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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

A true man hates no one.
Napoleon Bonaparte

The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man.
Napoleon Bonaparte

The best way to keep one's word is not to give it.
Napoleon Bonaparte

A celebrated people lose dignity upon a closer view.
Napoleon Bonaparte

A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.
Napoleon Bonaparte

The most dangerous moment comes with victory.
Napoleon Bonaparte

It is so long since I first took opium, that if it had been a trifling incident in my life, I might have forgotten its date: but cardinal events are not to be forgotten; and from circumstances connected with it, I remember that it must be referred to the autumn of 1804. During that season I was in London, having come thither for the first time since my entrance at college.
Thomas de Quincy, English author born on August 15, 1785; opening lines of Confessions of an English Opium-Eater

I insisted that our cause could not expect me to behave as a nun and that the movement should not be turned into a cloister. If it meant that, I did not want it. I want freedom, the right to self expression, everybody's right to beautiful, radiant things.
Emma Goldman, anarcho-feminist who met Alexander Berkman on August 15, 1889

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the
dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity:
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act
their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.
TE Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia'), born on August 15, 1888; Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a Triumph

The people of England have been led in Mesopotamia [Iraq – PW] into a trap from which it will be hard to escape with dignity and honour. They have been tricked into it by a steady withholding of information. The Baghdad communiques are belated, insincere, incomplete. Things have been far worse than we have been told, our administration more bloody and inefficient than the public knows. It is a disgrace to our imperial record, and may soon be too inflamed for any ordinary cure. We are to-day not far from a disaster.
TE Lawrence; 'Report on Mesopotamia', The Sunday Times, August 22, 1920

In my early work I had, in my unquestioning acceptance of [Margaret] Mead's writings, tended to dismiss all evidence that ran counter to her findings. By the end of 1942, however, it had become apparent to me that much of what she had written about the inhabitants of Manu'a in eastern Samoa did not apply to the people of western Samoa ... Many educated Samoans, especially those who had attended college in New Zealand, had become familiar with Mead's writings about their culture ... [and] entreated me, as an anthropologist, to correct her mistaken depiction of the Samoan ethos.
Derek Freeman, New Zealand anthropologist, born on August 15, 1916; Margaret Mead and Samoa: The Making and Unmaking of an Anthropological Myth, 1983, Preface, pages xiv-xv

I fear that once Catholics and Protestants get used to our presence they will hate us more than they hate each other.
Richard Crossman, British politician, when British troops first went to Northern Ireland, on this day in 1969

August 15 is the 227^th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228^th in leap years), with 138 days remaining.
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Holy Day of Obligation Feast day (Roman Catholic) of the Assumption of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ

(Virgin's bower, Clematis vitalba, is today's plant, dedicated to this feast.)

" ... celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church to commemorate the death of the Virgin Mary and the assumption of her body into Heaven when it was reunited to her soul. It can be traced back to the 6th century and in 1950 Pope Pius XII declared that the Corporal Assumption was thenceforth a dogma of the Church."
Ivor H Evans, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, Cassell, London, 1988

The declaration in 1950 by Pope Pius XII that this doctrine was divinely revealed fascinated and even excited Carl Jung, who saw great symbolic significance in it. Jung saw it as giving completeness to the Trinity, the tripartite God, which was incomplete because four, the number of sides in a square, has a harmonious perfection.

Today is a public Holiday in: Austria, Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, East Timor, France, Greece, India, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mauritius, Poland, Portugal, Seychelles, Slovenia and Spain.

"Because of her assumption into heaven, she is the patron of airplane pilots and crews. The Greek Orthodox Church has kept the older name of the feast, the Dormition, which means Falling Asleep, which perhaps makes her the patron of narcoleptics. The Assumption may reflect the earlier legends about the Virgin associated with the constellation Virgo (see Aug ) who ascended into Heaven out of disgust for the moral decay of the world …"   Source

 

Death of the Virgin Mary

"On August 13^th, the pre-Christian feast of the Mother Goddess Diana, or Vesta, was once celebrated with cider. Another name of this Goddess was Nemesis, from the Greek nemos or 'grove,' which in Classical Greek connotes divine vengeance. Nemesis carries a wheel in her other hand, to show that she is the goddess of the turning year, like Egyptian Isis and Latin Fortuna, but this has been generally understood as meaning that the wheel will one day come full circle to exact vengeance.

"This feast was converted in the middle Ages into that of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Since the Virgin was closely associated by the early Church with Wisdom – with the Saint Sophia or Holy Wisdom, of the Cathedral Church at Constantinople – the choice of this feast for the passing of Wisdom into Immortality was a happy one."
Excerpted, with minor edits, from Robert Graves, The White Goddess, 1948, Ch. 4   Source

Pictured: Mary the Moon Goddess ascendant – El Greco

 

Mary's Bannock (for First Fruits Festival), Scottish Highlands

To make the Moilean Moire (Gaelic: 'Mary's Bannock') which is traditional today:

Pluck ears of new corn and sun dry … Husk by hand and grind ears with stones (in a quern). Knead the flour on a sheepskin, make into a cake and toast on a fire of rowan-wood (magical wood).

