Ember Days

What in the world are Ember Days, you may ask? I have just recently discovered this ancient church tradition. According to The Catholic Encyclopedia,

Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons
ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence.

Pope Callistus (217-222) is said to have ordered the fast, but it is thought to be even older. Leo the Great considered Ember Day fasting to be an Apostolic institution.

Blessed Jacopo de Voragine (A.D. 1230-1298) wrote in The Golden Legend, some reasons for the Church prescribed fasting 4 times a year.

He said we fast in March, to begin Lent, for the purpose of ending vices, especially pride. In Summer, we fast prior to Pentacost to prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit and for an end to greed. In September, before Michaelmas, we fast to "render to God the fruits of good works" and to end the "darkness of ignorance." In December, we fast at the beginning of Advent for the virtue of constancy and to be "mortified to the world."

This year, the Ember Days before Michaelmas fall on Wednesday, September 21, and Friday September 23 and Saturday, September 24. Wednesday and Friday have been traditional fast days since the early Church adopted them. September 29th is the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, or Michaelmas. Late September is also the Autumnal Equanox. Each of these Ember Days falls at the beginning of the change of our seasons as a way to remind us of what is important in life and to take stock of where we are spiritually.

A big thank you goes out to Tom Fitzpatrick of Recta Ratio for alerting me to this Church custom.

He recommends visiting Holy Trinity Catholic Church website for more information.