Australia Day Australia - J a n 2 6
Australia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundation Day, and ANA Day) is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the proclamation at that time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia (then known asNew Holland). Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. It is an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia and is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the YearAwards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Honours List for the Order of Australiaand addresses from the Governor-General and Prime Minister. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.
HUNGARY Hungary aims to develop the best possible friendship with neighbours: János Martonyi
Prime Minister speaks at Friends of Hungary conference
History
Arrival of the First Fleet:
On 13 May 1787 a fleet of 11 ships, which came to be known as the First Fleet, was sent by the British Admiralty from England to Australia. Under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, the fleet sought to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay on the coast of New South Wales, which had been explored and claimed by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. The settlement was seen as necessary because of the loss of the Thirteen colonies in North America. The Fleet arrived between 18 and 20 January 1788, but it was immediately apparent that Botany Bay was unsuitable. On 21 January, Phillip and a few officers travelled to Port Jackson, 12 kilometres to the north, to see if it would be a better location for a settlement. They stayed there until 23 January; Phillip named the The Founding of Australia, site of their landingSydney Cove, after the Home Secretary, 1788 Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. They also had some contact with the local aborigines. They returned to Botany Bay on the evening of 23 January, when Phillip gave orders to move the fleet to Sydney Cove the next morning, 24 January. That day, there was a huge gale blowing, making it impossible to leave Botany Bay, so they decided to wait till the next day, 25 January. However, during 24 January, they spotted the ships Astrolabe and Boussole, flying the French flag, at the entrance to Botany Bay; they were having as much trouble getting into the bay as the First Fleet was having getting out. On 25 January the gale was still blowing; the fleet tried to leave Botany Bay, but only the HMS Supply made it out, carrying Arthur Phillip, Philip Gidley King, some marines and about 40 convicts; they anchored in Sydney Cove in the afternoon. On 26 January, early in the morning, Phillip along with a few dozen marines, officers and oarsmen, rowed ashore and took possession of the land in the name of King George III. The remainder of the ship's company and the convicts watched from on board the Supply. Meanwhile, back at Botany Bay, Captain John Hunter of the HMS Sirius made contact with the French ships, and he and the commander, Captain de Clonard, exchanged greetings. Clonard advised Hunter that the fleet commander was Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. The Sirius successfully cleared Botany Bay, but the other ships were in great difficulty. The Charlotte was blown dangerously close to rocks; the Friendship and the Prince of Wales became entangled, both ship losing booms or sails; the Charlotteand the Friendship actually collided; and the Lady Penrhyn nearly ran aground. Despite these difficulties, all the remaining ships finally managed to clear Botany Bay and sail to Sydney Cove on 26 January. The last ship anchored there at about 3 pm. Note that the formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales did not occur on 26 January, as is commonly assumed. That did not occur until 7 February 1788, when the formal proclamation of the colony and of Arthur Phillip's governorship were read out. The vesting of all land in the reigning monarch George III also dates from 7 February 1788.
The first fifty years: 1788 to 1838:
Although there was no official recognition of the colony's anniversary, with the New South Wales Almanacks of 1806 and 1808 placing no special significance on 26 January, by 1808 the date was being used by the colony's immigrants, especially the emancipated convicts, to "celebrate their love of the land they lived in" with "drinking and merriment". The 1808 celebrations followed this pattern, beginning at sundown on 25 January, and lasted into the night, the chief toast of the occasion being Major George Johnston. Johnston had the honour of being the first officer ashore from the First Fleet, having been carried from the landing boat on the back of convict James Ruse. Despite suffering the ill-effects of a fall from his gig on the way home to Annandale, Johnston led the officers of Sydney Harbour, 26 January theNew South Wales Corps in arresting Governor William Bligh on the following day, 26 January 1808, in what became known as the 1988 "Rum Rebellion". In 1817 The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser reported on one of these unofficial gatherings at the home of Isaac Nichols: On Monday the 27th ult. a dinner party met at the house of Mr. Isaac Nichols, for the purpose of