"This month was so
named because it was the eighth month in the primitive Roman calendar ascribed
to Romulus. It became the tenth month in the calendar as revised by Numa,
who added January and February, but it retained its original name, the more
readily, perhaps, because it once more became the tenth month when the year
commenced, as it did in early Christendom, with March. Julius Caesar in
his revision of the calendar gave it thirty days, which number was changed to
thirty-one by Augustus. As was the ease with September, many Roman
Emperors sought to change its name in their own honor. It was
successively Germanicus, Antoninus, Tacitus, and Herculeus, the latter a
surname of the Emperor Commodus. But none of these names clung. The
Roman Senate had no better luck when they renamed it Faustinus, in honor of
Faustina, wife of Antoninus.
The Anglo-Saxons called
October Winterfylleth, a name which
indicated that winter approached with the full moon of the month. In old
almanacs the sport of hawking is adopted as emblematical of this which was
accounted the last month of autumn." William Shepard Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs, p. 762
(1898).
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Astronomy for October:
The full moon this month, on the 18th, is the Hunter's Moon. As farmers could bring in
their crops into the evening hours with the aid of the Harvest Moon last month,
so hunters are given extra hours to fill their game bags this month.
Two meteor showers this month:
The Draconids, which peak this year on or around the 7th. The waxing moon sets around 9:30 so these falling stars should
be easy to see in the evening. If
it isn’t too cold, I like to fire up the grill for a last barbecue and enjoy
the show (well bundled-up, of course), even if there isn’t much of a show.
The Orionids return around the 21st . The waning moon will probably be too bright to see
much of the Orionids, but look south in the predawn hours.
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October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary.
 |
| A Linear Rosary |
Liturgical Celebrations
St.Therese of the Child
Jesus 1 October
Holy Guardian Angels
2 October
St. Francis of Assisi
4 October
First Friday
4 October
First Saturday 5
October
Our Lady of the Rosary
7 October
St. Denis of Paris
9 October
St. Teresa of Jesus
15 October
St. Hedwig
16 October
St. Margaret Mary
Alacoque 16 October
St. Ignatius of Antioch
17 October
St. Luke, Evangelist
18 October
St. Isaac Jogues &
Companions 19 October
St. Ursula
21 October
St. John of Capistrano
23 October
St. Raphael, Archangel
24 October (traditional)
St. Anthony Mary Claret
24 October
Sts. Simon and Jude,
Apostles 28
October
Vigil of All Saints
31 October
Novenas for October You can find these novenas here
Saint Therese of the Child
Jesus continues from 22
September
Holy Guardian Angels
continues from 23 September
Saint Francis of Assisi
continues from 25 September
Saint Faustina Kowalska continues
from 26 September
Our Lady of the Rosary
continues from 28 September
Our Lady of Good Remedy continues from 29 September
Saint Gerard Majella
begins on 7 October
Canadian Martyrs begins
on 10 October (in USA)
Saint Raphael,
Archangel
begins 15 October
Saint Anthony Mary
Claret begins 15 October
Christ the King
begins 18 October (traditional)
Saint Jude
begins 19 October
Holy Souls in purgatory
begins 24 October
Saint Martin de Porres
begins 25 October
Since October is Respect
Life Month, consider praying these novenas:
For the unborn
St. Gianna Molla
Of course, at the rate we
are going maybe we should try the novena for impossible requests.
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A good October and a good
blast,
To blow the hog acorn and
mast.
Weather for October
Based on the 12 Days of
Christmas: Cloudy and cold.
Based on the first 12 days
of January: Overcast and warm.
Based on the Ember Days: Beautiful! Bright, warm, clear.
I wonder which weather we’ll see most of…
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Weather Lore for October
There are always nineteen
fine days in October [Optimists and those
who stretch the definition of 'fine' say twenty-one days].
If October is warm and fine,
a sharp winter can be expected.
If the latter end of October
and the beginning of November be for the most part warm and rainy, then January
and February are likely to be frosty and cold. [Likely? LIKELY? Trust me, January and February will be frosty
and cold, no matter what.]
On the other hand
If October and November are
cold, then the following January and February will be mild and dry.
A warm October, a cold
February (and vice versa).
As the weather in October,
so will it be the next March.
Much rain in October, much
wind in December.
Thunder in October signifies
great winds and a dearth of corn.
If there is thunder in
October, expect uncertain and changeable weather during the winter.
For every fog in October,
there will be a snow in winter; heavy or light accordingly, as the fog is heavy
or light.
Full moon in October without
frost, no frost until the full moon in November.
If October brings heavy
frosts and winds, then will January and February be mild.
Much frost and snow in
October betokens mild weather in winter.
If it freezes and snows in
October, January will bring mild weather, but if instead there is thunder and
lightning, the weather of January will be as changeable as April.
If the first snow falls on
moist, soft earth, it indicates a small harvest in the following year, but if
it falls on hard, frozen ground, there will be a plentiful harvest.
If, during the fall of
leaves in October, many of them wither on the boughs and hang there, it betokens
a frosty winter and much snow.
Ice in October that will
bear up a duck, foretells a winter as wet as muck.
When birds and badgers are
fat in October, expect a cold winter.
If the deer’s coat is gray
in October, there will be a severe winter.
10/1 – On the feast of Saint
Mary, expect the first frosts (this is from Russia, but some of us in the
western hemisphere can expect the first frosts about now as well)
10/2 – If the leaves fall
upon Saint Leodegarius Day, then will the next year be productive.
10/9 - A hard winter follows
a fine St. Denis.
Where the wind lies on St.
