[Sca-cooks] Welcome, a birthday party

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

Finne revealed:
>it's my own birthday

Happy Natal Day!

>party: may 10th
>bday: may 21th (unfortunately right before exams)
>patron saint would be the saint of whom my name was derived?, so that
>would be: Josef(father of Jesus?) -> Josephine > Finne

	Well, it seems you share a birthday with Albrecht Durer (b. 1471), German
painter and printer.  He was an interesting guy, kind of disturbed, but
interesting.  On that date in Ancient Rome, they observed Agonalia -
Religious observance of temple rites sacred to Vediovis / Mars.  Hm, still
not very festive.  MAY 20 is St. Lucifer's Feast Day - Feast Day for the
Archangel before the fall. Now THAT one has some potential for a rockin'
party, but maybe I've been camping next to Pentwyvrn at Pennsic too long.
(sorry, for those of you that don't know, they threw the HELL party for
several years, complete with devil, torture, and throngs of people).
	March 19th is the main St. Joseph day, St. Joseph's Feast Day (29) Patron
Saint of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Carpenters, Fathers, Happy Death, House
Hunting, Mexico, Peru, Viet Nam, and Laborers; Invoked against Communism and
Doubt.  Mary's husband, Jesus' foster father.  He became represented as the
“Divine Cuckold” until the Reformation when he was updated to be a more
positive role model. He was updated again as a more red-blooded blue-collar
guy in 1933 and given a separate Feast Day to combat Communism and
underscore May Day. (See May 1). In many parts of the world, including the
U.S., small statues of Joseph are buried in the yards of houses up for sale
in slow markets.  Dia de San Giuseppe - Italy - Joseph is the Patron Saint
of the Poor, so in some parts of southern Italy the people invite the poor
to a special banquet. Families ask a man, woman, and a child to be their
guests of honor by representing Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. In Valguarnera
those who feel they have been particularly blessed by Joseph during the year
may also invite people to represent Ann and Joachim- the parents of Mary-
and sometimes all 12 apostles, too. After the feast, the orphans and beggars
portraying the Holy Family et al proceed through the town on mules,
receiving gifts from the townspeople.
	As for other Joseph's, there's September 18th, St. Joseph of Cupertino's
Feast Day (1663) Patron Saint of Astronauts, The Air Force, and Pilots.  A
Franciscan priest, he was simple and childlike, and was seen dozens of times
floating in mid-air, in rapture.  That could be fun.  March 17th, besides
being St. Patrick's Day, is also St. Joseph of Arimathea's Feast Day (1st
Cent) Patron Saint of Cemetery Keepers, Pallbearers, Tin Miners, and
Undertakers. A wealthy lawyer, Joseph was converted and supplied his own
tomb for Christ's burial. He probably accompanied St. Mary Magdalene to
France, then became the 1st apostle to Britain, taking with him the Holy
Grail. He established the church at Glastonbury, Somerset.

May is chock full of celebrations, many of the pagan and having to do with
flowers, springtime, fertility, and other things that might be fun at
parties, depending on you and your guest's tastes. :)  I will send what I
have for May to you separately, as it is long.
Christianna