celebrating the Anniversary of the Institution of this Colony under Governor Philip, which took place on 26 Jan. 1788, but this year happening upon a Sunday, the commemoration dinner was reserved for the day following. The party assembled were select, and about 40 in number. At 5 in the afternoon dinner was on the table, and a more agreeable entertainment could not have been anticipated. After dinner a number of loyal toasts were drank, and a number of festive songs given; and about 10 the company parted, well gratified with the pleasures that the meeting had afforded. —The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 1818 was the 30th anniversary of the founding of the colony, and Governor Lachlan Macquarie chose to acknowledge the day with the first official celebration. The Governor declared that the day would be a holiday for all government workers, granting each an extra allowance of "one pound of fresh meat", and ordered a 30 gun salute at Dawes Point – one for each year that the colony had existed.This began a tradition that was retained by the Governors that were to follow. Foundation Day, as it was known at the time, continued to be officially celebrated in New South Wales, and in doing so became connected with sporting events. One of these became a tradition that is still continued today: in 1837 the first running of what would become the Australia Day regatta was held on Sydney Harbour. Five races were held for different classes of boats, from first class sailing vessels to watermen's skiffs, and people viewed the festivities from both onshore and from the decks of boats on the harbour, including the steamboat Australian and the Francis Freeling – the second of whom ran aground during the festivities and had to be refloated the next day. Happy with the success of the regatta, the organisers resolved to make in an annual event. However, some of the celebrations had gained an air of elitism, with the "United Australians" dinner being limited to those born in Australia. In describing the dinner, the Sydney Herald justified the decision, saying: The parties who associated themselves under the title of "United Australians" have been censured for adopting a principle of exclusiveness. It is not fair so to censure them. If they invited emigrants to join them they would give offence to another class of persons – while if they invited all they would be subject to the presence of persons with whom they might not wish to associate. That was a good reason. The "Australians" had a perfect right to dine together if they wished it, and no one has a right to complain. —The Sydney Herald The following year, 1838, was the 50th anniversary of the founding of the colony, and as part of the celebrations Australia's first public holiday was declared. The regatta was held for a second time, and people crowded the foreshores to view the events, or joined the five steamers (the Maitland, the Experiment, the Australia, the Rapid, and the miniature steamer Firefly) to view the proceedings from the water. At midday 50 guns were fired from Dawes' Battery as the Royal Standard was raised, and in the evening rockets and other fireworks lit the sky. The dinner was a smaller affair than the previous year, with only 40 in attendance compared to the 160 from 1837, and the anniversary as a whole was described as a "day for everyone".
The centenary celebration: 1839 to 1888:
Prior to 1888, 26 January was very much a New South Wales affair, as each of the colonies had their own commemorations for their founding. In Tasmania, Regatta Day occurred in December, South Australia had Proclamation Day 28 December, and Western Australia had their own Foundation Day (now Western Australia Day) on 1 June. In 1888, all colonial capitals except Adelaide celebrated 'Anniversary Day'. In 1910, South Australia adopted Australia Day, followed by Victoria in 1931. By 1935, all states of Australia were celebrating 26 January as Australia Day (although it was still known as Anniversary Day in New South Wales).
Sesquicentenary:
The 150th anniversary of British settlement in Australia in 1938 was widely celebrated. Preparations began in 1936 with the formation of a Celebrations Council. In that year, New South Wales was the only state to abandon the traditional long weekend, and the annual Anniversary Day public holiday was held on the actual anniversary day – Wednesday 26 January. The Commonwealth and state governments agreed to unify the celebrations on 26 January as 'Australia Day' in 1946, although the public holiday was instead taken on the Monday closest to the actual anniversary.
Bicentennial year:
In 1988, the celebration of 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet was organised on a large scale, with many significant events taking place in all major cities. Over 2.5 million people attended the event in Sydney. These included street parties, concerts, including performances on the steps and forecourt of the Sydney Opera House and at many other public venues, art and literary competitions, historic re-enactments, and the opening of thePowerhouse Museum at its new location. A re-enactment of the arrival of the First Fleet took place in Sydney Harbour, with ships that had sailed from Portsmouth a year earlier taking part.