A piece of this cake must be eaten by all family members starting with youngest and moving up to oldest. All must then walk sunwise around the fire. The embers must be gathered into a pot and carried sunwise around the farm and fields. 

Mary and whistling
Irish girls used to be told not to whistle or else it will make Mary weep. Maybe some still are.

Our Lady Of The Flowers Festival, Florida, New York
Polish celebrants parade in floats, and pick an Onion Queen. A blessing of herbs and spices is conducted.
Source: The Daily Bleed

Assumption Day, Loule, Portugal
Votive lights, skyrockets, brass band plays while running uphill to the shrine. Hundreds of guitars, bagpipes, drums, and a definite 'pagan' flavour.
Source: The Daily Bleed

Procession of the Holy Virgin, Girsterklaus (Rosport), Luxembourg
Since 1328, held on the Sunday after August 15.

Feast of Our Lady of Azambuja, Brusque Brazil
Religious festival which attracts thousands to the 'Valley of the Miracles'.

Assumption of the Holy Virgin (or, Dormition Day) Markopoulo, Greece
In the village of Markopoulo on the Island of Kefalonia, a festival is held. Small, harmless snakes with a black cross on their heads appear, only to vanish again after the festivities until the following year. Or, so it is said.

Matka Boska Zielna (Blessed Mother of the Herbs), Poland
Medicinal herbs are brought to the church and blessed.

Homage to Mary, Panagia, Paxi Islands, Greece
Pilgrims from all over the world go to the small Ionian island of Panagia to pay homage to the Holy Virgin at the monastery. In the afternoon there is folk dancing in the Square of Gaios, in the main town.

Kampos on the Island of Patmos
In the evening, lively festivities are celebrated in the open, with local folk musical instruments, folk dances and a delicious meal consisting of either fresh fish or baby goat meat.

Eve of Agios Gerassimos's Day
At Omala on the Ionian island of Kefalonia, an all-night vigil is held in the church of St Gerassimos.

Island of Nissiros
Colourful all-island celebration, including a common meal of hot bean soup offered by the Monastery of Panagia Spiliani.

Other festivals
Island of Hydra. The day is celebrated with pomp and circumstance. Also: Panagia, on the Cycladic Island of Serifos; Cycladic Island of Tinos; major annual fiesta at Ekatondapiliani, or Katapoliani Church, Island of Paros; Island of Amorgas (Cyclades), annual fiesta at Panagia Exohoriani.

Sunday closest to Assumption, Blessing of the Grapes, Armenia
A note about the dating of items in Wilson's Almanac

This harvest festival is said by some to be originally dedicated to Astrik, variously described as being a goddess of the hearth, and/or identified with the planet Venus, and one of the seven chief deities in Armenia. No further information available.

" No grapes are eaten until today when they are taken to church to be blessed, then distributed to the churchgoers when they leave. Women named Mary have parties in vineyards or their homes (because this is considered their name day – as in many cultures, the saint's day associated with your name is celebrated like a birthday).
Spicer, Dorothy Gladys, The Book of Festivals, The Women's Press 1937"
Source: School of the Seasons

