowed to kiss her feet!" — when, in the same instant, the wondrous vision burst upon her, and the holy prophecy was realized in herself. Depictions of the Annunciation also usually show St. Gabriel the Archangel handing lilies to Our Lady. Mary is often represented by lilies, and the Madonna Lily, named for her, is often called the Annunciation Lily in honor of this Feast and is a perfect ornament for the day. The Venerable Bede (A.D.

672-735) described the transluscent white petals as symbolic of Mary's pure body, and the golden anthers as a symbol of the glory of her soul when she was taken up to Heaven at the Assumption . This poetic commentary 2 by Oscar Wilde makes mention of the lily while describing the humility of the Incarnation: Ave Maria Gratia Plena Was this His coming! I had hoped to see A scene of wondrous glory, as was told Of some great God who in a rain of gold Broke open bars and fell on Dana� , Or a dread vision as when Semele, Sickening for love and unappeased desire, Prayed to see God's clear body, and the fire Caught her brown limbs and slew her utterly. With such glad dreams I sought this holy place And now with wondering eyes and heart I stand Before this supreme mystery of Love: Some kneeling girl with passionless pale face, An angel with a lily in his hand And over both the white wings of a dove.

And, finally, there is the beautiful story about Gabriel's words to Our Lady, also from "The Golden Legend" mentioned earlier: Of the salutation that the angel brought to the glorious Virgin, we read an example of a noble knight which for to amend his life gave and rendered himself into an abbey of Citeaux, and, forasmuch as he was no clerk, there was assigned to him a master for to teach him, and to be with the brethren clerks, but he could nothing learn in long time that he was there save these two words: Ave Maria, which words he had so sore imprinted in his heart that alway he had them in his mouth wheresomever he was. At last he died and was buried in the churchyard of the brethren.

It happed after, that upon the burials grew a right fair fleur-de-lis, and in every flower was written in letters of gold: Ave Maria, of which miracle all the brethren were amarvelled, and they did open the sepulchre, and found that the root of this fleur-de-lis came out of the mouth of the said knight, and anon they understood that our Lord would have him honoured for the great devotion that he had to say these words. Ave Maria. Customs There are few special practices today that I know of, but, as with all Marian Feasts, it is a good day to pray the Magnificat , the Litany of Loreto , the Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin , the Akathistos Hymn to the Theotokos, the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary , etc. (You can download the Litany of Loreto in Microsoft Word .doc format, in English or in Latin ). Because of the time of year this day comes, it is traditional for those in farming communities to pray special prayers for the success of this year's crops. In that same vein, the planning and prayers for the success of Mary Gardens are a natural for today.

When Lady Day falls on Good Friday, it is transferred to the Monday following Low Sunday (the Sunday after Easter). English folk belief is that this coincidence of dates is a bad sign, and that bad luck is sure to follow it. The English say, "If Our Lord falls in Our Lady's lap, England will meet with a great mishap." In 2005, the coming together of these days was followed by terrorist attacks on London's subways. Our Lord will again "fall in Our Lady's lap" next in 2016, and then not for more than 100 years. See also the Feast of the Visitation (2 July), the Feast of the Assumption (15 August), and the Queenship of Mary (31 May). Readings I must offer this poem by G.K. Chesterton, which alludes to the Litany of Loreto and evokes wonder at the relationship between Lord Jesus and His mother: A Little Litany When God turned back eternity and was young, Ancient of Days, grown little for your mirth (As under the low arch the land is bright) Peered through you, gate of heaven—and saw the earth.

Or shutting out his shining skies awhile Built you about him for a house of gold To see in pictured walls his storied world Return upon him as a tale is told. Or found his mirror there; the only glass That would not break with that unbearable light Till in a corner of the high dark house God looked on God, as ghosts meet in the night. Star of his morning; that unfallen star In that strange starry overturn of space When earth and sky changed places for an hour And heaven looked upwards in a human face. Or young on your strong knees and lifted up Wisdom cried out, whose voice is in the street, And more than twilight of twiformed cherubim Made of his throne indeed a mercy-seat. Or risen from play at your pale raiment's hem God, grown adventurous from all time's repose, Or your tall body climbed the ivory tower And kissed upon your mouth the mystic rose. Homily on the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin Mary By St. Gregory Thaumaturgus (a.k.a. Gregory of Neocaesarea), A.D. 213 - ca.

270 (excerpt) Today are strains of praise sung joyfully by the choir of angels, and the light of the advent of Christ shines brightly upon the faithful. Today is the glad springtime to us, and Christ the Sun of righteousness has beamed with clear light around us, and has illumined the minds of the faithful. Today is Adam made anew, and moves in the choir of angels, having winged his way to heaven. Today is the whole circle of the earth filled with joy, since the sojourn of the Holy Spirit has been realized to men. Today the grace of God and the hope of the unseen shine through all wonders transcending imagination, and make the mystery that was kept hid from eternity plainly discernible to us. Today are woven the chaplets of never-fading virtue. Today, God, willing to crown the sacred heads of those whose pleasure is to hearken to Him, and who delight in His festivals, invites the lovers of unswerving faith as His called and His heirs; and the heavenly kingdom is urgent to summon those who mind celestial things to join the divine service of the incorporeal choirs. Today is fulfilled the word of David, "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad.

