Fall Ember Days (Sep 24, 26 & 27, 2008)

From New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia

Ember Days

Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class. At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales. The Church, when converting heathen nations, has always tried to sanctify any practices which could be utilized for a good purpose. 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. 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. When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. This pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week--these were formerly given only at Easter. Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. They were brought into England by St. Augustine; into Gaul and Germany by the Carlovingians. Spain adopted them with the Roman Liturgy in the eleventh century. They were introduced by St. Charles Borromeo into Milan. The Eastern Church does not know them. The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God.

From the Externals of the Catholic Church

i). The Ember Days, sometimes called the Quarter Tenses (
Latin, " Quatuor Tempora," the four times), come at intervals
of about three months. They are the Wednesday, Friday and
Saturday which follow December 13, the first Sunday in Lent,
Pentecost and September 14.
The observance of these days is an ancient practice. They
are mentioned by Pope St. Leo as being so old in his time that
he believed that they had an Apostolic origin; and he stated
that the object of these days of fasting is to purify our souls by
penance at the beginning of each quarter of the year. They were
introduced into England by St. Augustine of Canterbury, the
Apostle of that country. The ordinations of the clergy commonly
occur on the Saturdays of the Ember Days, while the whole Church
is devoted to prayer and penance, to secure, as it were, the blessing
of God on His new ministers.
Why are they called " Ember Days " ? The word has nothing
to do with embers or ashes. It may be from the Anglo-Saxon "
ymbren," a circle or revolution; or it may be a corruption of "
quatuor tempora"; for in Dutch the name is " Quatertemper,"
in German " Quatember," and in Danish " Kvatember " — whence
the translation to Ember Days is easy.

To mark the beginning of Fall this year, we've planned to clean up the garden, rummage through our old clothes to make some scarecrows, and bake an apple crisp.

APPLE CRISP

INGREDIENTS
4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a 9 inch square baking pan, mix sliced apples with brown sugar. In a large bowl, mix together flour, white sugar, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, beat together egg and melted butter. Stir into flour mixture. Spread evenly over apples.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and crisp.

We're also going to try our hand at making apple doll heads. Follow this link for directions.