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Tutbury hunters' procession,  Middle Ages (Aug 15 - 16) In old England, on the Feast of the Assumption, the wood-master and rangers of Needwood forest started the festivities by meeting at Berkley Lodge, in the forest, to arrange for the dinner that was given to them on this day at Tutbury Castle. The buck they were allowed for the feast was killed, as another that was their annual present to the prior of Tutbury. They would ride into town in procession, each carrying a green bough, and one bearing the buck's head, with a piece of fat fastened to each antler. The town's minstrels accompanied them. When they reached the centre of town the hunters blew their horns, then all went to the church and each paid a penny offering. Mass was celebrated, then a grand dinner prepared for them in the castle. The prior gave them 30 shillings towards the feast, and the following day (qv) there were further festivities ... Read more at the Tutbury Fair page in the Scriptorium Modern morris dancers at Tutbury Castle   Maras, ancient Latvia Held in honour of Mara, today marked the beginning of August. In modern Latvian mythology, Mara is the highest-ranking goddess, a feminine Dievs. She may be thought as an alternative side of God. Other goddesses, sometimes all other goddesses, are considered her alternative aspects. Mara may have been the same goddess as Lopu mate as well. She is the patroness of all the feminine duties (children, cattle), patroness of all the economic activities ("God made table, Mara – bread"), even money and markets. Being the alternative side of God, she takes away with her the body after person's death while God (Dievs) taking the soul. She is the goddess of land, it is called The Mara land. In western Latvia, and to a lesser degree in the rest of Latvia, she was strongly associated with Laima, and may have been considered the same deity. Alternative names: Marsava (Western Latvia), Moschel, Marha Source: Wikipedia   Greater Panathenaea, ancient Athens, in honour of goddess Athena (c. Aug 8 - 17) Eighth day: the pyrriche. Heraclia in Kynosarges, ancient Greece (Aug 12 - 19) Festivals in ancient Greece Festival of Candles or Torches for the goddess Diana, Roman Empire Celebration of Dea Syria or Atargatis Source: The Phoenix and Arabeth 1992 Calendar 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 Alipius, bishop and confessor Feast day of St Altfrid Feast day of St Arduinus Feast day of St Arnulf (Arnoul; Arnulphus), Bishop of Soissons Feast day of St Athanasia of Aegina Feast day of St Claudio Granzotto Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the commemoration of the death of Mary, the mother of Jesus, Eastern Orthodoxy Feast day of St Isidore Bakanja Feast day of St Limbania Feast day of St Mac-Cartin (Aid; Aed), Bishop of Clogher Feast day of St Napoleon (Neopolus) of Alexandria Died c. 300. St Napoleon was so horribly maimed during his torture that he died while being carried back to his dungeon at Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Diocletian. Feast of Our Lady of Azambuja, Brusque Brazil Feast day of Our Lady of the Good Death, Cachoeira, Brazil (Aug 13 - 15) Feast day of St Tarcisius Click for Eastern Orthodox liturgical days    Shop saints Victory over Japan Day (Liberation Day), South Korea Eve of Agios Gerassimos's Day Festival of the Outre-Meuse at Liege, Belgium Independence Day, India Tetsuya Odori Festival, Gujo-Hachiman, Gifu Prefecture (Aug 13 - 16) Wafaa El-Nil (Flooding of the Nile Day), Egypt Today is celebrated in the Coptic Church by ceremonially throwing a martyr's relic into the river. Hence the name Esba` al-shahīd (the martyr's finger). Ferragosto, Italy Remembrance of an ancient Roman holiday (Feriae Augusti) in honour of Augustus Caesar. National Constitution Day, Papua New Guinea Dozynki, harvest holiday, Poland A dome-shaped wreath called a wieniec (harvest wreath), made of either wheat or rye, or a mixture of both, was worn like a crown as a sign of honour by one of the harvesters, usually a girl. A musical procession made its way to the manor house. Sunday on or after August 12, Rushbearing, Forest Chapel, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK "Held on the Sunday on or after August 12, this marks the renewal of rushes, strewn on the pews and floor of the church to make it dry and warm. This custom died out here in the 17th century when rushes were thought to harbour infection, and was not revived until the 19th century. Rushes from local streams are collected and plaited in a particular way (a skill which is passed down locally) and interwoven with marigolds. The evensong service starts at 3pm and usually moves outside to accommodate the large congregation who sit on the grass banks, while the preacher stands on a gravestone. People often bring a picnic lunch to precede the service. The term rushbearing is thought, here, to come from the custom of parishioners attending the service bearing armfuls of rushes."   Source Bon Festival (Obon; O-Bon; Bon Odori), East Japan (Jul 13 - 15, or Aug 13 - 15 according to the lunar calendar) Folklore Holidays, Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria (Aug 15 - 17) "Since 1965 annually in Koprivshtitsa takes part the Folklore August Holidays of Koprivshtisa that get together groups and individual artists from the whole country performing traditional Bulgarian folklore. For the serial time on the occasion of the holiday of `Uspenie Bogorodichno` church on 15th, 16th, and 17th of August the many years tradition was continued by Folklore Holidays Koprivshtitsa 2003. "Actually the National world famous folklore fair Koprivshtitsa originates from the same traditional August Folklore Holidays."   Source National Day, Acadie Toro Nagashi (Floating Lantern Ceremony), Hawaii Commemorates the end of WWII. Krishna Janmaashtami, Hindu Also on August 16. Liechtenstein Day, Liechtenstein Polish Armed Forces Day, Poland Tuva Republic Day, Tuva Held on the fields of Tos-Bulak, with horse races and khuresh competitions. Naadam, Mongolia and Inner Mongolia region of China (Jul 11 -13) National festival of Mongolia, also called 'Eriin Gurvan Naadam', meaning 'men's three variety of games'. The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery. Originally it was a religious festival but now it formally commemorates the 1921 revolution when Mongolia declared itself a free country.       On which day of the week were you born? Find out here 1195 St Anthony of Padua (d. 1231), priest, doctor, patron of lost articles, mail delivery, the poor, sailors, animals, born at Lisbon Feast Day: June 13 Feast of the Finding of the Tongue: February 15 1769 Napoleon Bonaparte (d. 1821), Corsican-born Emperor of France from 1804 - 15