The fields shall be joyful, and all the trees of the wood before the Lord, because He cometh." David thus made mention of the trees; and the Lord's forerunner also spoke of them as trees "that should bring forth fruits meet for repentance," or rather for the coming of the Lord. But our Lord Jesus Christ promises perpetual gladness to all those who believe on Him. For He says, "I will see you, and ye shall rejoice; and your joy no man taketh from you." Today is the illustrious and ineffable mystery of Christians, who have willingly set their hope like a seal upon Christ, plainly declared to us. Today did Gabriel, who stands by God, come to the pure virgin, bearing to her the glad annunciation, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured! And she cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the angel immediately proceeded to say, The Lord is with thee: fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? " Shall I still remain a virgin? is the honour of virginity not then lost by me? And while she was yet in perplexity as to these things, the angel placed shortly before her the summary of his whole message, and said to the pure virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." For what it is, that also shall it be called by all means. Meekly, then, did grace make election of the pure Mary alone out of all generations. For she proved herself prudent truly in all things; neither has any woman been born like her in all generations.

She was not like the primeval virgin Eve, who, keeping holiday alone in paradise, with thoughtless mind, unguardedly hearkened to the word of the serpent, the author of all evil, and thus became depraved in the thoughts of her mind; and through her that deceiver, discharging his poison and refusing death with it, brought it into the whole world; and in virtue of this has arisen all the trouble of the saints. But in the holy Virgin alone is the fall of that (first mother) repaired. Yet was not this holy one competent to receive the gift until she had first learned who it was that sent it, and what the gift was, and who it was that conveyed it. While the holy one pondered these things in perplexity with herself, she says to the angel, "Whence hast thou brought to us the blessing in such wise? Out of what treasure-stores is the pearl of the word despatched to us? Whence has the gift acquired its purpose toward us? From heaven art thou come, yet thou walkest upon earth!

Thou dost exhibit the form of man, and (yet) thou art glorious with dazzling light." These things the holy one considered with herself, and the archangel solved the difficulty expressed in such reasonings by saying to her: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And fear not, Mary; for I am not come to overpower thee with fear, but to repel the subject of fear. Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. Question not grace by the standard of nature. For grace does not endure to pass under the laws of nature. Thou knowest, O Mary, things kept hid from the patriarchs and prophets. Thou hast learned, O virgin, things which were kept concealed till now from the angels. Thou hast heard, O purest one, things of which even the choir of inspired men was never deemed worthy. Moses, and David, and Isaiah, and Daniel, and all the prophets, prophesied of Him; but the manner they knew not.

Yet thou alone, O purest virgin, art now made the recipient of things of which all these were kept in ignorance, and thou dost learn the origin of them. For where the Holy Spirit is, there are all things readily ordered. Where divine grace is present, all things are found possible with God. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall; overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." And if He is the Son of God, then is He also God, of one form with the Father, and co-eternal; in Him the Father possesses all manifestation; He is His image in the person, and through His reflection the Father's glory shines forth. And as from the ever-flowing fountain the streams proceed, so also from this ever-flowing and ever-living fountain does the light of the world proceed, the perennial and the true, namely Christ our God. For it is of this that the prophets have preached: "The streams of the river make glad the city of God."And not one city only, but all cities; for even as it makes glad one city, so does it also the whole world.

Appropriately, therefore, did the angel say to Mary the holy virgin first of all, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; "inasmuch as with her was laid up the full treasure of grace. For of all generations she alone has risen as a virgin pure in body and in spirit; and she alone bears Him who bears all things on His word. Nor is it only the beauty of this holy one in body that calls forth our admiration, but also the innate virtue of her soul. Wherefore also the angels addressed her first with the salutation, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee, and no spouse of earth; "He Himself is with thee who is the Lord of sanctification, the Father of purity, the Author of incorruption, and the Bestower of liberty, the Curator of salvation, and the Steward and Provider of the true peace, who out of the virgin earth made man, and out of man's side formed Eve in addition. Even this Lord is with thee, and on the other hand also is of thee.

Come, therefore, beloved brethren, and let us take up the angelic strain, and to the utmost of our ability return the due meed of praise, saying, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee!" For it is thine truly to rejoice, seeing that the grace of God, as he knows, has chosen to dwell with thee-the Lord of glory dwelling with the handmaiden; "He that is fairer than the children of men " with the fair virgin; He who sanctifies all things with the undefiled. God is with thee, and with thee also is the perfect man in whom dwells the whole fulness of the Godhead. Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the fountain of the light that lightens all who believe upon Him! Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the rising of the rational Sun, and the undefiled flower of Life! Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the mead of sweet savour! Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the ever-blooming vine, that makes glad the souls of those who honour thee?