Duarte Day - Jan 26 Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic (previously known as the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo) has had a tumultuous history over the years, sharing an island with the people of Haiti. After the Haitians took control of the colony in 1822, various pro-independence groups rose to fight against the Haitians. One of the most notable was Juan Pablo Duarte, who is celebrated as one of the primary founders of the Dominican Republic. Duarte’s birthday and his work towards independence is honored every year on the closest Monday to the actual date of his January 26 birthday. In 2010, celebrations will fall on Monday, January 25.
the Hungarian Government must support whatever strategy they adopt. When asked about HungaryUS relations in the context of the assignment of a new US Ambassador to serve in Budapest, János Martonyi stated that "we are looking forward to welcoming the Ambassador." He said there were differences of opinion between Hungary and the United States on some issues, but "most of these are due to misunderstandings and misinformation." The Hungarian Foreign Minister asked incumbent Ambassador Colleen Bradley Bell not to follow "guidelines scripted by others in advance", but "to establish a view based on her own experience."
(Online 21 Jan) Hungary should not be afraid of learning from new experiences" Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in his speech at the Friends of Hungary Conference 2014 in Budapest on Monday at the presidential Sándor Palace. Hungary’s political elite should look beyond Europe and learn from such economies as the US or Japan, the Prime Minister
ures applied in the United States and urged participants to promote such foreign examples in Hungary. "Free thinking nowadays is not only an option but an obligation," he insisted. The Hungarian Prime Minister argued that Hungarian society had an elemental demand for internally organised crisis management rather than assistance from abroad.
families in all reasonable ways and ethnic Hungarians abroad are full members of the nation. President János Áder, who also spoke at the event, emphasised that love and respect for Hungary binds together participants of the conference. Head of the Friends of Hungary Foundation board Szilveszter E Vizi said no matter where life has
Federal Territory Day or Hari Wilayah Persekutuan is a state holiday for Federal Territory in Malaysia. It is celebrated on 1 February every year in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya. The date marks the anniversary of formation of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory in 1974,ceded by the state of Selangor to the federal government of Malaysia.
History The Federal Territory Day was introduced on 1 February
1974, four days after the Federal Territory Agreement was signed on 28 January 1974 by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Sultan of Selangor. In 1984 Labuan became the second federal territory, and on February 1st 2001 Putrajaya became the third federal territory of Malaysia.
San Cecilio Spain - F e b 0 1
Saint Caecilius (Cecil, Cecilius, Cäcilius, Spanish: San Cecilio) is venerated as the patron saint of Granada, Spain. Tradition makes him a Christian missionary of the 1st century, during the Apostolic Age. He evangelized the town of Iliberri or Iliberis (Elvira/Granada), and became its first bishop. He is thus considered the founder of the archdiocese of Granada, established around 64 AD. Elvira’s first bishop, according to the Glosas Emilianenses, was Caecilius.Tradition states that he wrote some didactic treatises and that he was burned to death during the reign of Nero. He is one of the group of Seven Apostolic Men (siete varones apostólicos), seven Christian clerics ordained in Rome by Saints Peter and Paul and sent to evangelize Spain. Besides Caecilius, this group includes Sts. Hesychius, Ctesiphon, Torquatus, Euphrasius, Indaletius, and Secundius (Isicio, Cecilio, Tesifonte, Eufrasio, Hesiquio y Segundo).
Veneration
Sacromonte, a neighbourhood of Granada, celebrates on the first February each year the Fiesta de San Cecilio, when large crowds gather to celebrate the city's first bishop and Granada's patron saint. The fiesta and abbey act as key instruments for the preservation, propagation and dissemination of Caecilius' legend, by which the city of Granada in the 17th century sought to redefine its historic identity, replacing its Moorish past with fabricated (or rediscovered) accounts of Christian origins. The legend states that the catacombs of Sacromonte are the site of Saint Cecil's martyrdom, and the abbey preserves the supposed relics of Cecil and eleven other saints' bones, ashes and the oven in which they were believed to have been burned. It also possesses the inscribed lead plaques and books, the Lead Books of Sacromonte, that were found with the supposed relics, but which were subsequently officially dismissed as forgeries.
St. Brigid's Day Montserrat - Feb 01 Saint Brigit of Kildare, or Brigit of Ireland (variants include Brigid, Bridget, Bridgit, Bríd and Bride), nicknamed Mary of the Gael (Irish: Naomh Bríd) (c. 451–525) is one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba. Irish hagiography makes her an early Irish Christian nun, abbess, and founder of several monasteries of Christian nuns, including that monastery of ‘Kildare’ Ireland which was considered legendary and was highly revered. Her feast day is 1 February, celebrated as St Brigid’s Day or Imbolc in Gaelic Ireland, one of the four quarter days of the pagan year, which marked the beginning of spring, lambing, and lactation in cattle. Saint Brigid is one of the few saints who stands on the boundary between pagan mythology, Druidism and Christian spirituality. Saint Brigid is the most famous female leader of the early Celtic Christian Church.
