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reetings from Australia. 

Welcome to this Red-Letter Day. Below you will find today's global celebrations, birthdays and events.

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Pip Wilson

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Today is

What we think, we become. 
The Buddha

However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?
The Buddha

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned. 
The Buddha

More Buddha quotations

Oh Great, compassionate Buddha,
It was you Who broke the caste system,
Who preached the doctrine Of conditional causation
And the equality of all beings,
Who opened all beings' minds
To the Buddha wisdom and views,
Who awakened all sentient beings Out of ignorance.
From 'A Prayer for Buddha's Birthday', by Venerable Master Hsing Yun

The little girl made me. I wasn't waiting for the little girl to kill me.
Mary Pickford, Canadian-born Hollywood actress, born on April 8, 1893

The day dawned bleak and chill, a moving wall of grey light out of the north-east which, instead of dissolving into moisture, seemed to disintegrate into minute and venomous particles, like dust that, when Dilsey opened the door of the cabin and emerged, needled laterally into her flesh, precipitating not so much a moisture as a substance partaking of the quality of thin, not quite congealed oil.
The final chapter of William Faulkner's tale of the Compson Family, The Sound and the Fury, begins on April 8, 1928

Do you have any other fictional dates from reasonably well-known works? I'd love you to let me know.

This is the end – for me the beginning.
Last recorded words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, spoken before being hanged by the Nazis on April 8, 1945

When the missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and the missionaries had the Bible. They taught us to pray with our eyes closed. When we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible.
Jomo Kenyatta, Kenyan revolutionary and leader, who was sentenced to jail on April 8, 1953

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
Pablo Picasso, Spanish artist, who died on April 8, 1973

And here the monks their maundies make with sundry solemn rites,
And signs of great humility, and wondrous pleasant sights.
Each one the other's feet doth wash, and wipe them clean and dry,
With hateful mind and secret fraud, that in their hearts doth lie;
As if that Christ with his examples did these things require,
And not to help our brethren here with zeal and free desire;
Each one supplying other's want, in all things that they may,
As he himself a servant made, to serve us every way.
Then straight the loaves do walk, and pots in every place they skink
Wherewith the holy fathers oft to pleasant damsels drink.
Naogeorgus (1511 - '63) on Maundy Thursday; The Popish Kingdom, (translated by Barnabe Googe, 1540 - '94); in Chambers, 1888

April 8 is the 98^th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (99^th in leap years), with 267 days remaining.
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Maundy, or Holy, (or, Green) Thursday (day before Good Friday), 2004

A note about the dating of items in Wilson's Almanac

[The term Holy Thursday is used by Catholics to refer to Maundy Thursday, ie, the day before Good Friday. But to the Church of England, Holy Thursday refers to the day of Ascension]

"The day before Good Friday is so called from the first words of the antiphon for that day being Mandatum novum do vobis, a new commandment I give unto you (St John xiii, 34), with which the ceremony of the washing of the feet begins. This is still carried out in Roman Catholic cathedrals and monasteries. It became the custom of popes, Catholic sovereigns, prelates, and priests to wash the feet of poor people. In England the sovereign did the same as late as the reign of James II. The word has been incorrectly derived from maund (a basket), because on the day before the great fast it was an ancient church custom to bring out food in maunds to distribute to the poor."
Ivor H Evans, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, Cassell, London, 1988

Also called Chare, Sheer, or Shere Thursday

"It is generally supposed to be from ME schere, clean, ie free from guilt, from the custom of receiving absolution, or of cleansing the altars on this day. The Liber Festivalis, however, says:

Maundrel

"A foolish, vapouring gossip. The Scotch say, "Haud your tongue, maundrel." As a verb it means to babble, to prate. In some parts of Scotland the talk of persons in delirium, in sleep, and in intoxication is called maundrel. The term is from Sir John Mandeville, the traveller, who published an account of his travels, full of idle gossip and most improbable events.

"There is another verb, maunder (to mutter, to vapour, or wander in one's talk). This verb is from maund (to beg)."   Source

Maunds

"Gifts distributed to the poor on Maundy Thursday (q.v.). The number of doles corresponds to the number of years the monarch has been regnant, and the doles used to be distributed by the Lord High Almoner. Since 1883 the doles have been money payments distributed by the Clerk of the Almonry Office. The custom began in 1368, in the reign of Edward III. James I distributed the doles personally.

