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Lammas
 
 
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In some English-speaking
Anglophone

An Anglophone is someone who speaks the English language. As an adjective, it refers to belonging to an English-speaking population especially in a country where two or more languages are spoken....
 countries in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival
Festival

A festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or Polytheism....
 of the first wheat
Wheat

Wheat , is a worldwide cultivated Poaceae from the Levant region of the Middle East. Globally, after maize, wheat is the second most-produced food among the cereal just above rice....
 harvest
Harvest

In agriculture, the harvest is the process of gathering mature crop from the field s. Reaping is the cutting of grain or Pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper....
 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
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English language chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The annals were created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great....
, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits".






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In some English-speaking
Anglophone

An Anglophone is someone who speaks the English language. As an adjective, it refers to belonging to an English-speaking population especially in a country where two or more languages are spoken....
 countries in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator....
, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival
Festival

A festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or Polytheism....
 of the first wheat
Wheat

Wheat , is a worldwide cultivated Poaceae from the Levant region of the Middle East. Globally, after maize, wheat is the second most-produced food among the cereal just above rice....
 harvest
Harvest

In agriculture, the harvest is the process of gathering mature crop from the field s. Reaping is the cutting of grain or Pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper....
 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
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English language chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The annals were created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great....
, 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
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
 and Western
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
 Churches on the first, or the sixth, of August. The Sacramentary of Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I

Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great was pope from 3 September 590 until his death.He is also known as Gregory the Dialogist in Eastern Orthodoxy because of his Dialogues....
 (died 604
604

Events...
) specifies the sixth.

In mediæval times the feast was known as the "Gule of August", but the meaning of "gule" is unknown. Ronald Hutton
Ronald Hutton

Ronald Hutton is a professor of History at the University of Bristol, author, and occasional commentator on United Kingdom television and radio....
 suggests that it may be an Anglicisation
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 of Gwyl Awst, the Welsh
Welsh language

Welsh ]], is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, in England by some along the Welsh Marches and in the Welsh settlement in Argentina in the Chubut Valley in Argentina Patagonia....
 name for August 1 meaning "feast of August", but this is not certain. If so, this points to a pre-Christian origin for Lammas among the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons

Anglo-Saxons is the term usually used to describe the invading tribes in the south and east of Great Britain starting from the early 5th century AD, and their creation of the English nation, lasting until the Norman conquest of England of 1066....
 and a link to the Gaelic
Gaels

The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group which originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to Scotland and the Isle of Man. They are speakers of the Goidelic languages languages ? Irish language, Scottish Gaelic and Manx language....
 festival of Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is a Gaels holiday traditionally associated with the first of August....
. 'Gule' could also come from 'Geohhol' (Old English form of 'jule') and thus Lammas Day was the 'Jule of August'.

There are several historical references to it being known as Lambess eve, such as 'Publications of the Scottish Historical Society' 1964 and this alternate name is the origin of the Lambess surname, just as Hallowmass and Christmas were also adopted as familial titles.

People in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is south of the equator?the word sphere literally means 'half ball'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere south of the celestial equator....
 that celebrate Lammas do so February 1, to reflect the 6 month offset of seasons on the other side of the planet.

Neopaganism


Lammas is a neopagan holiday, being a cross-quarter holiday between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and Fall Equinox (Mabon). It is opposite Candlemas or Imbolc, in early February. Lammas takes place with the Sun near the midpoint of Leo. Candlemas takes place with the Sun near the midpoint of Aquarius.

Other uses

Lammas is one of the Scottish quarter days
Scottish term days

Scottish term days were holy days for the people of the Kingdom of Scotland in the Middle Ages. Like the Kingdom of England's quarter days, they were the four days dividing the legal year, when rent and interest on loans, and Minister of religions' stipends were due, and when servants were hired and paid....
.

See also

  • Harvest festival
    Harvest festival

    A harvest festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world....
  • Harvest Home
    Harvest Home

    Harvest Home may refer to:* Harvest Home , a 1973 horror novel by Tom Tryon;* Harvest Home, a 1982 song recorded and released by Big Country;...
  • Ould Lammas Fair
    Ould Lammas Fair

    The Ould Lammas Fair is a traditional fair held in Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland every year on the last Monday and Tuesday of August....
  • Leyton Marshes
    Leyton Marshes

    Leyton Marshes are located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest at Leyton....


External links

  • Pre-Christian Holidays & Pre-Christian Traditions of Christian Holidays from Britain and Ireland