Motifs:
In liturgical iconography and statuary Saint Brigid is often depicted holding a reed cross, ancrozier of the sort abbots use, and a lamp said to be a 'lamp of learning and wisdom', as lamps and fire were regarded sacred to the Celts and Druids. Nuns at her monastery are said to have kept a sacred eternal flame burning there, which was a custom that originated with female Druids residing at the monastery's location long before Saint Brigid built the monastery. Early hagiographers also portray Saint Brigid's life and ministry as touched with fire. Light motifs, some of them borrowed from the apocrypha such as the story where she hangs her cloak on a sunbeam, are associated with the wonder tales of her hagiography and in folklore. In her Lives, Saint Brigid is portrayed as having the power to multiply such things as butter, bacon and milk, to bestow sheep and cattle and to control the weather. Plant motifs associated with St Brigid include Madonna Lily (since medieval times, also associated with the Virgin Mary) and the Brigid anenome (the Windflower or Poppy Flowered Anemone, since the early 19th century), while Cill Dara, the church of the oak, is associated with a tree sacred to the Druids. Her colour, white, was worn by the Kildare United Irishmen during the 1798 rebellion and is worn by Kildare sports teams.
Photo: Gergely Botár said at the event attended by doctors, engineers, researchers, artists, professors, managers, businesspeople and diplomats from all over the world. The global economy will continue to look for new solutions in the next few years, and Hungary should be open and "view global developments with an eagerness to learn," he stressed. Concerning the Japanese economy, Prime Minister Orbán said that the country's revolutionary move to double the amount of cash in circulation was exemplary. He mentioned similar meas-
He voiced satisfaction over the economy, stating that the Government had put the economy back on the path of growth and over 4 million people now had jobs. He highlighted that the Government aimed to boost the employment rate to over 70%, similar to the US level. Prime Minister Orbán voiced the conviction that a new consensus had taken shape between society and the political elite, based on the understanding that people of working age should live on wages rather than on benefits. Also, the Government should help
taken the participants, they have stayed Hungarian and this feeling provides energy to act in the interests of the country, its people and for the Hungarian nation all over the world. He cited Nobel laureate chemist György Oláh, economist Sándor Lámfalussy and opera singer Éva Marton as examples. The Friends of Hungary Foundation's mission is to provide up-to-date objective information about Hungary and to raise awareness about the outstanding social, cultural, economic and scientific activities of Hungarians.
H unga r y a im s to boos t e duc a t iona l c oope r a t ion wit h A ze r ba ija n (Online 23 Jan) Ahead of his visit to Baku next week to attend a joint economic committee meeting, Hungarian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó told Hungarian news agency MTI that a Hungarian faculty will be opened at Baku's University of Foreign Languages this year. Additionally, eleven Hungarian universities will be added to the list of higher education institutions at which Azeri state scholarships are offered. In line with an agreement signed in Budapest in October 2012, 200 Hun-
garian and 200 Azeri students will get a chance to study in each other's countries, he added. The State Secretary also noted that representatives of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation had visited Budapest and decided to fund the expansion of the László Batthyány Institute for Blind Children, the foundation stone of which was laid on 16 January this year. "Efficient visa issue regulations are vital to successful economic relations," Péter Szijjártó said. The Hungarian embassy in Baku has been processing visa applications since June 2011,
and 656 Schengen visa applications and 20 resident permits were processed during the second half of that year. In the following year, some 1054 visa applications were processed and since the launch of the Budapest-Baku airline route in 2013, a total of 3,500 visas were issued. "Tourism is a very successful area of relations between the two countries," Mr. Szijjártó said. In addition to Budapest and health spas, Azeri visitors have also expressed special interest in Lake Balaton for the summer, he added.
