November 2, 2008

-From Wikipedia
(October 28, 2008)-

** "All Soul's Day
-- November 2, 2008 -

The custom of setting apart a special day for intercession for certain of the faithful departed is very old. But the celebration of general intercession on 2 November* was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) at his monastery of Cluny in 998. The decree ordaining the celebration is printed in the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum (Saec. VI, pt. i. p. 585). From Cluny the custom spread to the other houses of the Cluniac order, which became the largest and most extensive network of monasteries in Europe. The celebration was soon adopted in several dioceses in France, and spread throughout the Western Church. It was accepted in Rome only in the fourteenth century. While 2 November remained the liturgical celebration, in time the entire month of November became associated in the Western Catholic tradition with prayer for the departed; lists of names of those to be remembered being placed in the proximity of the altar on which the sacrifice of the mass is offered. " **

The fact that this could be interpreted as a form of mediumship in the classic Pagan and Wiccan tradition seems to have to slipped peoples minds entirely, no thanks in large part to the ongoing, through-out history, efforts of the Roman Catholic church. (Don't even get me started! lol)

Anyway this is really just my way of recognizing the deep, dare I say it, almost filial affection for a woman who has inspired me for many years, ever since she went back to university at the age of thirty-seven, because she wanted so badly to become a nurse, finally graduating in the top 3% of her class, and within a few months, receiving a mark in the 98th percentile range on her RN exams! She has always been there for me when I really needed her and I will never have the words to be able to thank her properly.

I love you, Mom!

Jamie
Pagan Forge

*technically when the 2nd of Nov falls on a Sunday, the Celebration gets moved to the Monday following, but it's generally celebrated on the 2nd.