"Entries of 'al maner of things yerly yevin by my lorde of his Maundy, and my laidis, and his lordshippis children.'"—Household Book of the Earl of Northumberland, 1512."   Source

The Royal Maunds, or Maundy money

"Gifts in money given by the sovereign on Maundy Thursday to the number of aged poor men and women that corresponds with her (his) age. Broadcloth, fish, bread and wine were given in the reign of Elizabeth I, later clothing and provisions. The clothing was replaced by money in 1725 and the provisions in 1837. In due course the ceremony was transferred from the chapel at Whitehall to Westminster Abbey. Personal distribution of the doles ceased in 1688 until George V restarted it in 1932, as did Edward VIII in 1936. Queen Elizabeth II has made a personal distribution in most years since 1953 and the ceremony is no longer held at Westminster every year. Thus the 1979 service attended by the Queen and Prince Philip was held in Winchester Cathedral. The money is specially struck in silver pennies, twopennies, threepence, and fourpences and is unaffected by decimalisation."
Evans; ibid

According to the 19^th Century British folklorist, Robert Chambers, a maund was a basket and hence distribution of charity gifts in these. It has been a day for the washing of feet of paupers by ecclesiastics, sovereigns and princes through history. The Shere Thursday name comes from shearing hair which the priesthood used to observe at this time. The king of England traditionally washed the feet of as many poor men as he was old in years. James II was the last to perform this touching ritual "in which the mighty were brought low". William left the washing to his almoner, and so it remained. Since at least the time of Queen Victoria, the practice was given up; in her early reign there was the addition of maundy coins as well as provisions given to the needy.

In Austria, the practice was called Fusswaschung, and was done by the emperor.
Robert Chambers, (Ed.), The Book of Days: A miscellany of popular antiquities in connection with the calendar, etc, W & R Chambers, London, 1881 (1879 Edition is online and 1869 edition here with CD-ROM available; See also The English Year: A Personal Selection from Chambers' Book of Days)

Shakespeare says "a thousand favours from her maund she drew". Hone (Hone, William, The Every-Day Book, or a Guide to the Year, Vol., 1, William Tegg and Co., London, 1878) also writes of the different possible origins of the word. It has also been called, by corruption, 'Chare Thursday'.

Holy Thursday at Rome, 19^th Century

1) St Peter's, blessing of the oils: First is the oil of catechumens, used in blessing baptism, consecrating churches and altars, ordaining priests and blessing sovereigns. Second, for extreme unction. Third, the sacred chrism, composed of oil and balm of Gilead or the West Indies, used at consecration of bishops, patens and chalices, and the blessing of bells. A bishop and twelve priests, seven deacons and seven sub-deacons are all present.

2) Silencing of the bells: All bells from about 11.15 are mute until the same time on Saturday. Even hand bells in hotels are silent. Wooden clappers, or troccola, are used instead (boxes turned on handles).

3) Feet washing at St Peter's: The Pope officiates, washing the right foot of each of 13 bishops, who all sit on a bench along a wall. He wears an apron. The 13 represent 12 apostles and 1 angel who, according to legend, appeared to Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) when he performed an act of charity to poor persons. Each bishop receives a towel and a nosegay, plus a medal, which are presented by the treasurer. The Pope washes his hands, puts back on his red cope, and goes on to:

4) The Pope serving at Supper: The Pope serves food and wine to the 13 bishops. The bishops come from around the world, but the captain of the Swiss guard has the privilege of choosing one.

5) The Grand Penitentiary: A number of clergy hear confessions. The grand Cardinal Penitentiary gives absolution for mortal sins which are beyond the scope of ordinary confession. The altars of St Peter's are stripped and all the lights extinguished, for Easter mourning.

6) Washing the feet of pilgrims: This takes place at the Trinita de' Pellegrini, an establishment in Rome for the accommodation of pilgrims. Priests wash the feet of male pilgrims; women are attended to by ladies of distinction. Then they are served a meal.

Maundy Thursday evening at Rome, the shops of sausage makers, candle-makers and pork-dealers are decorated and illuminated in a fantastic way. They put up an altar with Virgin and Child, with candles and flowers.
Chambers; ibid

When the castle of Neuhaus, Bohemia, was being built, a lady in white appeared and promised the workmen sweet soup and a carp on the building's completion. Thus it became the custom to give these foods to the poor on Maundy Thursday.

