Feast days?

Question

What can be the best way to describe what a feast day is? How do saint get thier feast day? etc.

Answer 1

What "feast days" days are you talking about?
The pagan feast days or God's Feast days?
Douglas R gave you God's Feast Days.

What best describes a "Feast Day"?
Here are some references of God's Feast Days in Lev.23 in your Bible.to help you out: We get the Feast Days from Lev.23 as well as the Hebrew/Jewish Calendar. The feast days are a celebration; each have their own meaning; go to the Hebrew Calendar below and you will find out.

So if you see Sabbath Feasts Calendar;
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1433216609049373547DnZhej
it will explain all of these. Now for example:}
Before the Passover; you have to get the leaven out of your dwelling.

{Passover} is commanded to be observed. (one of the feasts)
http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/booklets/tw-bk.cgi?category=Booklets1&item=1104358140
http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/telecast/tw-telecast.cgi?category=Media1&item=1144911648

Passover of 2007 is the evening of April 1. What you do is prepare--do blessing of passover--drink wine in a small glass followed by unleavened bread; you also do footwashing; this is all done in your house with believers of family or church members--Also you say sorry for your sins before you partake of the Lord's Supper. 1Cor.11:20-28.

Unleavened Bread--First and last day is Holy, so no work; you do worship that day!
No bread, dust, dirt or corn anywhere til Unleavened Bread has past.

Pentecost--receive God's Spirit. It is a holy day; you do worship that day.

Feast of Trumpets--Worship and Holy Day.

Day of Atonement(Yom Kippur)--a day for fasting and repentance; abstain completely from food and drink; keep holy, do worship--Lev.23:7-8.

Feast of Tabernacles--the first day & 8th day is holy; do worship
Usually you can go to a Motel, seperate dwelling place or tent you can live in during this period. My family do the tent during the feast.

JESUS & THE APOSTLES KEEP THE SABBATH FEAST DAYS.

JOHN 7:2,14 "NOW THE JEWS' FEAST OF TABERNACLES WAS AT HAND. NOW ABOUT THE MIDST OF THE FEAST JESUS WENT UP INTO THE TEMPLE AND TAUGHT."

MARK 14:12 "AND THE FIRST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, WHEN THEY KILLED THE PASSOVER, HIS DISCIPLES SAID UNTO HIM, WHERE WILT THOU THAT WE GO AND PREPARE THAT THOU MAYEST EAT THE PASSOVER?."

{The Apostles kept the Sabbath Feast Days}
ACTS 2:1 "AND WHEN THE DAY OF PENTECOST WAS FULLY COME, THEY WERE ALL WITH ONE ACCORD IN ONE PLACE."

ACTS 20:6 "AND WE SAILED AWAY FROM PHILIPPI AFTER THE DAYS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, AND CAME UNTO THEM TO TROAS IN FIVE DAYS; WHERE WE ABODE SEVEN DAYS."

ACTS 20:16 "FOR PAUL HAD DETERMINED TO SAIL BY EPHESUS, BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT SPEND THE TIME IN ASIA: FOR HE HASTED, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR HIM, TO BE AT JERUSALEM THE DAY OF PENTECOST."

ROM.5:11 "AND NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE ALSO JOY IN GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, BY WHOM WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE ATONEMENT."

1COR.5:6-8 "YOUR GLORIFYING IS NOT GOOD. KNOW YE NOT THAT A LITTLE LEAVEN LEAVENTH THE WHOLE LUMP? PURGE OUT THEREFORE THE OLD LEAVEN,{bread, sin, corn,dust and dirt---(Lev.23:14)leavening agents are yeast, baking soda and baking powder}THAT YE MAY BE A NEW LUMP, AS YE ARE UNLEAVENED. FOR EVEN CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US: THEREFORE LET US KEEP THE FEAST, NOT WITH OLD LEAVEN, NEATHER WITH THE LEAVEN OF MALICE AND WICKEDNESS; BUT WITH THE UNLEAVENED BREAD OF SINCERITY AND TRUTH."

1COR.16:8 "BUT I WILL TARRY AT EPHESUS UNTIL PENTECOST."