Hail, thou that art highly favoured!-the soil that, all untilled, bears bounteous fruit: for thou hast brought forth in accordance with the law of nature indeed, as it goes with us, and by the set time of practice, and yet in a way beyond nature, or rather above nature, by reason that God the Word from above took His abode in thee, and formed the new Adam in thy holy womb, and inasmuch as the Holy Ghost gave the power of conception to the holy virgin; and the reality of His body was assumed from her body. And just as the pearl comes of the two natures, namely lightning and water, the occult signs of the sea; so also our Lord Jesus Christ proceeds, without fusion and without mutation, from the pure, and chaste, and undefiled, and holy Virgin Mary; perfect in divinity and perfect in humanity, in all things equal to the Father, and in all things consubstantial with us, apart from sin. Most of the holy fathers, and patriarchs, and prophets desired to see Him, and to be eye-witnesses of Him, but did not attaint hereto.

And some of them by visions beheld Him in type, and darkly; others, again, were privileged to hear the divine voice through the medium of the cloud, and were favoured with sights of holy angels; but to Mary the pure virgin alone did the archangel Gabriel manifest himself luminously, bringing her the glad address, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured!" And thus she received the word, and in the due time of the fulfilment according to the body's course she brought forth the priceless pearl. Come, then, ye too, dearly beloved, and let us chant the melody which has been taught us by the inspired harp of David, and say, "Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest; Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctuary." For the holy Virgin is in truth an ark, wrought with gold both within and without, that has received the whole treasury of the sanctuary. "Arise, O Lord, into Thy rest." Arise, O Lord, out of the bosom of the Father, in order that Thou mayest raise up the fallen race of the first-formed man.

Setting these things forth, David in prophecy said to the rod that was to spring from himself, and to sprout into the flower of that beauteous fruit, "Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear, and forget thine own people and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is the Lord thy God, and thou shalt worship Him." Hearken, O daughter, to the things which were prophesied beforetime of thee, in order that thou mayest also behold the things themselves with the eyes of understanding. Hearken to me while I announce things beforehand to thee, and hearken to the archangel who declares expressly to thee the perfect mysteries. Note: Today is also one of the 4 English "Quarter Days," days which fall around the Equinoxes or Solstices and mark the beginnings of new natural seasons (i.e., Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall) and which were used in medieval times to mark "quarters" for legal purposes, such as settling debts. The other days like this are: the Feast of St. John on June 24, Michaelmas on September 29, and Christmas on December 25.

Footnotes: 1 St. Joseph was also of the House of David, so Our Lord was of this House by the flesh through Mary, and legally through St. Joseph's adopted fatherhood. 2 Dana� was a woman of Greek mythology who was locked away in room to prevent any male offspring who, it was predicted, would kill her father. Zeus entered her room as a shower of gold and impregnated her, resulting in the birth of Perseus. Semele, the human mother of Dionysus by Zeus, who came to her as a man. She was tricked into asking Zeus to reveal to her his "godly" nature; when he did, it caused her to be consumed by lightning. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), by the way, always had a deep fascination for the Catholic Church, and all throughout his life entertained the possibility of conversion only to reject it. He eventually converted, praise God, on his deathbed in Paris, and was conditionally baptized, and then anointed, by a Passionist priest.

Michaelmas, 29th September, and the customs and traditions associated with Michaelmas Day By Ben Johnson | Comments Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days; in England, it is one of the “quarter days”. There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day ( 25th March ), Midsummer ( 24th June ), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas ( 25th December )). They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes. They were the four dates on which servants were hired, rents due or leases begun. It used to be said that harvest had to be completed by Michaelmas, almost like the marking of the end of the productive season and the beginning of the new cycle of farming. It was the time at which new servants were hired or land was exchanged and debts were paid.

This is how it came to be for Michaelmas to be the time for electing magistrates and also the beginning of legal and university terms. St Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Satan and his evil angels. As Michaelmas is the time that the darker nights and colder days begin - the edge into winter - the celebration of Michaelmas is associated with encouraging protection during these dark months. It was believed that negative forces were stronger in darkness and so families would require stronger defences during the later months of the year. Traditionally, in the British Isles , a well fattened goose, fed on the stubble from the fields after the harvest, is eaten to protect against financial need in the family for the next year; and as the saying goes: “Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day, Want not for money all the year”. Sometimes the day was also known as “Goose Day” and goose fairs were held. Even now, the famous Nottingham Goose Fair is still held on or around the 3rd of October.