Eckhardt, in German legends, appears on the evening of Maundy Thursday to warn everyone to go home as the night is filled with headless bodies and two-legged horses. Evans; ibid

The Last Supper, on Maundy Thursday

Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting on the wall of the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, in 1494-1497. The refectory was reduced to ruins by Allied bombs in August 1943, but the painting remained almost completely intact.

Husband divination, Austria

Austrian girls traditionally whisk whole eggs at night, poured water on the top and in the morning (Good Friday) inspect the potions to see an augury of their future husbands.

The hare's red eggs, parts of Austria

Worldwide Roma (Gypsy) Nation Day

The Roma (singular Rom), commonly known as Gypsies, (or Gipsies), Tsigani, Tzigane, Cigano, Zigeunerare and other names, are a traditionally nomadic people who originated in northern India but currently live worldwide, chiefly in Europe. Most Roma speak some form of Romany, a language closely related to the modern Indo-European languages of northern India.  

The Roma have had a troubled history and still today suffer greatly in many countries. The Nazis murdered large numbers of Roma and is believed that 400,000 Roma were killed. They were one of the major groups to be automatically sentenced to imprisonment in a concentration camp or killed on sight. On November 18, 2001, according to Wikipedia, "scores of gypsies were killed in Kundar" during the US and British-led invasion of Afghanistan (October 7, 2001).

Irish Travellers

Romany & Traveller Family History Society

Gypsies and Travellers in North America

Romany language

Timeline of Roma history

Patrin: Journal of Romani Culture and History

A Brief History of the Roma 

Timeline of Romani History

The Gypsy Lore Society

See also Feast of the Three Marys, May 24 in the Book of Days

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Click stars for Universe today Cafe Diem! Our store Highly recommended: Folklore of World Holidays by Margaret Read MacDonald Against All Enemies: Inside the White House's War on Terror – What Really Happened The Passion Mel Gibson A Guide to the Passion Power and Terror - Noam Chomsky The Pagan Prosperity The Triumph of the Moon The Celtic Dragon Tarot Sabbat Entertaining The Pagan Book of Days Eight Sabbats for Witches Celebrate the Earth A Year of Holidays in the Pagan Tradition Wheel of the Year The Trouble with Islam Brave Hearts, Rebel Spirits The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told Us About Iraq Lady Godiva Lucifer Ascending: The Occult in Folklore and Popular Culture Activists Beyond Borders The Book of Spells Spellcraft The Book of Saints The Encyclopedia of Saints Daily Everything   To support this project Search by keywords for books, music, computers, software, home and family products and much more.     Search for posters An Inconvenient Truth By Al Gore; DVD & book The Permaculture Home Garden By Linda Woodrow Ghost Plane A Question of Torture By Alfred McCoy Remotely Controlled: How Television Is Damaging Our Lives and What We Can Do About It What Would Jefferson Do? By Thom Hartmann How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World Pagan Christianity For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire By James Yee Crimes Against Nature : How George W Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy By Robert F Kennedy, Jr The Price of Loyalty The Torture Debate in America Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them Philippe Legrain Hello Laziness! By Corrine Maier The Great War for Civilisation By Robert Fisk A Question of Torture By Alfred McCoy When Corporations Rule the World Alternatives to Economic Globalization Feminism Without Borders The Skeptic's Dictionary Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them 365 Goddess Adventures in a TV Nation Michael Moore Drawing Down the Moon Globalization/Anti-Globalization More books, calendars, T-shirts, mugs, music, posters, etc at   Cafe Diem! Celtic Daily Prayer Dude, Where's My Country? Photo of the day Mother Earth Spirituality Rich Media, Poor Democracy Robert McChesney Shamanism Women's Activism and Globalization Click to promote  your blog or website  another excellent  way we do

