Definition

1. Noun:
   • A day set aside for fasting and prayer: An Ember Day is one of a group of four days (three days in a row) traditionally observed four times a year in some Christian denominations. These days are specifically designated for fasting, prayer, and the ordination of clergy.

Usage

• Noun:
  • The priest reminded the congregation that next Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday are Ember Days.
  • Observance of Ember Days has become less common in many modern churches.

Advanced Usage

• "To keep the Ember Days": To observe the fasts and prayers associated with the Ember Days.
  • Her family was very traditional and made sure to keep the Ember Days each quarter.

Variants and Related Words

• Embertide (n): The period or season (usually a week) containing the set of three Ember Days.
  • The ordinations were scheduled for Embertide.

Synonyms

• Fast day: A day on which fasting is observed.
• Day of abstinence: A day for refraining from certain foods or pleasures, often for religious reasons.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "ember" in this context is not related to glowing coals. It is believed to derive from an Old English phrase meaning "period" or "course" (as in a recurring time).
• Ember Days are traditionally tied to the seasons: they are observed after the Feast of St. Lucy (Winter), after Ash Wednesday (Spring), after Pentecost (Summer), and after the Feast of the Holy Cross (Autumn). Their primary purposes are to give thanks for the harvests of the earth and to pray for the clergy.

Noun

1. a day set aside for fasting and prayer