Part of the reason goose is eaten is that it was said that when Queen Elizabeth I heard of the defeat of the Armada , she was dining on goose and resolved to eat it on Michaelmas Day. Others followed suit. It could also have developed through the role of Michaelmas Day as the debts were due; tenants requiring a delay in payment may have tried to persuade their landlords with gifts of geese! In Scotland, St Michael’s Bannock, or Struan Micheil (a large scone-like cake) is also created. This used to be made from cereals grown on the family’s land during the year, representing the fruits of the fields, and is cooked on a lamb skin, representing the fruit of the flocks. The cereals are also moistened with sheeps milk, as sheep are deemed the most sacred of animals. As the Struan is created by the eldest daughter of the family, the following is said: “Progeny and prosperity of family, Mystery of Michael, Protection of the Trinity” Through the celebration of the day in this way, the prosperity and wealth of the family is supported for the coming year.

The custom of celebrating Michaelmas Day as the last day of harvest was broken when Henry VIII split from the Catholic Church ; instead, it is Harvest Festival that is celebrated now. St Michael is also the patron saint of horses and horsemen . This could explain one of the ancient Scottish traditions that used to be practiced on Michaelmas Day. Horse racing competitions in the local communities would be held and small prizes won. However, with a twist, it was the only time at which a neighbour’s horse could be taken lawfully the night before and ridden for the entirety of the day, as long as the animal was returned safely! In British folklore, Old Michaelmas Day, 10th October, is the last day that blackberries should be picked. It is said that on this day, when Lucifer was expelled from Heaven, he fell from the skies, straight onto a blackberry bush. He then cursed the fruit, scorched them with his fiery breath, spat and stamped on them and made them unfit for consumption! And so the Irish proverb goes: “On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on blackberries”.

The Michaelmas Daisy The Michaelmas Daisy, which flowers late in the growing season between late August and early October, provides colour and warmth to gardens at a time when the majority of flowers are coming to an end. As suggested by the saying below, the daisy is probably associated with this celebration because, as mentioned previously, St Michael is celebrated as a protector from darkness and evil, just as the daisy fights against the advancing gloom of Autumn and Winter. “The Michaelmas Daisies, among dede weeds, Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds. And seems the last of flowers that stood, Till the feast of St. Simon and St. Jude.” (The Feast of St. Simon and Jude is 28 October) The act of giving a Michaelmas Daisy symbolises saying farewell, perhaps in the same way as Michaelmas Day is seen to say farewell to the productive year and welcome in the new cycle.

Fox-y Lady of the Day Gallery | FOX Sports Fox-y Lady of the Day Gallery By Jimmy Traina Nov 25, 2013 11:48a ET Emanuela de Paula The Big Buzz: July 3, 2014 Photo: Alo Ceballos / Getty Images North America Arianny Celeste The Big Buzz: July 2, 2014 Khloe Terae The Big Buzz: July 1, 2014 Mabelynn Capeluj The Big Buzz: June 30, 2014 Photo: Todd Oren / WireImage Jessica Cribbon The Big Buzz: June 27, 2014 Photo: Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic Maitlyn Simmons The Big Buzz: June 26, 2014 Tasha Wall The Big Buzz: June 25, 2014 Kiki Morris The Big Buzz: June 24, 2014 Photo: James Evans - Staff / C141B9E4 Cindy Prado The Big Buzz: June 23, 2014 Photo: Gustavo Caballero / Getty Images South America Georgia Sal

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2013 Hillary Fisher MARY'S FEAST DAYS The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God-----1 Foundation of the Abbey of Dunes, Flander, in Honor of the Blessed Virgin-----2 Our Lady of Sichem, Belgium-----3 Our Lady of Treves, Italy-----4 Our Lady of Abundance or Prosperity, Italy-----5 Our Lady of Cana-----6 Our Lady of Prompt Succor, New Orleans, Louisiana-----8 Our Lady Beyond the Tiber, Rome and Our Lady of Mercy of Absam, Austria-----9 Our Lady of the Guides, Turkey-----10 Our Lady of Prompt Succor, January-----15 Our Lady of Montserrat and Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners-----16 Our Lady of Peace, Rome amd Our Lady of Pontmain, France-----17 Our Lady of Dijon, France-----18 Our Lady of Gimout, France-----19 Our Lady of Tables, France-----20 Our Lady of Consolation, Rome-----21 Eve of the Espousals of Our Lady and St. Joseph-----22 Espousals of Our Lady and St.

Joseph-----January 23 Our Lady of Damascus-----24 Translation of the Winding Sheet and Tomb of Our Lady-----25 Our Lady of Long Fields, Spain-----26 Our Lady of Life-----27 Our Lady of Good Succor, France-----28 Our Lady of Châtillon sur Seine, France-----29 Our Lady of the Rose, Italy-----30 Apparition of Our Lady to Bl. Angela de Foligno-----31 Eve of the Purification-----February 1 The Purification-----February 2 Our Lady of Saideneida, Damascus-----3 Our Lady of Fire, Forli, Italy-----4 Dedication of the First Church of Our Lady by St.