Buddha's Birthday, for Mahayana Buddhists Although Theravada Buddhists celebrate the birth of the Buddha at the fifth full moon of the year, usually in May, many Mahayana Buddhists (mostly in East Asia) celebrate today because of the Westernization of their calendar, replacing lunar with solar dates. Buddha's Birthday (Cantonese: fātdáahn), the birthday of the Gautama Buddha, is traditionally celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month in the Chinese calendar. It is a holiday in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea. The date varies from year to year in the Western (Gregorian) calendar. On Buddha's birthday, statues of Buddha are washed with a special sweet tea, often made from hydrangeas (following the tradition that Shakyamuni, the Buddha, was washed with warm and cool waters at birth), and offerings of flowers are made. Of the many Buddhist festivals, this is the most important, together with that of his Enlightenment and that of his death. All these are celebrated together in South-East Asia as the Festival of Vesak (see below). Since the late nineteenth century in Japan, this has been known as the Flower Festival (Hana Matsuri) in remembrance of the flower garden of Lumbini (almost on the India-Nepal border) where he was born.  From a document written by Justine Lee, sent to PW by Buddhist Library, Sydney, et al See also Hong Kong's Bun Festival, May 2 in the Book of Days   Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival; Buddha's Birthday), Japan On Buddha's birthday in Japan, Buddhist shrines and temples fill with joyful celebrants. Hana Matsuri or Doll's Festival is celebrated as a prayer for the well-being of the young girls. All families decorate their dolls with peach blossoms and rice crackers. People take turns pouring hydrangea tea over the head of the bronze statue of the infant Buddha. Originally it was a lunar holiday celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month but now, like many Japanese festivals, set in the Gregorian calendar (see A note about the dating of items in Wilson's Almanac). 'Hana' means flowers in Japanese, and, 'matsuri' means festival and Buddha's natal day conveniently coincides with the blooming of the cherry blossoms in Japan. The festival's origins have been estimated to have most likely been during the late Kamakura era or the early Muromachi era. An itinerant priest (yamabushi) of Kumano and a sage (hijiri) of Kaga Hakusan mountain introduced the festival into the upper basin of the few tributaries of the Tenryuu river. Processions take place in many places, with children dressed up in their finest kimonos, chanting their way to the temple alongside decorative floats. A highlight of the festival is, the Oni no mai, or dance of the demon. An Oni appears as a demon, but actually is an embodiment of the god. In olden times it was believed that the deity would appear as a demon to make their wishes come true. The climax of the festival is called Yubayashi. The dancers soak a bunch of Sakaki (holy branches) in boiling water in a huge iron pot, and splash the hot water over the others. People believe that if they are soaked with the hot water, they are assured of good health for the year.     Vesak Vesak (from the name of the second month in the Hindu calendar, Vaisakha) is the most holy time in the Buddhist calendar. The word Vesak itself is the Sinhalese language word for the Pali word 'Visakha'. Vesak is also known as Visakah Puja or Buddha Purnima in India, Visakha Bucha in Thailand, Waisak in Indonesia, Vesak (Wesak) in Sri Lanka and Malaysia, and Saga Dawa in Tibet. The equivalent festival in Laos is called Vixakha Bouxa. Vesak is a public holiday in many Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and so on. Festival of Megalesia (Magna Mater) of Cybele (Apr 4 - 10), ancient Rome Egyptian day (dies egypticus, dies ægypticus or dies mala), unlucky day in Medieval Europe. ("But, notwithstanding, I will trust the Lord" was the associated saying.) Feast day of St Aedesius, martyr Feast day of B. Albert, patriarch of Jerusalem Feast day of St Amantius Feast day of St Concessa Feast day of St Dionysius, of Corinth (Ground ivy, Glecoma hederacea, is today's plant, dedicated to this saint.) Feast day of St Herodion Feast day of St Januarius Feast day of St Julia Billiart Feast day of St Julian of Saint Augustine Feast day of St Macaria Feast day of St Mary Assunta Feast day of St Maxima Feast day of St Perpetuus, bishop of Tours Feast day of St Redemptus Feast day of St Walter, abbot of St Martin's, near Pontoise Click for Eastern Orthodox liturgical days    Shop saints Katori-jingu Otauesai (Rice-planting Festival), Katori Shrine, Sawara-shi, Chiba Prefecture, Japan (Apr 7 - 8) Nagasaki Takoage, or Kite-Flying Event, Nagasaki, Japan (Apr 3 - 29) Tsurugaoka Hachiman (Shrine) Spring Festival, Japan (Apr 7 - 14)       563 BCE Gautama Buddha, religious leader (d. February 15, 483 BCE) (traditional dates). Born Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit, Siddhattha Gotama Pali – the 'wish-fulfiller'), he later became the Buddha (literally Enlightened One). He is also commonly known as Shakyamuni or Sakyamuni (lit. 