1THESS.4:16 "FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST:..." {feast of trumpets}

{7th Day Sabbath & God's Feasts in both kingdoms of heaven}
ISAIAH 66:22-23 "FOR AS THE NEW HEAVENS AND THE NEW EARTH, WHICH I WILL MAKE, SHALL REMAIN BEFORE ME, SAITH THE LORD, SO SHALL YOUR SEED AND YOUR NAME REMAIN.AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT FROM ONE NEW MOON TO ANOTHER, AND FROM ONE SABBATH TO ANOTHER, SHALL ALL FLESH COME TO WORSHIP BEFORE ME, SAITH THE LORD."

ZECHARIAH 14:1,16-19 "BEHOLD, THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH, AND THY SPOIL SHALL BE DIVIDED IN THE MIDST OF THEE. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT EVERY ONE THAT IS LEFT OF ALL THE NATIONS WHICH CAME AGAINST JERUSALEM SHALL EVEN GO UP FROM YEAR TO YEAR TO WORSHIP THE KING, THE LORD OF HOSTS, AND TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. AND IT SHALL BE, THAT WHOSO WILL NOT COME UP OF ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH UNTO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP THE KING, THE LORD OF HOSTS, EVEN UPON THEM SHALL BE NO RAIN.
AND IF THE FAMILY OF EGYPT GO NOT UP, AND COME NOT, THAT HAVE NO RAIN; THERE SHALL BE THE PLAGUE, WHEREWITH THE LORD WILL SMITE THE HEATHEN THAT COME NOT UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
THIS SHALL BE PUNISHMENT OF EGYPT, AND THE PUNISHMENT OF ALL NATIONS THAT COME NOT UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES."

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As for the Pagan Feast Days; that's a different story. They came from pagan gods. Their feast day was considered to be honor to their heroes(gods) as a celebration festivals to their gods
New Years, Valentine's, St. Patrick's, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

How did Christmas get started?
{-DEUT.4:19,28-31; 11:26-28; 17:3 & JER.10 & GAL.4:8-10.}

CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST, THE PAGAN ROMANS CELEBRATED FEBRUARY 15 & THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 14 AS AN IDOLATROUS & SENSUOUS FESTIVAL IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES & OTHER TRADITIONS TO HONOR LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES AND OTHER TRADITIONS IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS (THE DEIFIED HERO-HUNTER OF ROME). IT WAS ALSO BONDED ANCIENTLY WITH THE PAGAN PRACTICE OF TEENAGERS "GOING STEADY" THAT USUALLY LED TO FORNICATION. TODAY, "GOING STEADY" IS A REBIRTH OF AN OLD CUSTOM THAT CAME FROM THE TOMAN FESTIVAL LUPERCALIA THAT WAS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY BY DRAWING YOUNG WOMEN'S NAMES OUT OF A BOX BY MEN AS CHANCE DIRECTED.-- ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA, ARTICLE, "ST. VALENTINE'S DAY."

WHEN CONSTANTINE MADE CHRISTIANITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE THERE WAS SOME TALK IN CHURCH CIRCLES OF DISGARDING THIS PAGAN FREE-FOR-ALL. BUT THE ROMAN CITIZENS WOULDN'T HEAR OF IT! SO IT WAS AGREED THAT THE HOLIDAY WOULD CONTINUE AS IT WAS, EXCEPT FOR THE MORE GROSLY SENSUAL OBSERVANCES. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE REIGN OF POPE GELASIUS THAT THE HOLIDAY BECAME A "CHRISTIAN CUSTOM." AS FAR BACK AS 496, POPE GELASIUS CHANGED LUPERCALIA ON FEBRUARY 15 TO ST. VALENTINE'S ON FEBRUARY 14."--("CUSTOMS AND HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD", PG.172 BY LAVINIA DOBLER)(BY HERMAN L. HOEH; THE PLAIN TRUTH;FEBRUARY 1966).