Peter, Tortosa, Italy-----5 Our Lady of Louvain, Belgium-----6 Our Lady of the Bowed Head or Our Lady of Grace, Rome-----7 Abbey of Our Lady of the Lily, France-----8 Our Lady of the Bells, Cathedral of Saintes, France-----9 Our Lady of the Dove, Bologna, Italy-----10 Our Lady of Lourdes-----February 11 Our Lady of Argenteuil, Paris-----12 Our Lady of Pellevoisin, France-----13 Our Lady of Bournourg, Flanders-----14 Our Lady of Paris, France-----15 Our Lady of the Thorn, Chalons-sur-Marne, France-----16 Our Lady of Constantinople, Turkey-----17 Our Lady of Laon, Rheims, France-----18 Our Lady of Good Tidings, Lempdes, France-----19 Our Lady of Bolougne sur Mer, France-----20 Our Lady of Bon Port, France-----21 Our Lady of Succor, Rennes, France-----22 Our Lady of the Rocks, Salamanca, Spain-----23 Feast of the The Procession of Pope St. Gregory with Painting of Our Lady by St.

Luke, Rome-----24 Our Lady of Victory, Turkey and Our Lady of Great Power, Quebec, Canada-----25 Our Lady of the Fields, Paris-----26 Our Lady of Light, Lisbon, Portugal and Palermo, Italy-----27 Institution of the Monastery of the Annunciation, France-----28 Our Lady Della Croce, Crema, Italy-----March 1 Our Lady of Apparitions, Madrid, Spain ----- 2 Our Lady of Angels, Toulouse, France and Our Lady of Longport, Valois, France ----- 3 Our Lady of de la Guard, Marseille, France----- 4 Our Lady of Good Help, Montreal, Canada ----- 5 Our Lady of Nazareth, Portugal ----- 6 Our Lady of the Star, Portugal ----- 7 Our Lady of Virtues, Lisbon, Portugal ----- 8 Our Lady of Savigny, France ----- 9 Our Lady of the Vine, Tuscany, Italy ----- 10 Our Lady of the Forests----- 11[Portugal and Britain] Our Lady of Miracles, St.

Maur des Fosses, France ----- 12 Our Lady of the Empress, Rome, Italy ----- 13 Our Lady de la Breche ----- 14 [Chartres, France] Our Lady of Underground ----- 15 [Chartres, France] Our Lady of the Fountain ----- 16 [Turkey] Our Lady of Ireland ----- 17 Our Lady of Mercy of Savona ----- 18 Solemnity of St.

Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary -----19 and The Beautiful Lady ----- 19 [France] Our Lady of Calevourt ----- 20 [Brussels, Belgium] Our Lady of Bruges ----- 21 [Flanders, where a lock of Our Lady's hair is preserved.] Feast of the Seven Sorrows and Our Lady of Citeaux, France ----- 22 The Seven Dolors of Our Lady-----Friday of Passion Week The Compassion of Our Lady Friday-----After Passion Sunday Our Lady of Victories-----March 23 Annunciation-----March 25 [Sometimes transferred to April depending on Lent.] Our Lady of Soissons ----- 26 [In the Frech Abbey, one of the shoes of Our Lady is kept.] Apparition of Our Lord to Our Lady as He Was Risen ----- 27 [In accord with the original date of Easter] Our Lady of Castelbruedo ----- 28 [Catalonia, Spain] Apparition of Our Lady to St.

Bonet ----- 29 Re-establishment of the Chapel of Our Lady of Boulogne-sur-mer ----- 30 Our Lady of the Holy Cross of Jersualem-----March 31 Our Lady of Tears ----- April 1 [Sicily] Our Lady of the Highest Grace, Dominican Republic and Our Lady the Great, Poitiers, France ----- 2 Apparition of Our Lord to Our Lady and the Apostles In the Upper Room ----- 3 Our Lady of Grace ----- 4 [Normandy, France] Our Lady of Divine Providence ----- 5 [Cussanio, Italy] Our Lady of the Conception ----- 6 [Flanders] Our Lady of Puig ----- 7 [Valencia, Spain] Our Lady of the Valley ----- 8 [Sicily] Our Lady of Myans ----- 9 [Savoy, France] Our Lady of Laval ----- 10 Our Lady of Fourviere ----- 11 [France] Our Lady of Charity ----- 12 [Cuba] Our Lady of Mantua ----- 13 Our Lady of Guam ----- 14 Our Lady of Keiff ----- 15 [Russia] Our Lady of Victories -----16 [In the Church

 of St.

