Daily Staff Writer

ETHIOPIA — FESTIVAL OF MASQUAL

The festival celebrates the discovery of the true cross of Jesus by Empress Helena. On the eve of Maskal, a demera is built, a tall conical arrangement of wooden poles decorated with golden daisies. The demera is blessed with incense and a procession of villagers of townspeople circle the demera three times. At dusk the demera is set aflame to symbolize the flame that guided Saint Helena. Lamb and chickens are slaughtered for the feast, and singing and dancing continue far into the night. On the following day, Maskal, people draw a cross on their foreheads with charcoal from the fires of the previous night, feasting resumes, and the day is spend visiting and making merry.

BOLIVIA, ESTONIA, HUNGARY, IRELAND, GREAT BRITAIN — ST. MICHAEL’S DAY

This day is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, patron saint of soldiers, Normans, horses, and high places. In the south of England, Michaelmas is one of the “quarter days,” which in the past was a time to settle rents and bills and fire or hire farm hands. The Michaelmas goose, at its fattest this time of year, is enjoyed. It is very unlucky to eat blackberries at or after Michaelmas because, tradition says, the Devil then spits – or worse – on them, presumably to spite his rival.