LUPERCUS BORNE THE NAME VALENTINE AMONG THE HEATHEN ROMANS. THE GREEKS CALLED HIM "PAN"; THE SEMITES "BAAL" ACCORDING TO THE CLASSICAL DICTIONARIES". IN THE BIBLE; "BAAL" IS MENTIONED OFTEN; ANOTHER NAME FOR HIM IS CALLED "NIMROD, "THE MIGHTY HUNTER" (GENESIS 10:9). ANOTHER NAME FOR NIMROD WAS "SANCTUS" OR "SANTA", MEANING "SAINT", COMMON TITLE FOR A HERO-GOD. NIMROD KNOWN AS BAAL OR sun god OF ANCIENT PAGANS WAS BORN AT THE WINTER SOLSTICE. IN ANCIENT TIMES THE SOLSTICE OCCURED ON JANUARY 6; THIS WAS HIS BIRTHDAY UNTIL THE SOLSTICE CHANGED & THEN IT WAS CELEBRATED ON DECEMBER 25. "IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF ANTIQUITY FOR THE MOTHER OF A MALE CHILD TO PRESENT HERSELF FOR PURIFICATION ON THE 14TH DAY AFTER THE DAY OF BIRTH. THE 14TH DAY AFTER JAN.6--NIMROD'S ORIGINAL BIRTHDATE---TAKES US TO FEB.15, THE CELEBRATION OF WHICH BEGAN ON THE EVENING OF FEB.14--THE LUPERCALIA OR ST. VALENTINE'S DAY." --(HERMAN L. HOEH) NIMROD'S OTHER NAME WAS "CUPID" WHICH MEANS "DESIRE"---ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA", ART., "CUPID".
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1272715597049373547QOChzt
http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/stvalen.htm
http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/valentin.html
http://home.swbell.net/kelkay/valentines

Christmas isn't Jesus's birthdate; it was the birthday of the sun god. Scripture doesn't mention Jesus's birthdate or any christians celebrating His Birthday. The only birthday mentioned besides Pharoah is the heathen king Herod. "Christmas" means "mass of Christ"; the celebration coexisted in Rome before there was any in Jerusalem. The early Roman Church however did establish a pagan festival that (Jer.10) coexisted with Jesus's Birth and that was the birthday of the sun god. (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th ed., article: "Christmas"). The Catholic sources admit that Christmas didn't co-exist with the earliest festivals. Jesus wasn't born Christmas; even scripture makes this evident. "On the night of Jesus's birth, the shepherd's were still keeping watch over their flocks." (Luke 2:8). The rainy season in Ancient Israel began after the Feast of Tabernacles which generally is early October. In November, it would be cool and wet; the flocks from the pasture had already been brought and kept in winter quarters by the shepherds. This tells us the shepherds were no longer in the fields at night. Another peice of evidence is overlooked is in Luke 1:35-36; it tells us John the Baptist was born to Mary's cousin Elizabeth six months before Jesus. And as we look further in verse 5-17, we see Zacharias an elderly priest burning incense on the altar and then an angel appearing to him and telling him that he and his wife would have a son to prepare Christ's Way. We know however when this announcement was made by the angel because of Zacharias was "of the course of Abijah" Please look at 1Chron.24:1-19; it tells us that King David divided these priests into 24 "courses" that served in the temple by rotation. The Course of Abijah would be the 8th of the 24 courses which usually would occur around the end of May. Pentecost came the week after the 8th course served and he had to serve all 24 courses during the three festival seasons. So Zacharias came home approximately after the first week of June; in which John the Baptist was conceived around mid-June and 9 months later would be his birth. John Baptist's birth came around mid-March while Jesus's was around mid-September. Also notice every year people claim 3 wise men seen Jesus in a stable; is this really true? The Bible nowhere states "3 wise men" or "that the wise men visited Jesus in a stable". Read for yourself: (Matt.2:11); these Magi came from the east beyond the Euphrates River which in the 1st century was called the Parthian Empire (the eastern border of the Roman Empire). Several weeks after Jesus's birth, the Maji arrived in Jerusalem, the king's palace searching for Jesus. The "star" in the east led them to take their trip to Judea. After hearing about the timing of the "star's appearance" from the Magi; King Herod ordered the slaughter of all children two years and younger(Matt.2:16). When Jesus was 40 days old: His parents presented him in the temple
(Luke 2:22)(Lev.12:2-4). After the Magi came, the family fled to Egypt. {Jesus six weeks old.}(Matt.2:13-14)

When was Jesus's Birth?
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1342393463049373547FazWzQ
http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/magazine/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine33&item=1104261794