Mark, Venice, Italy] Our Lady of Arabida ----- 17 [Portugal] Our Lady of Lyons ----- 19 [France] Our Lady of Schier ----- 20 [Bavaria] Institution of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception ----- 21 [Toledo, Spain] Our Lady of Betharam ----- 22 [France] Our Lady of Mende ----- 23 [Africa] Our Lady of Bonaria, Patron of Sardinia ----- 24 Dedication of the Lower Holy Chapel in Honor of Our Lady ----- 25 [Paris, France] Our Lady of Good Counsel-----April 26 Our Lady la Moreneta ----- 27 [Spain] Our Lady of the Oak, Anjou, France and Our Lady of Quito, Eucador ----- 28 Our Lady of Faith ----- 29 [Amiens, France] Our Lady of Africa ----- 30 [Algiers] Our Lady, Queen of the May-----May 1 Our Lady of Oviedo ----- 2 [Spain] Our Lady of Jasna Gora ----- 3 [Poland] Our Lady of the Helper ----- 4 [Normandy, France] Our Lady, Queen

 of the Apostles ----- 5 Our Lady of Miracles in the Church of Our Lady of Peace ----- 6 [Rome] Our Lady of Haut The Seven Joys of Our Lady ----- 7 Our Lady of Pompeii ----- 8 Our Lady of Loreto ----- 9 [Ancona, Italy] Dedication of Constantinople to Our Lady and Our Lady of Saussaie ----- 10 [Paris, France] Our Lady of Aparecida, Patroness of Brazil and Apparition of Our Lady to St.

Philip Neri ----- 11 Our Lady of Power ----- 12 [Aubervillers, France] Our Lady of Fatima-----May 13 and Dedication Our Lady of Martyrs, Rome Our Lady of Bavaria ----- 14 Our Lady of France ----- 15 Apparition of Our Lady to St.

Catherine of Alexandria -----16 Our Lady of Tears ----- 17 [Spoleto, Italy] Dedication of Our Lady of Bonport Abbey ----- 18 [Diocese of Evreux] Our Lady of Flines ----- 19 [Douay] Dedication of the Church of La Ferte in Honor of Our Lady ----- 20 [Burgandy, France] Our Lady of Vladimir, Russia and Our Lady of Sweat, Salerno, Italy ----- 21 Our Lady of Monte Vergine ----- 22 [Naples, Italy] Our Lady of Miracles of Brescia ----- 23 [Italy] Our Lady Help of Christians-----May 24 Our Lady of the Way-----May 24 Our Lady the New ----- 25 [Jerusalem] Our Lady Queen of Caravaggio -----May 26 Our Lady of Naples ----- 27 [Italy] Feast of the Relics of Our Lady ----- 28 [Venice, Italy: Portions of her veil, etc.] Our Lady of Ardents ----- 29 [Arras, France] Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Mexico ----- 30 Queenship of Mary and Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces-----May 

31 Our Lady of the Star -----June 1[Aquileia, Italy] Our Lady of Edessa ----- 2 [Asia Minor] Our Lady of Sasopoli ----- 3 [Italy] Our Lady of the Hill ----- 4 [Lombardy, italy] Our Lady of Haut, Hainault, France ----- 5 Institution of the Nuns of the Visitation of Our Lady by St.

Francis de Sales ----- 6 Our Lady of Marienthal ----- 7 [Germany] The Immaculate Heart of Mary [Novus Ordo] and Our Lady of Alexandria, Egypt -----June 8 Our Lady of Montorello, Italy and Our Lady of Ligny, Lorraine, France ----- 9 Our Lady of Cranganor ----- 10 [India: the Church was built by one of the Three Magi.] Our Lady of Esquernes ----- 11 [Flanders] Apparition of Our Lady to St. Herman ----- 12 [France] dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Sichem ----- 13 [Belgium] Our Lady of Arras ----- 14 [France] Our Lady of the Taper ----- 15 [England and Wales] Our Lady of Aix la Chapelle -----16 [Germany] Our Lady of the Forest ----- 17 [Brittany, France] Appearance of Our Lady to St.

Agnes Montepulciano ----- 18 [Italy] Our Lady of Monte Senario ----- 19 [Florence, Italy] Our Lady of Consolation ----- 20 [Luxemburg] Our Lady of Matarieh ----- 21 [Cairo, Egypt] Our Lady of Narni ----- 22 [Italy] Our Lady Justienne at Carthage ----- 23 Our Lady of the Rosary [Our Lady of the Cape] ----- 23 [Canada] Our Lady of Clos Evrard ----- 24 [Trier, Germany] Divine Motherhood of Our Lady ----- 25 [Declared at the Council of Ephesus, 431.] Our Lady of Meliapore ----- 26 [East Indies] Our Lady of Perpetual Help-----June 27 Institution of the Angelus of Our Lady ----- 28 [Europe] Our Lady of Buglose ----- 29 [France] Our Lady of Calais ----- 30 [France] Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady -----July 2 [Instituted in 1385 by Pope Urban IV.] Our Lady of la Carolle ----- 3 [Paris, France] Our Lady