Government to launch Diploma Rescue Programme
Lives of Brigid
History
Juan Pablo Duarte was born in Santo Domingo on January 26, 1813, three and a half years after the Spanish Reconquista of the colony from the French Haitians. Duarte studied at the University of Santo Domingo at first, but he wanted to learn more. He went on to study in New York, London, Paris, and Barcelona before eventually returning to Santo Domingo in 1833. Upon his return, Duarte noted the condition of the colony and its people who increasingly grew frustrated with Haitian rule. The Haitians had again seized the colony in February of 1822 after the people of Santo Domingo briefly flirted with independence. Haiti imposed harsh trading and farming regulations on Dominicans and began forcefully drafting young Dominicans into the Haitian army. The university system collapsed. Taxation and mandatory tributes undermined stability in the region. From this grew La Trinitaria, a secret society founded by Duarte on July 16, 1838, designed to undermine Haitian rule and promote complete independence. There were many members of La Trinitaria, but of them Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez stood out in fight for independence, later dubbed as founding fathers of the Dominican Republic along with Duarte. The revolution against Jean-Pierre Boyer and the Haitian occupation began in 1843, but the first attempt to overthrow Boyer was unsuccessful. Duarte and his companions were at first jailed, but then forced to leave the country. It is speculated that during his exile, Duarte wrote what he saw to be the ideal constitution for a free Dominican Republic. Loyalists to La Trinitaria again attempted to oust Boyer despite Duarte’s exile, and finally succeeded on February 27, 1844, declaring full independence. Duarte was sent word of the victory and invited to return. Elections were set up, and Duarte was nominated as a candidate for President by the Liberal party on June 12. Duarte was opposed by Pedro Santana, a military man who had originally helped La Trinitaria with the expulsion of the Haitians. However, Santana strongly supported Spanish rule of the island, something that went against the very ideals of La Trinitaria. Duarte lost the election, and Santana banished Duarte and his loyalists. While La Trinitaria remained active from afar, Santana’s support eroded, leading to revolution and guerrilla warfare during the War of Restoration in the 1860s. Duarte briefly returned during this war for independence, and on March 3, 1865, the Queen of Spain formally withdrew control of the region, leaving it to the people. Duarte died in Caracas, Venezuela in 1876, and his remains were transferred to Santo Domingo in 1884 where a proper burial with state honors was held.
Celebrations
The tomb of Juan Pablo Duarte rests at the Altar de la Patria in Santo Domingo where people offer flowers and wreathes to remember him. A statue of Duarte in Duarte Park is used as a focal point for celebrations. Parades of military members and children are typical, replete with The Hymn to Juan Pablo Duarte played by a band. The 2010 celebration of Juan Pablo Duarte and Dominican Heritage Month is overshadowed by the massive earthquake that flattened Haiti on January 12, 2010. On January 18, leaders of all the major political parties met at the General Consulate of the Dominican Republic in New York, agreeing to both solidify aid to Haiti and press forward with the celebration of Duarte and Dominican culture. “Now more than ever, neighboring Haiti is in urgent need of solidarity from all Dominicans and political parties, and we have a responsibility to become catalysts for a broad movement of support to alleviate the sufferings of the survivors,” said Carlos Felix of the Dominican Liberation Party. The 2010 festivities are still scheduled to be held as planned in the Dominican Republic.
Republic Day India- Jan 26
In India, Republic Day honors the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950. The date of 26 January was chosen to honour the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national holidays in India. While the main parade takes place in the national capital, New Delhi, at the Rajpath before the President of India (currently Pranab Mukherjee), the anniversary is also celebrated with varying degrees of formality in state capitals and other centres.
History
India achieved independence from British rule on 15 August 1947 following the Indian independence movement noted for largely peaceful nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience led by the Indian National Congress. The independence came through the Indian Independence Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c. 30), an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth (later Commonwealth of Nations): India and Pakistan. India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947 as a constitutional monarchy with George VI as head of state and the Earl Mountbatten as governor-general. The country, though, did not yet have a permanent constitution; instead its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force of its constitution. A draft constitution was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on 4 November 1947. The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution. After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on 24 January 1950. Two days later, it came into effect throughout the nation.
Celebrations
The main celebration is held in the capital New Delhi. Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief MinisterǑe National Flag of India.