'sage of the Shakya clan') and as the Tathagata (lit. 'thus-gone one'), emphasizing the nature of a Buddha to go about in the world without adding or subtracting anything from his experience. Gautama was a contemporary of Mahavira (whose notion of ahimsa would later inspire Mohandas Gandhi). Gautama is the key figure in Buddhism. Accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules, were summarized after his death and memorized by the sangha. Passed down by oral tradition, the Tipitaka was written about one hundred years later. Source: Wikipedia   "According to legend, Buddha was born in the garden of Lumbini in Nepal. It is said that when he was born the birds sang, the flowers bloomed and sweet rain fell from the heavens to welcome him - which explains all the flowers and sweet tea in today's ceremonies. Straight after he was born, Buddha took seven steps, with a lotus blossom appearing in every footprint. He pointed simultaneously upwards and downwards saying: "I am alone in heaven and on Earth", and nine dragons descended from heaven and baptised him with pure water."   Source See Ancient Gods and Saviours: How they are like Jesus, at the Scriptorium   "Shakayumni Buddha was born from Lady Maya's body under the Bodhi tree on Lumbini grove. As soon as he was born, the Buddha took seven steps in the four directions – north, east, south, west – and then, pointing one hand upwards towards the sky and the other pointing downwards towards the ground, he exclaimed: 'Whether above the sky or below the sky, I am most noble and high. I am here to bring peace to all the sentient beings in the world who are suffering.'"   Source "Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder of Buddhism, was born in India 3,000 years ago. There are various opinions concerning the exact dates of his birth and death, but according to Buddhist tradition, he is said to have been born April 8, 1029 BC and died on February 15, 949 BC, although other Buddhist scholars place his birth five hundred years later. No definite conclusion has been reached. "Shakyamuni Buddha was the son of Shuddhodana, the king of the Shakyas, a small tribe whose kingdom was located in the foothills of the Himalayas south of what is now central Nepal fifteen miles from Kapilavastu. Shakya of Shakyamuni is taken from the name of this tribe and muni means sage or saint. His family name was Gautama (Best Cow) and his given name was Siddhartha (Goal Achieved) though some scholars say this is a title bestowed on him by later Buddhists in honor of the enlightenment he attained." From Shakyamuni Buddha: Historical Founder of Buddhism    Source   Have you seen the extraordinary Buddhas in the fractals? The Buddhabrot Set    http://www.superliminal.com/fractals/bbrot/bbrot.htm http://www.buddhanet.net/albers.htm   Mandalas on the Web    Clip mandalas by Lisa Konrad   1320 King Peter I of Portugal (Pedro I; d. January 18, 1367), eighth king of Portugal 1859 Edmund Husserl (d. 1938), philosopher 1867 Sir Arthur Streeton (d. September 1, 1943), Australian artist and a member of the famous Heidelberg School of Australian artists; he is best known for his rural landscapes. Streeton was born in Mount Duneed, southwest of Geelong, and his family moved to Richmond in 1874. He commenced study at the National Gallery Schools in 1882. Streeton was influenced by French Impressionism and the works of Turner. During this time be began his association with fellow artists Frederick McCubbin and Tom Roberts – a group that would become the Heidelberg School – and began plein air painting of rural scenes around Melbourne including at Box Hill and Heidelberg. In 1885 Streeton presented his first exhibition at the Victorian Academy of Art. Streeton's paintings are amongst the most collectable of Australian artists and attracted high prices during his life time. Lawson & Co: associations with Henry and Louisa Lawson 1868 King Christian IX of Denmark (d. 1906) 1875 King Albert I of Belgium (d. 1934) 1892 Mary Pickford (b. Gladys Marie Smith; d. 1979), Canadian-born Hollywood actress, known as 'America's Sweetheart' 1889 Sir Adrian Boult, British conductor 1897 Jo Swerling (d. 1964), American theatre writer, lyricist and screenwriter 1898 John Christie (John Reginald Halliday Christie; d. July 15, 1953), English serial killer active in the 1940s and '50s. He was arrested, tried and hanged in 1953, having previo