 of Miracles ----- 4 [Avignon, France] Dedication of Our Lady of Cambray ----- 5 [Arras, France] Our Lady of D'Iron ----- 6 [Dunois, France] Our Lady of Arras ----- 7 [Netherlands] Our Lady of Kazan ----- 8 [Russia] Our Lady of Coutances ----- 9 [France] Our Lady of Boulougne ----- 10 [France] Our Lady of Clery ----- 11 [Orleans, France] Our Lady of Lure ----- 12 [Avignon, France] Image of Our Lady of Chartres ----- 13 [France] Our Lady of the Bush ----- 14 [Portugal] Our Lady of Molanus ----- 15 [Jerusalem] Our Lady of Mount Carmel-----16 Our Lady of Campitelli ----- 17 [Italy] Our Lady of Victory ----- 18 [Toledo, Spain] Our Lady of Moyen Point ----- 19 [Peronne, France] Our Lady of Grace ----- 20 [Paris, France] Our Lady of Verdun ----- 21 [Lorraine] Our Lady of Safe Hiding or Safety ----- 22 [Over

loon, Holland] Our Lady of Premontre ----- 23 [Lancaster, England] Our Lady of Cambron ----- 24 [France] Our Lady of Lac Bouchet ----- 25 [Quebec] Our Lady of Faith ----- 26 [Cauchy] Our Lady of Faith ----- 27 [Gravelines] Victory of the Turks Through Our Lady's Intercession ----- 28 Our Lady of Deliverance ----- 29 [Madrid Spain] Our Lady de Gray ----- 30 [France] Our Lady of the Slain ----- 31 [Lorban, Portugal] Our Lady of the Order of Redeeming Captives -----August 1 [By request of Our Lady.] Our Lady of the Angels-----August 2 Our Lady of Bows ----- 3 [London, England] Our Lady of Dordrecht ----- 4 [Holland] Our Lady of the Snows-----August 5 Our Lady of Capacabana ----- 6 [Bolivia] Our Lady of Schiedam ----- 7 [Holland] Our Lady of Kuehn ----- 8 [Brussels, Belgium] Our Lady of Oegnies ----- 9 [Brabant, Netherlands] Our Lady

 of Mercy ----- 10 [Barcelona, Spain] Our Lady of the Way ----- 11 [St.

Charles, Missouri] Charlemagne Receives Two of Our Lady's Robes ----- 11 Our Lady of Rouen ----- 12 [France] Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----August 13 Vigil of the Assumption-----August 14 The Assumption-----August 15 Our Lady of Trapani -----16 [Sicily] Victory of the King of France Imploring Our Lady of Chartres in 1257 ----- 17 Coronation of Our Lady-----18 Our Lady of the Don ----- 19 [Russia] Our Lady of St.

Bernard's "Ave." ----- 20 [Brabant, Netherlands] Our Lady of Knock ----- 21 [Ireland] The Immaculate Heart of Mary-----August 22 [Traditional] Our Lady of Victory of Valois ------ 23 [France] Our Lady of Benoite-Vaux, France ------ 23 Our Lady, Health of the Sick ----- 24 [Novus Ordo] Our Lady, Health of the Sick -----August 25 [Traditional] Our Lady of Rossano ----- 25 [Calabria, Italy] Our Lady of Czestochowa-----August 26 The Seven Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----August 27 Our Lady of Kiev ----- 28 [Russia] Our Lady of Clermont ----- 29 [Poland] Our Lady of Carquere ----- 30 [Portugal] Our Lady of the Founders ----- 31[Constantinople] Collection of all the Feasts of Our Lady ----- September 1 [Louvain, France] Our Lady of Helbron ----- 2 [Germany] Our Lady of the Divine Shepherd ----- 3 [France] Our Lady of Haut ----- 4 [Belgium] Our Lady

 of the Woods ----- 5 [Galloro] Our Lady of the Fountain ----- 6 [Valenciennes, France] Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lady ----- 7 The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----September 8 Our Lady of Le Puy ----- 9 [france] Our Lady of Trut ----- 10 [Cologne, Germany] Our Lady of Hildesheim ----- 11 [Germany] Holy Name of Mary-----September 12 Our Lady of Zell, Austria and Our Lady of Guadalupa, Spain ----- 13 Our Lady of Einsiedeln ----- 14 [Switzerland] Our Lady of Sorrows-----September 15 Our Lady of Good News -----16 [Sicily] Our Lady of the Candles-----17 Our Lady of Smelcem ----- 18 [Flanders] Our Lady of La Salette-----September 19 Our Lady of the Silver Foot ----- 20 [Lorraine, France] Our Lady of Pucha ----- 21 [Valentia] Giving of the Name Mary to Our Lady by St.

