Why is the Sunday after Easter Day called Low Sunday?

Because the ceremonies performed in the ancient church were not of so grand and pompous a nature as the high festival of Easter. Dominica in Albis is also another title of this Sunday, which took its origin from the chrisoms, or white robes, considered as emblems of purity and innocence, being then laid aside, which had been placed upon those christened on Easter-eve.

Why is St George the patron saint of England?

Because, when Robert, Duke of Normandy, the son of William the Conqueror, was fighting against the Turks, and laying siege to the famous city of Antioch, which was expected to be relieved by the Saracens, St George appeared with an innumerable army, coming down from the hills, all clad in white, with a red cross on his banner, to reinforce the Christians; this so terrified the infidels, that they fled, and left the Christians in possession of the town.- - Butler.

Why is St George usually painted on horseback, and tilling at a dragon under his feet?

Because the representation is emblematical of his faith and fortitude, by which he conquered the devil, called the dragon in the Apocalypse. - Butler.

Why was the Order of the Garter instituted?

Because of the victory obtained over the French at the battle of Cressy; when Edward ordered his garter to be displayed as a signal of battle; to commemorate which, he made a garter the principal ornament of an order, and a symbol of the indissoluble union of the knights. The order is under the patronage or protection of St George, whence he figures in its insignia. Such is the account of Camden, Fern, and others. The common story of the order being instituted in honour of a garter of the Countess of Salisbury, which she dropped in dancing, and which was picked up by King Edward, has been denounc ed as fabulous by our best antiquaries.

Why is St George the patron of the army?

Because he was himself a soldier in the army of Dioclesian. - Butler.

Why is St Mark usually depicted with a lion couchant, winged, by his side?

Because the lion is emblematical of the nervous solidity of his writings; and the wings, of the more than human powers displayed in their composition. Why is the Jewish festival of the Passover, or the Pascal Lamb, celebrated on the 25th of April?

Because of the directions given in Exodus, xii, 3 to 20, beginning, 'Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, in the tenth day of this month, (Nisan) they shall take to them every man a lamb, without blemish, a male of the first year.' On this occasion, every house was not only ordered to provide a lamb to be killed on the fourteenth day in the evening, but its blood was to be sprinkled on the door-posts, and the lamb eaten by the people in their travelling attire; because it was known, that in consequence of the dreadful plagues, the Egyptians would send them forth in haste. They were also ordered to take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts of the door, in order that, when the destroying angel passed through to smite all the first-born of the land of Egypt, seeing this blood, he would pass over the children of Israel, so that the plague should not be upon them to destroy them. The feast of the paschal lamb, or passover, was therefore ordered to be kept throughout all generations, by an ordinance, for ever. - Times' Telescope, 1815.

Why did the ancient Jews at Jerusalem reserve criminals for execution till the celebration of the most solemn feasts?

Because then, (at the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles) the Jews came up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, and the malefactors were then executed, in order that all Israel might see and fear.

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Why are parochial perambulations made, and bounds beaten on Ascension Day?

Because they are in imitation of the heathen feast called Terminalia, dedicated to the god Terminus, (Latin for bound) who was considered as the guardian of fields and landmarks, and the keeper up of friendship and peace among men. (Spelman, cited by Bourne.) The primitive custom used by Christians on this occasion,was,for the people to accompany the bishop or some of the clergy into the fields, where Litanies were made, and the mercy of God implored, that he would avert the evils of plague and pestilence, that he would send them good weather, and give them in due season the fruits of the earth. Brand.

Shaw, in his history of Staffordshire, says, this ceremony has probably its origin in the Roman offerings of the primitia (or first fruits). 'The idea was, no doubt, that of returning thanks to God, by whose goodness the face of nature was renovated, and fresh means provided for. the sustenance and comfort of His creatures.' The ceremony was sometimes performed at crosses, for in a curious sermon, date 1590, we find that the Catholics had their 'gospelles at superstitious crosses deck't like idols;' and Dr Plott says, at Stanlake, Oxon, the minister of the parish, on this occasion, reads the gospel at a barrel's head, in the cellar of the Chequer Inn, in that town, where some say there was formerly a hermitage; others, that there was anciently a cross, at which they read the gospel in former times; over which, the house, and particularly the cellar, being built, they are forced to continue the custom as above. At Oxford, at this time, the little crosses, cut in the stones of buildings, to denote the division of the parishes, are whitened with chalk. - Ellis's Notes to Brand.

Why is Rogation Sunday so called?

Because of the derivation of the term from the

Latin rogare to ask; and on the three subsequent days supplications were appointed by Mammertus, bishop of Vienna, in the year 1469, to be offered up with fasting, to God, to avert some particular calamities that threatened his diocese.

Why is Rogation Week, in the north of England, called gang week?

Because gang there signifies to go; and at this time the people make parochial perambulations. Thus, gang-days were holidays; and gadding about originated in the same custom.

Why is Whit Sunday, or Whiten Sunday, so called? Because, partly from the glorious light of heaven, which was this day sent down upon the earth, from the Father of lights; but principally, because this day being one of the stated times for baptism in the ancient church, those that were baptised put on white garments, as types of that spiritual purity which they received. Time's Telescope, 1814.

Why are certain feasts at Whitsuntide, &c, called ales?

Because much ale was drank then: other etymologies have been attempted; but this is the most natural and most probable. There were bride-ales, clerk-ales, give-ales, lamb-ales, leet-ales, Midsummer-ales, scot-ales, Whitsun-ales, and several more. - Nares.

In Poor Robin's almanack for 1676, stool-ball and barley-break, are spoken of as Whitsun sports. In the almanack for the following year, in June, opposite Whitsunday and holidays, we read:

At Islington,
A fair they hold;
Where cakes and ale
Are to be sold.

At Highgate and
At Holloway,
The like is kept
Here every day.

At Totnam-court,`
And Kentish Town,
And all those places,
Up and down.'

In antient tymes,' Whitsun plays were acted at this season. At Chester, these plays were twentyfive in number, and were performed for above three centuries, annually.

Why is the Montem' celebrated every third year, on Whit Tuesday, at Eton?

Because, in the opinion of Mr Lysons, it originated in the ceremonial of the Bairn, or Boy-Bishop. Mr Hakewill, (in his History of Windsor) asks, why may not this custom be supposed to have originated in a procession to perform an annual mass at the altar of some saint, to whom a small chapel might have been dedicated, on the mount called Salt Hill? a ceremony very common in Catholic countries, as such an altar is a frequent appendage to their towns and populous villages. As for the selling of salt, it may be considered as a natural accompaniment, when its emblematical character, as to its use in the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church is contemplated.'

Why is the first of May a festive holiday?

Because its customs hail the return of Spring, and chiefly taken from our conquerors, the Romans. Hence, these festivities are as old as any we have on record. On the 4th of the calends of May, the Romans held their Floralia, or festival in honour of Flora.

Mr Borlase says: 'May customs are nothing more than a gratulation of the Spring, to testify universal joy at the revival of vegetation.' And Mr Douce observes, that there can be no doubt that the Queen of May is the legitimate representative of the goddess Flora, in the Roman festival.'

It was anciently the custom for all ranks of people to go out a maying, early on the first of May. Bourne tells us that in his time, in the villages in the north of England, the juvenile part of both sexes were wont to rise a little after midnight on the morning of that day, and walk to some neighbouring wood, accompanied with music and the blowing of horns, where they broke down branches from the trees, and adorned them with nosegays and crowns of flowers. This done, they returned homewards with their