feast, commemorative banquet symbolizing communal unity. Generally associated with primitive rituals and later with religious practices, feasts may also commemorate such events as births, marriages, harvests, and deaths. The principal Christian feasts of the Western Church are Easter Easter [A.S. Eastre, name of a spring goddess], chief Christian feast, commemorating the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion. In the West, Easter is celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon next after the vernal equinox (see calendar ); thus,
..... Click the link for more information. , Pentecost Pentecost (pĕn`təkôst) [Gr.,=fiftieth], important Jewish and Christian feast.
..... Click the link for more information. , Epiphany Epiphany (ĭpĭf`ənē) [Gr.,=showing], a prime Christian feast, celebrated Jan.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Christmas Christmas [Christ's Mass], in the Christian calendar, feast of the nativity of Jesus, celebrated in Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches on Dec. 25. In liturgical importance it ranks after Easter , Pentecost , and Epiphany (Jan. 6).
..... Click the link for more information. . The greater number of feasts (excluding Sunday, the weekly feast) fall on the same day of the month each year (e.g., Christmas) and constitute the temporal cycle. Some of the more important liturgical observances are movable (e.g., Easter) and are part of the sanctoral system. Among the Jews the chief feasts are Rosh ha-Shanah Rosh ha-Shanah (rŏsh hə-shä`nə) [Heb.,=head of the year], the Jewish New Year, also known as the Feast of the Trumpets.
..... Click the link for more information. , the Feast of Tabernacles Tabernacles, Feast of, one of the oldest and most joyous of Jewish holidays, called in the Bible the Feast of Ingathering and today often called by its Hebrew name, Sukkoth [Heb.,=booth].
..... Click the link for more information. , Purim Purim (p
`rĭm) [Heb.
..... Click the link for more information. , Passover Passover, in Judaism, one of the most important and elaborate of religious festivals. Its celebration begins on the evening of the 14th of Nisan (first month of the religious calendar, corresponding to March–April) and lasts seven days in Israel, eight days in
..... Click the link for more information. , Hanukkah Hanukkah (khä`nəkə, –n
..... Click the link for more information. , and Shavuot Shavuot (shəv
`ət) [Heb.
..... Click the link for more information. . In the Muslim world the Islamic feasts vary according to country and locale, although there are several feast days of universal importance. The most widely celebrated are the little and great feasts following the fast of Ramadan Ramadan (rämädän`, răm'ədän`)
..... Click the link for more information. and the feast commemorating the birth of Muhammad. In Buddhist countries festive celebrations are usually associated with the birthday of Buddha, his attainment of Nirvana, or enlightenment, and his death. In India there are many national and regional Hindu feasts. One of the most important is the feast of Holi. See also vigil vigil (vĭj`əl) [Lat.,=watch], in Christian calendars, eve of a feast, a day of penitential preparation.
..... Click the link for more information. and fasting fasting, partial or temporary abstinence from food, a widely used form of asceticism . Among the stricter Jews the principal fast is the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur ; in Islam the faithful fast all the daytime hours of the month of Ramadan .
..... Click the link for more information. .
Feast
..... Click the link for more information. , Pentecost Pentecost (pĕn`təkôst) [Gr.,=fiftieth], important Jewish and Christian feast.
..... Click the link for more information. , Epiphany Epiphany (ĭpĭf`ənē) [Gr.,=showing], a prime Christian feast, celebrated Jan.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Christmas Christmas [Christ's Mass], in the Christian calendar, feast of the nativity of Jesus, celebrated in Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches on Dec. 25. In liturgical importance it ranks after Easter , Pentecost , and Epiphany (Jan. 6).
..... Click the link for more information. . The greater number of feasts (excluding Sunday, the weekly feast) fall on the same day of the month each year (e.g., Christmas) and constitute the temporal cycle. Some of the more important liturgical observances are movable (e.g., Easter) and are part of the sanctoral system. Among the Jews the chief feasts are Rosh ha-Shanah Rosh ha-Shanah (rŏsh hə-shä`nə) [Heb.,=head of the year], the Jewish New Year, also known as the Feast of the Trumpets.
..... Click the link for more information. , the Feast of Tabernacles Tabernacles, Feast of, one of the oldest and most joyous of Jewish holidays, called in the Bible the Feast of Ingathering and today often called by its Hebrew name, Sukkoth [Heb.,=booth].
..... Click the link for more information. , Purim Purim (p
`rĭm) [Heb...... Click the link for more information. , Passover Passover, in Judaism, one of the most important and elaborate of religious festivals. Its celebration begins on the evening of the 14th of Nisan (first month of the religious calendar, corresponding to March–April) and lasts seven days in Israel, eight days in
..... Click the link for more information. , Hanukkah Hanukkah (khä`nəkə, –n
..... Click the link for more information. , and Shavuot Shavuot (shəv
`ət) [Heb...... Click the link for more information. . In the Muslim world the Islamic feasts vary according to country and locale, although there are several feast days of universal importance. The most widely celebrated are the little and great feasts following the fast of Ramadan Ramadan (rämädän`, răm'ədän`)
..... Click the link for more information. and the feast commemorating the birth of Muhammad. In Buddhist countries festive celebrations are usually associated with the birthday of Buddha, his attainment of Nirvana, or enlightenment, and his death. In India there are many national and regional Hindu feasts. One of the most important is the feast of Holi. See also vigil vigil (vĭj`əl) [Lat.,=watch], in Christian calendars, eve of a feast, a day of penitential preparation.
..... Click the link for more information. and fasting fasting, partial or temporary abstinence from food, a widely used form of asceticism . Among the stricter Jews the principal fast is the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur ; in Islam the faithful fast all the daytime hours of the month of Ramadan .
..... Click the link for more information. .
Feast
See also Epicureanism.
Barmecide feastBelshazzar’s FeastCamacho’s weddingHanukkahLucullan feastProspero’s banquetThanksgivingThyestean banquetTrimalchio’s FeastZeus
a sham banquet, with empty plates, given to a beggar by wealthy Bagdad nobleman. [Arab. Lit.: Arabian Nights, “The Barmecide’s Feast”]
lavish banquet, with vessels stolen from Jerusalem temple. [O.T.: Daniel, 5]
lavish feast prepared in vain, as Camacho’s fiancée runs off with her love just before the ceremony. [Span. Lit.: Cervantes Don Quixote]
(Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication) Jewish festival lasting eight days; abundance of food is characteristic. [Judaism: NCE, 1190]
a lavish banquet; after Lucullus, roman general and gourmet. [Rom. Hist.: Espy, 236]
shown to the hungry castaways, then disappears. [Br. Drama: Shakespeare The Tempest]
national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. Culture: Misc.]
at which Atreus served his brother Thyestes’ sons to him as main course. [Gk. Myth.: Brewer Dictionary, 1081]
lavishly huge banquet given by wealthy vulgarian. [Rom. Lit.: Satyricon]
disguised as Amphitryon, gives a banquet at the latter’s house. [Gk. Myth.: Benét, 32]
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