Christmas is brutish and foolish like Jer.10:8 says.
It makes you go into sin; why do service unto other gods when the Bible says not to have other gods (Exod.20:3)? Isn't there only one God; this is what Jesus says in John 20:17.
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1337450888047993148uFUzHy
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ORIGIN OF EASTER: WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
Easter was never observed by the Apostles of Christ or Christ's Religion. "The name 'Easter' comes to us from the mythlogical writings of the Ancient Teucrians (who lived 1200BC along the southern coast of Palestine) where it's known as 'Ostern'" BY GROVER STEVENS. "The name 'Easter' is merely the slightly changed English spelling of the name of the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian idol goddess, Ishtar (pronounced eesh-tar)." WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY says "Easter is from the pre-historic name of a pagan spring festival." THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY says, "Easter is derived from the name of goddess whose feast was celebrated at the vernal equinox." THE SCHOLARY NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA says, "This goddess is also widely known as Astarte...The cult originated in Babylonia and spread to Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria & Palestine, then through the Phoenicians to all of the Meditteranean peoples...Ishtar was in fact primarily and chiefly identified as Venus, the most beautiful of celestial objects & from the terrestrial side, the primarily motive of the worship of Ishtar was the impulse to deify sensuous and sensuality." ALEXANDER HISLOP SAYS IN THE TWO BABYLONS (P.103), "Easter bears its Chaldean origin on its forehead. Easter is nothing else than Asarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven..."
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1370351068049373547hLMhYB
http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB04/spotlight.htm
http://www.albatrus.org/english/festivals/easter/is_easter_pagan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar
http://www.lcg.org/search/search.php?query=easter&type=and&results=10&search=1

Answer 2

Even though your question can not really be answered due its generic nature, the question can be answered in the following manner.

With "feast days", it is time to celebrate the day in the name (and spirit) of the person in who's name the "feast day" is declared. (The most obvious example being St. Patrick's Day (who is most famous for removing all the snakes from Ireland).

There are, of course, other reasons why a feast day is declared. It may be a simple as being in rememberance of the day the country in question became an independant country (May 17 is the day on which Norway celebrates her Independance from Denmark and hence became known as Norway's National Day); or even a day when a country is founded (the example here is "Australia Day" - January 26th).

The other side of this scenario is other religious feast days (and here i will make mention of Jewish feast days).

For 2007, the Jewish Feast Days are:

April 2 - Passover. This is the day when the Hebrew nation remembers when the prophet Moses brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt.

April 3-9 The Feast of Unleavened Bread. taking place the day after Passover, this is the week in remembrance of the forty years the Israelites spent wandering through the wilderness heading towards "the promised land".

May 27 Day of Pentecost. This is the day celebrating the gathering in of the first and smaller of the two annual harvests; and is observed 50 days after the last saturday of the previous feast period.

September 13 Feast of Trumpets. Called Rosh Hashana by today's Jews, this is a day usually marked by the blowing of trumpets and sigifies the time period immediately before the second coming of the Creator.

September 22 Day of Atonement. A day of fasting and repentance, initially sigified by the High Pirest entering the Holy of Holies (in the tabernacle containing the "Ark of the Covenant") and making an atoning sacrifice for the rest of the people.

September 27-October 3 Feast of Tabernacles. A seven day celebration of the great fall harvest, observed by living in temporary dwellings for the duration of the feast.

October 4 Last great Day. Adjacent to the feast of tabernacles,this eigth day is considered a seperate feast, and signifies the return of the Creator, specifically, the "Great White Throne Judgement" at which all of humanity not previously called will have the opportunity to hear the good news that is the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus the Christ.

(Now, even though at first glance the above may appear overtly Christian; it must be rembered that most of the European "feast days" {to which the original question no doubt refers} are Christian in both orientation and origins. there other feast days from other religions, but without oodles of research which quite frankly are beyond the scope of this reply {but nonetheless available for research on the 'net}, this author has unashamedly restricted himself to the Judeo-Christian paradigm, to which the majority of the Western world owes its origins.

As to saints having their "own feast days", this is usually determined by either the Vatican (being the seat of Roman Catholicism), or Westminster Abbey (being the seat of Anglicanism).

Answer 3

The feast days of saints are usually the day they died. That is we are celebrating the day they left this world for a better one.

In some instances we may have a particular day with so many saints on it the newer ones are moved to the nearest "empty" day.