The “Glossarial Index of Festivals,” published in the Liber Custumarum, will throw light upon the religious life of London. The alphabetical table is followed by a yearly table for convenience.
Adventus Domini. The Advent of Our Lord; the four weeks preceding Christmas, devoted by the Church to preparation for the Advent of Christ.
Almes. The Feast of All Souls, 2nd November.
Andreae Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Andrew, the Apostle, 30th November.
Ascensio Domini. The Ascension of Our Lord. A movable Festival held on Thursday in Rogation Week, the week next but one before Pentecost, or Whitsun, Week.
Barnabae Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Barnabas, the Apostle, 11th June.
Bartholomaei Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Bartholomew, the Apostle, 24th August.
Benedicti, Translatio Sancti. The Translation of Saint Benedict, 11th July.
Carnilevaria. The last day of the Carnival, or season preceding Lent. Shrove Tuesday.
Carniprivium. The beginning of Lent.
Chaundelour, Chaundeloure, Chaundelure. Candlemas; the Purification of the Virgin Mary, 2nd February. See Mariae, Purificatio Sanctae.
Circumcisionis Domini Festum. The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord, 1st January.
Clausum Paschae. The Close of Easter, or Sunday after Easter.
Clementis, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Clement, 23rd November.
Crucis Sanctae Exaltatio. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 14th September. This Feast commemorated the raising of the Cross on which Our Saviour suffered, after its Invention, or Discovery, by Saint Helena, A.D. 307 or 325.
Dies Sabbati. The Sabbath day, Saturday.
Dunstani, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Dunstan, 19th May.
Edmond, le jour Seint; Edmundi Regis, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Edmund, the King, 20th November.
Edwardi Regis et Confessoris, Translatio Sancti. The Translation of Saint Edward, King and Confessor, 13th October.
Epiphania Domini. The Epiphany, or Manifestation, of Our Lord, 6th January. See Tiphayne.
Gregorii Papae, Festum (Dies) Sancti. The Feast of Saint Gregory, the Pope, 12th March.
Hillarie, la Sent; Hillere, la Seint; Hillarii, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Hillary, 13th January.
Hippolyti Martyris, Natale Sancti. The Nativity of Saint Hippolytus, the Martyr, 13th and 22nd August; there having been two Martyrs of this name.
Indictio. A given year of the Indiction; so called from the Edicts of the Roman Emperors; for as one such Edict was supposed to appear every fifteen years, the years were reckoned by their distance from the last Indiction. This mode of reckoning was employed, at Rome more particularly, from the time of the Nicene Council (A.D. 325), but was introduced into England so early as the time of King Edgar.
Innocentium Dies (Festum) Sanctorum. The Feast of the Holy Innocents, Childermas Day, 28th December.
Jacobi Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint James, the Apostle, 25th July.
Johan, la Feste Seint: Johannis Baptistae Nativitas. The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Saint John’s day, 24th June.
Johannis Baptistae, Decollatio Sancti. The Decollation of Saint John, the Baptist, 29th August.
Kalendarum Maii Caput. The beginning (or 18th) of the Calends of May, 14th April.
Lucae Evangelistae Festum; Lucie, la Feste Seinte. The Feast of Saint Luke, the Evangelist; 18th October according to the Romish Calendar, 13th October according to that of Carthage.
Marci Evangelistae, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Mark, the Evangelist, 25th April.
Margaretae, Festum Sanctae. The Feast of Saint Margaret, 20th July.
Mariae, Festum Sanctae. The Feast (of the Nativity) of Saint Mary, 8th September.
Mariae, Festum Annuntiationis Beatae. The Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Mary, Lady Day, 25th March. See Nostre Dame.
Mariae, Purificatio Sanctae (or Beatae). The Purification of Saint Mary, or Candlemas, 2nd February. See Chaundelour.
Mariae Virginis, Festum Assumptionis Beatae. The Feast of the Assumption, or ascent into heaven, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 15th August.
Mariae Magdalene, Festum Sanctae (or Beatae). The Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, 22nd July.