Anne -----22 Our Lady of Valvenere ----- 23 [Spain] Our Lady of Ransom-----September 24 Madonna, Divine Shepherdess ----- 25 [Spain] Our Lady of Victory at Tourney ----- 26 Our Lady of Happy Assembly ----- 27 [Le Laus, France] Our Lady of Cambron ----- 28 [France] Our Lady of Tongres ----- 29 [France] Our Lady of Beaumont ----- 30 [Lorraine, France] Foundation of the Abbey de la Couronne-----October 1 Our Lady of the Assumption----- 2 [Naples, Italy] Our Lady of the Place-----3 [Rome, Italy] Our Lady of Vaussivieres-----4 [Auvergne, France] Our Lady of Buch----- 5 Our Lady of All Help-----6 Our Lady of the Rosary-----October 7 Divine Maternity of Our Lady and Queenship of Mary [Traditional]-----October 11 Our Lady of the Pillar-----October 12 Our Lady of Clairvaux-----13 [France] Our Lady of La Rochelle-----14 [France] Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Terouenne----- 15

 Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Milan----- 16 [Italy] Dedication of the Cave of Our Lady of Chartres----- 17 [France] Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Rheims----- 18 [France] Dedication of the Holy Cross and Our Lady Abbey----- 19 [Royaumont, France] Mater Admiralibis-----October 20 Our Lady of Talan----- 21 [Dijon, France] Our Lady of the Underground----- 22 [Cairo, Egypt] Our Lady of Consolation----- 23 [Honfleur, France] Our Lady of Hermits----- 24 [Switzerland] Dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Toledo----- 25 [Spain] Our Lady of Victory----- 26 [Senlis, France] Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady, Help of Christians----- 27 [Turin, Italy] Our Lady of Vivonne----- 28 [Savoy, France] Our Lady of Orapa----- 29 [Vercelli, Italy] Our Lady of Mondevi----- 30 [Piedmont] Our Lady of the Miracle of St.

Fort----- 31 [Chartres, France] Our Lady of Emminont-----November 2 [Abbeville, France] Our Lady of Rennes-----3 [Brittany, France] Our Lady of Port Louis-----4 [Milan Italy] Our Lady of Damietta----- 5 [Egypt] Our Lady of Valfleurie----- 6 [Lyons, France] Our Lady of the Pond-----7 [Dijon, France] Our Lady of Belle Fontaine-----8 Our Lady of Almudena-----9 [Madrid, Spain] Miraculous Cure Through Our Lady of Loreto----- 10 Our Lady of the Portuguese-----11 Our Lady of the Tower Secret-----12 [Turin, Italy] Our Lady of Nanteuil----- 13 [France] Our Lady of the Grotto----- 14 [Lamego, Portugal] Our Lady of Pignerol-----15 [Savoy, France] Our Lady of Chieves-----16 [Belgium] Our Lady of Sion, Queen of the Jews-----17 The Rosary Virgin of Chiquinquira-----18 [Columbia] Our Lady of Good Tidings----- 19 Our

 Lady of La Guarde-----20 [Bologna, Italy] Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----November 21 Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----November 27 Our Lady of Walsingham-----28 [England] Apparition of Our Lady of Beauraing-----29 [Belgium] Our Lady of Genesta-----30 [Genoa, Italy] Our Lady of Ratisbon-----December 1 [Bavaria] Our Lady of Didinia-----December 2 [Turkey] Our Lady of Victory-----3 [Paris, France] Our Lady of La Chapelle----- 4[Abbeville, France] Our Lady of the Jesuit College-----5 [Rome] Our Lady of Seez----- 6 Vigil of the Immaculate Conception-----December 7 The Immaculate Conception-----December 8 Our Lady of the Conception----- 9 [Naples, Italy] Our Lady of Loreto-----10 Our Lady of the Angels-----11 [Paris, France] Our Lady of Guadalupe-----December 12 Our Lady of the Holy Chapel -----13 [Paris, France] Our Lady of Alba Royale-----14 [Hungary]

 Octave Day of The Immaculate Conception-----December 15 Our Lady of Good Deliverance-----16 [Spain and Florida, USA] Our Lady of Amiens-----17 [France] Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary-----December 18 Our Lady of Toledo-----19 [Spain] Our Lady of Molene, France-----20 Our Lady of St.

Acheul, Amiens, France-----21 Our Lady of Chartres, Mother of Youth, France-----22 Our Lady of Ardilliers, Anjou, France-----23 Vigil of the Nativity and Chaste Nuptials of Our Lady and St. Joseph -----24 Nativity of the Lord [Technically a Major Feast of Our Lord]-----December 25 Our Lady of Acheropita, Rossano, Italy-----26 Feast of the Institution of the Knights of Our Lady-----27 Our Lady of Pontoise, France-----28 Our Lady of Spire, Germany-----29 Our Lady of Bologna, Italy-----30 The Image of Our Lady of Chartres -----31

Question: In which month is Lady Day?
Answer: MARCH