The White Falcon - 27.10.2004, Qupperneq 8

AIX SAINTS DAY
BY EINAR t’OROARSON
FFSC I NTH RCULTURAI. RELATIONS SPECIALIST
Celebrated on November 1, All Saint’s Day was
the feast of all those truly holy men who had not
attained their own particular days on the ecclesi-
astical calendar. The day after was All Souls Day.
That was when prayers would be said for the souls
of those poor people who could not afford to give
their churches enough money for the priests to say
a special requiem for them in order to shorten their
stay in purgatory. It is clear, therefore, that the two
first days in November in catholic times were dedi-
cated primarily to the neglected and the poor.
All Saints Day is very often mentioned in old
Icelandic books, which indicates that it was con-
sidered a great feast. As proof of what a special
holiday it was for laborers, a clause may be cited
from a written deed or agreement from about 1200
concerning ferry service over the Olfus River by
Selfoss at Kaldames. The clause stipulates three
single days during the year when the ferryman
is not duty-bound to tend to his job: Easter Day,
the consecration day of his parish church, and All
Saints' Day. Moreover, there is a tersely worded
clause in the old commonwealth laws (before
1262) which requires those who are well off to
treat their servants and other poor people to gener-
ous portions of food before All Saint’s Day.
Considering all this, it seems likely that some
sort of an agreement was reached between the
church authorities and the general populace that
the old winter festivities be shifted to these days
of protection for the poor. By this time, too, the
slaughtering season would certainly be over, even
if it did not begin until the onset of winter. (Some
farmers insisted that it was better to postpone
slaughtering until then, since that was when the
lambs were heaviest.)
However, this hypothesis could hardly be accept-
able if some remnant of those festivities had not
lingered into the 19th century. This was the so-
called svid mass which by most accounts took
place on All Saints' Day. True, there are later tales
about it on the First Day of Winter, which would
have been more practical after the general begin-
ning of the slaughtering season had been shifted to
an earlier date. But when that happened, any taboo
about the First Day of Winter must have been long
forgotten.
In Bishop Gudbrandur borlaksson's almanac,
November is called Spawn tide Month, which is
held to refer to the spawning time of the trout.
ICELANDIC
PHRASES
Getor (du adstodad mig? -Can you help me?
(Gettur thu he-owl-path myearr?)
Eg heiti... -My name is...
(Yeg hate-ee)
Hvar att jm heima? -Where do you live?
(Kvar ought thu hay-ma?)
had er mjog hvasst -It's very windy.
(Thaath er rneyog k-vast)
Nu er ordid kalt -It has gotten cold.
(Noo er orthith kaalt)
Bradum kemur snjor -It will start snowing
soon.
(Brow-thum kee-mur snee-or)
had er ad snjoa -It's snowing
(Thath ehr ath shnoya)
THIS WEEK IN ICELANDIC HISTORY
October 30, 1936, great damage from heavy wind a high tide at Seltjamames the town next to Reykjavik.
October 30, 1985, Eduard Schcverdnadze the foreign minister of the Soviet Union came to Iceland for an official visit.
By Chaplain Dayne Nix
“The Times they are a’ Changin.” Bob Dylan
My family and I arrived in Keflavik just six
weeks ago. We had been warned about the rain
and wind by our sponsors. Sure enough, when we
landed on the rotator that Saturday morning, there
was wind and rain. But temperatures were not that
different from Rhode Island (our previous duty
station), and the excitement of the Blue Lagoon,
Reykjavik, and Glymer kept our minds off of the
radical changes that we were experiencing.
We were also warned that the days were getting
shorter - by six minutes every day. Hmm, my
nonmathematical mind eventually figured out that
meant we were losing a full hour of sunlight every
ten days, three hours every month! It dawned on
me (unlike the sun) this morning when it was still
dark at 8 a.m. that things are changing radically
all around us.
How do we deal with change? First, we need
to recognize that change is constant. The weather
changes. The amount of daylight changes. Our
duty stations change. My reflection in the mirror
reminds me that I am changing (wrinkles, blond
hair now gone/gray, etc). Change is a part of life
and to really flourish we must accept the reality
of change.
Secondly, we need to look for the many oppor-
tunities in change - and they are always there.
Linda, Amy and I have really enjoyed the new
friends, new places and radically different experi-
ences we are having here in Iceland. We do miss
our old church, community and friends. But we
see our tour in Iceland as an opportunity to add to
that circle of friends and the many memories and
experiences that make Navy life so exciting.
Finally, we must hold on to the anchors that
allow us to weather the winds of change. We regu-
larly communicate with our friends in Newport,
Pensacola and Denver via email and IM. We
also communicate with our Father in heaven on
a regular basis since He provides the one sure
anchor that never wavers and is always secure. I
have discovered that my faith in God is absolutely
essential as the days grow shorter, as the mirror’s
reflection grows older, and our children grow up
and head out on their own.
Change is wonderful! The Navy has taught me
to expect it and thrive on it - and I am never dis-
appointed.
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a
hope both sure and steadfast...’’(Hebrews 6:19)
CfutpeCNews
One Light continues for unaccompanied personnel each
Friday night in the Chapel Annex (Bldg. 758) at 7 p.m.
Come and have a little fun and a lot of yum. Large helpings
of fellowship and major servings of home-cooked food.
See you there.
Ask El Padre: If you are interested about the Catholic
Church in general, or in specifics: baptism,; marriage;
RC1A; (YOU fill in the blank)__________, You are wel-
come Mon. at 6 p.m.. Learn all the things you may have
wondered about, but never had the chance to ask.
MCYM Club Beyond is in full swing. Senior High meets
Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. in the Annex. Junior
High students meet Tuesdays, time yet to be determined
(Call 4111). All Sr. & Jr. High students are invited and
encouraged to check out the good times happening.
The Gathering - a Men’s Fellowship - meets at 6 a.m.
each Thursday morning. Breakfast is served 6 a.m. sharp,
the Bible study, “The Measure of a Man” begins shortly
after everyone gets his second cup of coffee. So let’s get
up, guys. If you rise, you will shine!
Religious education (Sunday School, CCD, Pioneer
Club, Protestant confirmation, Bible studies) is all up
and running—to fill your faith cup to overflowing! Call
the Chapel at 4111, to sign up, volunteer, or to find out
more information.
Sunday Child Care is back, providing childcare at the
CDC adjacent to the chapel during worship services and
Sunday School.
Page 12
The White Falcon
October 27, 2004