Feast of St. Sava Serbia - J a n 2 7
Saint Sava (Serbian: Свети Сава, Sveti Sava, pronounced, also Saint Sabbas; 1174 – 14 January 1236) was a Serbian Prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalous Serbian Church, the founder of Serbian law and literature, and a diplomat. Sava was born Rastko Nemanjić (Растко Немањић, pronounced [râstkɔ nɛ̌maɲitɕ]), the youngest son of Serbian Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja (founder of the Nemanjić dynasty), and ruled the appanage of Hum briefly in 1190–1192. He became a monk in his youth, receiving the monastic name Sava (Sabbas), subsequently founding the monasteries of Hilandar on Mount Athos, and Žiča. In 1219 he was recognized as the first Archbishop of Serbs, by the Patriarch of Constantinople, and in the same year he authored the oldest known constitution of Serbia, Zakonopravilo, thus securing full independence; both religious and political. Sava heavily influenced Serbian medieval literature. He is widely considered as one of the most important figures of Serbian history, and is canonized and venerated by the Serbian Orthodox Church, as its founder, on January 27 [O.S. January 14]. His life and has been interpreted in many artistic works from the Middle Ages to modern times. He is the patron saint of Serbian schools and schoolchildren. The Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade is dedicated to him, it was built on the scene where the Ottoman Turks burnt his remains in the 16th century, following an uprising in which the Serbs used icon depictions of Sava as their war flags; the cathedral is currently the largest Eastern Christian church building in the world.
Democracy Day Rwanda - J a n 2 8
Rwanda celebrates its yearly Democracy Day every January 28th as a symbol of its remarkable success story since World War I. This public holiday serves as a medium in promoting equality and fair dealings among its people.
History Rwanda was made popular to history of the world because of its geno-
cidal massacre that devastated a lot of lives on 1994. Later on the 19th century, Rwanda was taken over and became a part of German East Asia and soon became a UN trust territory under the territorial government of Belgium. Despite the genocide that Rwanda experienced which took almost a million lives, the country continued to strive and it remarkably leveled up again after the genocide era. Now, it is considered as one the most developed countries worldwide.
The first life of Brigid seems to have been written within a generation of her death. The source of the various later medieval Lives appears to have been a lost Life written by Ultán (d. 657), bishop of Ard Breccáin. The three principal Lives that survive date from the seventh to the ninth centuries and are preserved in over 100 medieval manuscripts, mostly written on the Continent. The oldest is Vita Sanctae Brigidae, a Latin Life by Cogitosus dating from c.650. An anonymous Latin Life confusingly known as ‘Vita Prima’ (as classified in the 1658 Acta SS, February 1 edition) has been dated to the seventh or eighth-century and an anonymous Life, ‘Bethu Brigte’, in Old Irish and Latin was compiled early in the ninth-century. In the controversy about the existence of Brigid that erupted in the last third of the 20th century, it was noted that eleven people with whom Brigit is associated in her Lives are independently attested in annalistic sources, sources which place her death at 524 (in the Annals of Tigernach and Chronicon Scotorum) and her birth at 439 (calculated from the alleged age of 86 at death). The Lives are traditional in form and draw references from the Old and New Testaments, the apocrypha and the early Church Fathers. They are sparse in specific biographical detail, and have been described as “primarily concerned with Brigit's way of life rather than her life as such, and focused on her saintliness and the miracles that testified to it.” Their appearance coincided with the rise to power of the new Ui Dunlainge sept as Kings of Leinster in the early seventh century. Cogitosus in particular was asserting Brigit's reputation and the status of Kildare at a time when it was in competition with Armagh for precedence in the Irish church.