Denis, there it will rest for three quarters of the year.
10/14 - If St. Calixtus' day
be dry and windy, the winter will be wet, but if it be rainy and still, the
harvest will be good.
10/16 - If it is fine on St.
Gall's day, it will be fine up to Christmas.
On St. Gall’s day, expect a
late summer (Indian summer)
A dry St. Gall’s day
betokens a dry summer.
10/18 - St. Luke's Little
Summer. In northern Italy, it is
called Saint Teresa’s summer, as it falls near the feast of Saint Teresa of
Avila (October 15). In Germany,
for the same reason, it is called the summer of Saint Gall (October 16); in
Sweden, Saint Bridget’s summer (October 8), and in France, the summer of Saint
Denis (October 9).
On St. Luke’s day, the
thunder goes away.
10/21 – St. Ursula brings in
winter (or at least the preliminary chills)
10/28 - St. Simon and St.
Jude, almost certain to be rainy.
There is oft times a tempest
on St. Jude.
Winter comes on the day of
St. Simon and St. Jude.
If it doesn’t rain on SS.
Simon and Jude, it won’t rain until Saint Cecilia’s day (Nov 22)
10/31 – Where the wind rises on the eve of All Saints, there
it will rise for three quarters of the year following.
And just in case it comes
early…
The date that the first snow
falls on is the number of snows we can expect this winter.
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Farming and Gardening for October:
Dry your barley in October,
Or you'll always be
sober. [Barley being necessary for malt, and malt being necessary for beer and whiskey, not paying attention to this
admonition could mean a year spent drinking Adam’s Ale, aka water.]
In October, dung your field,
And your land its wealth
shall yield.
If the first snow falls on
moist, soft earth, it indicates a small harvest next year; but if upon hard,
frozen soil, expect a good harvest.
10/16 – After St. Gall, keep
your cow in the stall.
The 1817 Almanac advises the
farmer to "Transplant your brown Dutch and common Lettuces upon warm
Borders, to abide the Winter; sow all Sort of Sallad Herbs upon decayed Hot
Beds, such as Lettuce, Cresses, Radish, Mustard, and Spinach. Earth up
Celery, Chardoons, and the Stems of Broccoli Plants to protect them from the
Frost."
"Make Plantations of
the Suckers of Gooseberries, Currants, and Raspberries. Cut Artichokes
with long Stalks, which you may preserve in the House, by setting them in
Sand."
"Continue to sow Wheat,
set up your Barley Land, sow Masts for Coppices or Hedge-Rows; plant Quicksets
and plash Hedges; and plant all Sorts of Forest-Trees that shed their
Leaves."
Cassell’s Illustrated
Almanac 1871 for October
Flowers — Clear away all unnecessary growth from the garden, potting all plants
requiring protection, and getting the ground generally clear, that it may be
turned well over before the winter sets in. The exposure of the soil to the
depth of a spade or more, in the frost or snow of winter, will purify the
ground and make it productive.
Vegetables — Autumn-sown lettuce and cabbage will now require transplanting. Take
up carrots and parsnips when the tops have turned yellow; and continue to earth
up celery and to dig potatoes. Turn over all vacant spaces, and prepare for the
next crops.
Fruit
— Currant and gooseberry bushes may now be transplanted, and they should be
carefully pruned, all cross branches being cut away. If propagation is desired,
lay some of the strongest shoots. Put a coating of lime round about the stems,
to protect the bushes from caterpillars.
Health Advice for October:
"Avoid being out late
at Nights, or in foggy Weather; for a Cold now got may continue the whole
Winter."
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Artwork:
October. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures
of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.
The calendar pages of the Grandes Heures carried more religious
symbolism than that of the more famous Très
Riches Heures. Each month was dedicated to a part of
the Apostles Creed, with the relevant prophecy from the Old Testament and
scripture from the New Testament. October is dedicated to the article of the
Creed which says “…I believe…in the remission (forgiveness) of sins…”. Here we see (left to right) Saint Paul
instructing Titus and his companions from Colossians 1:14: “…we have redemption
through his blood, the remission of sins…”. Above the gates of the New Jerusalem, from whence issues an
odd depiction of Scorpio, the Scorpion, astrological symbol of October, Our
Lady holds a banner with a Montjoie to represent the Church and Communion of
Saints [once again, the artists are
behind by a month, and will be for the rest of the year]. Beneath the arc of heaven where the sun
continues its decline, a herd of pigs or wild boars fatten on the fallen mast
(acorns)..
“Adoration of the Magi” from
The Hours of Catherine of Cleves, 15th
c.
The border of this page is
formed by Catherine’s roaary of red beads (coral?), pearls, and gold
elements. This kind of rosary is
known as “linear”, of which you can learn more here.
October. Limbourg frères. Grandes Heures
of Jean, Duc de Berry, Fifteenth century.
Depicted at the bottom of
the calendar pages in the Grandes Heures
is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament by the
articles of the Apostles Creed. In
each, a prophet (cloaked to show the obscurity of prophecy) takes a stone out
of the building representing the Old Law and offers it to an apostle, who, by
raising the cloak ‘uncovers’ the prophecy with an article of faith. Here, the Prophet Malachi holds a
banderole with the words “…he will put away our iniquities...” (Micah 7:19), while behind him, the
towers of the Old Law have crumbled; meanwhile St. Simon the Apostle (whose
feast with St. Jude is the 28th of this month) presents the relevant
part of the Apostle’s Creed, “…the remission of sins…”
Hawking. Engraving based on an 11th century manuscript. William
Walsh, Curiosities of Popular Customs
(1898), p. 762
