November 1st

[horseshoe]

Today is November 1st, this is all Souls Day.

This is the day when you pray for the repose of the souls of the dead.

I was working on the computer this evening on a particularly difficult elusive ancestor and thought about today's date, we always seem to celebrate Halloween, but do not commemorate All Souls Day, I think it would be a fitting day for family historians and genealogists to adopt to think about those in your family who have gone before you.

Today, I think of all the women who have married into the family and kept it strong, Amen.

All my good wishes to you and yours, past and present.

Horseshoe.

[Peter Goodey]

we always seem to celebrate Halloween

I don't.

it would be a fitting day for family historians and genealogists to adopt

No. Not all family historians are Christians.

Nor that

[thewideeyedowl]

Amen to the idea.....but we must get the date right. All Souls Day is 2nd November. The day before, 1st, is All Saints Day, saints being more important(!) of course. Hallow and Saint mean much the same, I believe, so 1st Nov can be referred to as All Hallows - the 31st October is the day before (eve) of All Hallows, hence 'Hallowe'en'.

Churches with a dedication to All Hallows will celebrate their dedication day on 1st November.

Wideeyed Owl

[horseshoe]

Hello Owl, Oh yes, I just checked and not not wiki!, it is All Souls today, phew. Thanks. Which is good because I have just received some great help today , All Souls, from two forum members , to a very elusive ancestor I could not find, in my case it worked.

nice to speak again little friend.

[horseshoe]

Hello Peter, lovely county Kent, my mother always thought so.

Patron saints are usually "allotted" to occupations and professions , some take this seriously to some it is fun, I just wonder what we would have for genealogists?.

[stepives]

Yet another 'pagan' ceremony, that's been 'hijacked' by other religions.

All Hallows' Eve is a Christianized feast initially influenced by Celtic harvest festivals,with possible pagan roots . (Wiki).

Personally, commercial Halloween as I know it, is just a huge waste of time and money. Emphasis on money.

Steve.

[thewideeyedowl]

Being a slow reader, I have just found this interesting news item from the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-24725296.

It brings into focus some of the things discussed in this thread. (And, thank you, Horseshoe for starting it.)

Owl

[cicilysmith]

Patron saint of genealogists? St Anthony of Padua finds things which are lost and St Jude is the patron of hopeless causes. Maybe we could have the two combined, with apologies to the humanists, cicilysmith

[horseshoe]

Thank you wideeyed, I will have a good read of that one

[horseshoe]

Cicilysmith, oh that is good! , odd I was saying a desperate prayer to St Anthony when I was trying to find an elusive encestor and thought, I know, I will go onto BritGen instead , which has worked out very well.

But yes , that is an excellent combination, most amusing.