Life Story
Brigit was born at Faughart near Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Because of the legendary quality of the earliest accounts of her life, there is much debate among many scholars and even faithful Christians as to the authenticity of her biographies. According to her biographers her parents were Dubhthach, a pagan chieftain of Leinster, and Brocca, a Christian Pict and slave who had been baptised by Saint Patrick. Some accounts of her life suggest that Brigit's father was in fact from Lusitania, kidnapped by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland to work as a slave, in much the same way as Saint Patrick. Many stories also detail Brigit's and her mother's statuses as pieces of property belonging to Dubhthach, and the resulting impact on important parts of Brigit's life story. Saint Brigit is celebrated for her generosity to the poor. According to one tale, as a child, she once gave away her mother's entire store of butter. The butter was then replenished in answer to Brigit's prayers.. The ceremony is performed, according to different accounts, by one or other of the bishops Mel (d. 487) or MacCaille (d. c.489), the location probably being in Mág Tulach (the present barony of Fartullagh, Co. Westmeath). Mel also granted her abbatial powers. She followed Saint Mel into the Kingdom of Teathbha, which is made up of sections of modern Meath, Westmeath and Longford. This occurred about 468. Brigit's small oratory at Cill-Dara (Kildare) became a center of religion and learning, and developed into a cathedral city. She founded two monastic institutions, one for men, and the other for women, and appointed Saint Conleth as spiritual pastor of them. It has been frequently stated that she gave canonical jurisdiction to Saint Conleth, Bishop of Kildare, but, as Archbishop Healy points out, she simply "selected the person to whom the Church gave this jurisdiction", and her biographer tells us distinctly that she chose Saint Conleth "to govern the church along with herself". Thus, for centuries, Kildare was ruled by a double line of abbotbishops and of abbesses, the Abbess of Kildare being regarded as superior general of the monasteries in Ireland. Brigit also founded a school of art, including metal work and illumination, over which Conleth presided. The Kildare scriptorium produced theBook of Kildare, which elicited high praise from Giraldus Cambrensis, but which has disappeared since the Reformation. According to Giraldus, nothing that he had ever seen was at all comparable to the book, every page of which was gorgeously illuminated, and he concludes by saying that the interlaced work and the harmony of the colours left the impression that "all this is the work of angelic, and not human skill".
Hagiography
The differing biographies written by different authors, giving conflicting accounts of her life, are regarded of considerable literary merit in themselves. Three of those biographies agreed that she had a slave mother in the court of her father, Dubhthach, a king of Leinster. An ancient account of her life is by Saint Broccan Cloen: Ni bu Sanct Brigid suanach Ni bu huarach im sheirc Dé, Sech ni chiuir ni cossena Ind nóeb dibad bethath che. Saint Brigid was not given to sleep, Nor was she intermittent about God's love of her; Not merely that she did not buy, she did not seek for The wealth of this world below, the holy one. One, the Life of Brigit dates from the closing years of the eighth century, and is held in the Dominican friary at Eichstatt in Bavaria. It expounds the metrical life of Saint Brigit, and versified it in Latin. The earliest Latin "life" of Brigit was a short vignette composed by Colman nepos Cracavist around 800. Brigit is at times known as "the Patroness of Ireland" and "Queen of the South: the Mary of the Gael" by a writer in the "Leabhar Breac". Brigit died leaving a cathedral city and school that became famous all over Europe. In her honour Saint Ultan of Ardbraccan wrote a hymn commencing: Christus in nostra insula Que vocatur Hibernia Ostensus est hominibus Maximis mirabilibus Que perfecit per felicem Celestis vite virginem Precellentem pro merito Magno in mundi circulo. Christ was made known to men On our island of Hibernia by the very great miracles which he performed through the happy virgin of celestial life, famous for her merits through the whole world. The sixth life of the saint is attributed to Coelan, an Irish monk of the 8th century, and it derives a peculiar importance from the fact that it is prefaced by Saint Donatus, also an Irish monk, who became Bishop of Fiesole in 824. Donatus refers to previous lives by Ultan and Ailerán. When dying, Brigit was attended by Saint Ninnidh, who was afterwards known as "Ninnidh of the Clean Hand" because he had his right hand encased with a metal covering to prevent it ever being defiled, after being the medium of administering the last rites to "Ireland's Patroness". Various Continental breviaries of the pre-Reformation period commemorate Brigit, and her name is included in a litany in the Stowe Missal. In addition, Brigit is highly venerated by many Eastern Orthodox Christians as one of the great Western saints before the schism between the Eastern and Western Churches. Her feast day, as in the West, is February 1, although churches following the Julian calendar (as in many Orthodox countries) celebrate her feast on February 14, the corresponding date on the Julian calendar. The troparion to her is in Tone 1: O holy Brigid, thou didst become sublime through thy humility, and didst fly on the wings of thy longing for God. When