St. Michael's Day definition of St. Michael's Day in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

St. Michael's Day

September 29 in the West and November 8 in the East; first Sunday in October

Coming at the end of the harvest season, St. Michael's Day has traditionally been a day for giving thanks and for celebrating the end of the season of hard work in the fields.
In Finland Mikkelin Paiva is observed on the first Sunday in October. In the countryside, servants are hired and next year's labor contracts signed. The harvesters celebrate the end of their labors on Saturday night by holding candlelight dances. The observation of Mikkelin Paiva replaced an earlier festival known as Kekri, which was celebrated by each landowner as soon as his crops were safely in the barns. The "Kekri" (spirits of the dead) were rewarded with a feast for their help with the farm work. The Kekri festival was probably a remnant of some form of ancestor worship.
In Ethiopia, where St. Michael's Day is observed on November 8, people attend services at any churches consecrated to Mika'el. The celebrations include chanting and dancing by the clergy, and a procession carrying the holy ark, or tabot, out of the church and then, later in the day, returning it. The services are followed by singing and dancing, an occasion for young men to possibly find a bride.
See also Michaelmas; San Miguel, Fiesta de; Timqat; Tura Michele Fair

CONTACTS:
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Dr. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
202-364-1200; fax: 202-587-0195
www.ethiopianembassy.org

SOURCES:
BkHolWrld-1986, Sep 29
DaysCustFaith-1958, p. 242
DictFolkMyth-1984, pp. 203, 504, 716
FestWestEur-1958, p. 71
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 446
FolkWrldHol-1999, pp. 571, 588, 649

Mentioned in	?		Encyclopedia browser	?		Full browser	?
No references found			St. Lawrence, Gulf of St. Lazarus's Day St. Leger, Barry St. Leopold's Day St. Louis St. Lucia St. Lucia Independence Day St. Lucy's Day St. Malo St. Malo, Gulf of St. Marinus Day St. Mark's Day St. Maron's Day St. Martha's Day St. Martin St. Martin's Carnival St. Martin's Day St. Martin's Eve St. Mary's County Oyster Festival St. Marys St. Matthias's Day St. Maur-des-Fosses St. Maur-des-Fossés St. Medardus's Day St. Mennas's Day St. Michael's Day St. Mihiel, Battle of 1918 St. Modesto's Day St. Nazaire St. Nicholas's Day St. Olav's Day St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day Encampment St. Patrick's Day Parade St. Paul St. Paul Winter Carnival St. Peter's Day St. Peter's Fiesta St. Petersburg St. Petersburg Alliance Treaties St. Petersburg Alliance Treaty of 1812 St. Petersburg Conventions St. Petersburg League of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working St. Petersburg Peace Treaty of 1762 St. Petersburg Protocol of 1826 St. Petersburg School of Linguistics St. Petersburg Strike of 1914 St. Petersburg Textile Workers Strike of 1896 St. Petersburg Treaty of 1881 St. Pierre St. Pierre and Miquelon			St. Marys Wall Bangers St. Maternus St. Matthew St. Matthew Lutheran Church St. Matthew the Apostle St. Matthew's Lutheran Church St. Matthews St. Matthias's Day St. Maur-Des-Fosses St. Maur-Des-Fosses St. Maur-des-Fossés St. Maurice St. Maximus St. Maximus of Constantinople St. Maximus the Confessor St. Medardus's Day St. Mennas's Day St. Michael and All Angels St. Michael and All Angels St. Michael Lutheran School St. Michael School St. Michael's Choir School St. Michael's College School St. Michael's Convent School St. Michael's Day St. Michael's Youth Group St. Michael, Alaska St. Michaels University School St. Mihiel St. Mihiel St. Mihiel, Battle of 1918 St. Modesto's Day St. Moritz St. Moritz St. Moritz Tobogganing Club St. Morris St. Nazair, France St. Nazair, France St. Nazaire St. Nazaire St. Neots Youth Town Council St. Nicholas St. Nicholas Day St. Nicholas Girls' School St. Nicholas of Bari St. Nicholas of Myra St. Nicholas Thaumaturgos St. Nicholas's Day St. Nick St. nick's