“Ye Holy Angels Bright” is a majestic exhortation to the everlasting praise of God, even in the midst of persecution or trial. Inspired by Psalm 148, it addresses multiple categories of creation: angels, saints in heaven, saints on earth, and finally the singer’s individual soul. Richard Baxter, a 17th-century Anglican of the Puritan party, composed the…
The Michaelmas Sword and the Christian Knight
A peculiar Anglican tradition I recently learned about is the tradition of carrying a sword at the head of the procession during the Feast of Holy Michael and All Angels, which we commonly call Michaelmas. This might seem a bit aggressive to many, and I suspect that’s why it is no longer a widespread practice. At first, I…
The Liturgical Home: The Feast of the Annunciation
On March 25, we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. This feast remembers one of the most incredible mysteries of our faith: the moment the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and proclaimed that she would conceive and bear the Son of God. This day marks the very moment of the Incarnation when God…
The Annunciation: A Rookie Anglican Guide
The Annunciation refers to the conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary and the announcement of this pregnancy by the angel Gabriel to Mary. The Church celebrates the feast on March 25, which is easy to remember when you realize it is precisely nine months before Christmas! This day reminds us…
What is the ANGELican Church?
The confusion of Anglican and ANGELican goes back to a play-on-words first coined by Pope Gregory the Great, but it carries with it a missionary hope.
The Liturgical Home: Holy Michael and All Angels
The Church celebrates the Feast of Holy Michael and All Angels on September 29th! We also know this feast as Michaelmas (pronounced mik-uhl-mus), a shortening of “Michael’s mass.” It is the special day set aside by the church to celebrate Michael, the captain of the heavenly host, and all other angels. Why do we sometimes…
Holy Michael and All Angels: A Rookie Anglican Guide to Michaelmas
Michael-what? Michaelmas is a shortened form of “Michael’s Mass” (just like Christmas is a shortened form of Christ’s Mass). It is also known as the feast day of Holy (or “St.”) Michael and All Angels. Celebrated similarly to Thanksgiving, Michaelmas conjures images of cool fall days, abundant harvests, and feasting. Festivities focus on the defeat…