Martin, la Feste Seint; Martini, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Martin, or Martinmas, 11th November.
Matthiae Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Matthias, the Apostle, 24th February.
Michaelis, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Michael, or Michaelmas, 29th September (passim).
Michel, les Utaves de Seint. The Octaves of Saint Michael; one week after Michaelmas. See Octabae.
Natale Domini. The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Day, 25th December.
Nostre Dame (Daume) en Quarenne. (The Feast of) Our Lady in Lent; Lady Day, or the Feast of the Annunciation. See Mariae, Festum Annuntiationis.
Nowel. Christmas.
Octabae. The Octave, or Octaves. The eighth day after a festival inclusively, in other words, that day week. The celebration of the Octave is said to have arisen in the fact that the early Christians celebrated their festivals for eight days, but made the last of those days the one of greatest solemnity, on the authority of Leviticus, xxiii. 36. Octabas was the A.S. name for the Octave.
Omnium Sanctorum Festum. The Feast of All Saints, or All-Hallows, 1st November.
Pasche; Pasqe. Easter.
Passionis Festum. The Feast of the Passion. The period between the fifth Sunday in Lent and Easter Sunday. Since the Reformation, the term “Passion Week” has been applied solely to the last week in Lent.
Pauli, Conversio Sancti. The Conversion of Saint Paul, 25th January.
Pentecoste; Pentecouste. Pentecost, or Whitsuntide.
Perpetuae et Felicitatis, Festum Sanctarum. The Feast of Saints Perpetua and Felicitas, 7th March. These Saints are said to have suffered martyrdom in the reign of the Emperor Valerian.
Petri ad Vincula, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Peter’s Chains, or Saint Peter in Prison, 1st August.
Petri in Cathedra, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Peter’s Chair; in commemoration of his founding the Cathedra, or Church, of Antioch, 22nd February.
Petri et Pauli, Festum Apostolorum. The Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul, 29th June.
Philippi et Jacobi, Festum Apostolorum. The Feast of the Apostles Philip and James, 1st May.
Quadragesima; Quareme. Quadragesima, or Lent, the Fast of forty days before Easter.
Ramis Palmarum, Dominica in. Palm Sunday, the First Sunday before Easter.
Simonis et Judae, Festum Apostolorum. The Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, 28th October.
Swithini, Dies Sancti. The day (of the Deposition) of Saint Swithun, or Swithin, 2nd July.
Swithini, Translatio Beati; Swythan, la Feste Seint. The Feast of the Translation of Saint Swithin, 15th July.
Symonis et Judae, Festum Apostolorum. See Simonis et Judae, Festum.
Thomae Apostoli, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Thomas, the Apostle, 21st December.
Thomae Martyris, Festum Beati; Thomae Martyris, Translatio Sancti. The Translation of Saint Thomas, the Martyr, 7th July. The Passion of Saint Thomas of Canterbury was 29th December; it is not clear whether, in the first instance, that or his Translation is meant.
Tiphayne. The Epiphany, 16th January; a corruption of Theophania, the Manifestation of God. But in the Greek Church the words θεοφάνεια and ἐπιφάνεια were used as synonymous expressions for the day of Our Saviour’s Nativity. See Suicer’s Thesaurus, i. p. 1200, and Hampson’s Med. Ævi Kalendar ii. s.vv. Epiphania and Theophania.
Trinitatis, Festum Sanctae; Trinite, Feste de la; Jour de la. The Feast of the Trinity, the Sunday after Pentecost, or Whitsuntide.
Trinitatis Sanctae Octabae. The Octave of the Holy Trinity; the Sunday after Trinity Sunday.
Valentini, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Valentine. Probably that celebrated on the 14th February; but there were other festivals in honour of persons of this name, 16th April, 16th July, 13th November, and 9th and 16th December.
Vincentii Martyris, Festum Sancti. The Feast of Saint Vincent, the Martyr, 22nd January.
(Liber Custumarum, Riley, vol. ii. pt. ii. pp. 841-844.)