feasts, Yule, Beltane, Midsummer, and Halloween, because they are the oldest and most properly national, there were a number of other heathen feasts, emanating principally from Roman practice, which the Church converted into Christian feasts, notably what is now called Candlemass. On the second day of February, the Romans perambulated their city with torches and candles burning in honour of Februa; and the Greeks at this same period held their feast of lights in honour of Ceres. Pope Innocent explains the origin of this feast of Candlemass. He states that "The heathens dedicated this month to the infernal gods. At its beginning Pluto stole away Proserpine, and her mother Ceres sought for her in the night with lighted torches. In the beginning of this month the idolaters walked about the city with lighted candles, and as some of the holy fathers could not extirpate such a custom, they ordained that Christians should carry about candles in honour of the Virgin Mary." This method of keeping the feast of Candlemass does not now prevail in this country; so far as the laity are concerned, the festival may be said to have died out, but according to Dr. Brewer, the festival is kept by the Roman Catholic Church as the time for consecrating the candles used in the Church service. Formerly there were other public festivals, as Lammas, Michaelmass, &c., which the Church had substituted for heathen feasts which have ceased to be public festivals, and I trust we may indulge the hope that the time is not far distant when, instead of all such festive relics of heathenism, the Church and people will substitute one daily festival of obedience to the honour of the founder of Christianity, viz., the festival of a righteous life. Appointment of 25th December for Christmas, Apple, The, Superstitions concerning, Augustine's, St., or Austin's Mission, ... Baal, Name of Sun-God, Babies Carried off by Fairies, Page. 155 155 95 177 103 5 ... 143 152 122 124 31 160 31 140 53 116 161 27 176 68 161 166 168 162 162 Babies to be taken up a Stair first time taken out, Bannocks at Yule and New-Year's Day, Baptism, Early Practices at, Booths in connection with Temples, Bottreill's Hearth Stories of West Cornwall, Boutree, or Bourtree, Defence against Evil-Eye, ... Bull of Innocent VIII. against making Compacts with the 91, 93 26 Children Cutting Teeth, Cholera, its First Visit to this Country, National Fast for, Refused, Christianity consistent with Nature, Christian Creeds not always consistent with Nature, Coral Beads, their Influence, Cornwall, Beltane Fires in Midsummer, Cows, Restive, foreboding Evil, Cricket in the House, Cure for an Evil Eye, ... ... Cutting the Nails of Young Children, Deaf and Dumb possessing Second Sight, |