thou didst arrive in the Eternal City and appear before thy Divine Spouse, wearing the crown of virginity, thou didst keep thy promise to remember those who have recourse to thee. Thou dost shower grace upon the world, and dost multiply miracles. Intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls. The corresponding kontakion is in Tone 4: The holy virgin Brigid full of divine wisdom, shy of men, went with joy along the way of evangelical childhood, and with the grace of God attained in this way the summit of virtue and charity. Wherefore she now bestows blessings upon those who come to her with faith. O holy Virgin, intercede with Christ our God that He may have mercy on our souls. According to the tradition of the Orthodox church, Saint Brigit lost one of her eyes which saved her from being married against her will. In another version of the legendary story of Saint Brigid losing her eye, is that she suffered an eye disease making her lose one eye. In the book 'Saint Brigid' by Iain MacDonald, Saint Brigid had an eye disease, she put her finger under her eye and plucked it out of her head so that it lay on her cheek, and when Dubthach and her bretheren beheld that, they promised that she should never be told to go to a husband except for the husband whom she should like; then Saint Brigid prayed to God put her palm to her eye, and it was healed at once, Saint Brigid was able to miraculously put her eye back in its socket in her head, restoring and healing her own eye. The following are the first and second troparia of the fourth ode of the canon of the saint from the Orthodox Matins service: Considering the beauty of the body as of no account, when one of thine eyes was destroyed thou didst rejoice, O venerable one, for thou didst desire to behold the splendour of heaven and to glorify God with the choirs of the righteous. Spurning an earthly betrothed, and praying beyond hope that the refusal of thy parents be changed, thou didst find aid from on high, so that the beauty of thy body was ruined.
Veneration:
Celebrations
Because of the astounding historical background of Rwanda, the nation established a national day of celebration of Democracy. Democracy day is a symbol of the country’s strong foundation. That no matter what storm it may face, Rwanda will always remain Rwanda. In fact, Rwanda is now considered as the first country to be ruled by a female-majority parliament that was held during the partial elections on September 2008.
World Leprosy Day Worldwide - J a n 3 0
World Leprosy Day is observed internationally on January 30 or its nearest Sunday to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy or Hansen's Disease. This day was chosen in commemoration of the death of Gandhi, the leader of India who understood the importance of leprosy. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world. It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body the hands, feet, and face.
Independence Day Nauru- J a n 3 1
Nauru officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 kilometres (186 mi) to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just 21 square kilometres (8.1 sq mi). With just over 9,265 residents, it is the second least-populated country after Vatican City. Settled by Micronesian and Polynesian people, Nauru was annexed and claimed as a colony by the German Empire in the late 19th century. After World War I, Nauru became a League of Nations mandate administered by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. During World War II, Nauru was occupied by Japanese troops, who were bypassed by the Allied advance across the Pacific. After the war ended, it entered into trusteeship again. Nauru gained its independence in 1968. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Nauru was a "rentier state". Nauru is a phosphate rock island, with deposits close to the surface, which allow for simple strip mining operations. This island was a major exporter of phosphate starting in 1907, when the Pacific Phosphate Company began mining there, through the formation of the British Phosphate Commission in 1919, and continuing after independence. This gave Nauru back full control of its minerals under the Nauru Phosphate Corporation, until the deposits ran out during the 1980s. For this reason, Nauru briefly boasted the highest per-capita income enjoyed by any sovereign state in the world during the late 1960s and early 1970s. When the phosphate reserves were exhausted, and the environment had been seriously harmed by mining, the trust that had been established to manage the island's wealth diminished in value. To earn income, Nauru briefly became a tax haven and illegal money laundering centre. From 2001 to 2008, it accepted aid from the Australian Government in exchange for housing a Nauru detention centre that held and assessed the refugee claims of asylum seekers who had arrived unauthorised in Australia. The island has one airport, Nauru International Airport. From January to September 2006, Nauru became partially isolated from the outside world when Air Nauru, the airline which served the island, ceased operations in December 2005 and left the island accessible only by ship. The airline was subsequently able to restart operations in October 2006 under the name Our Airline with monetary aid from the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Etymology
English visitors to the island originally named it "Pleasant Island". The name "Nauru" may derive from the Nauruan word Anáoero, which means "I go to the beach". The German settlers called the island Nawodo or Onawero.
is not only present in Hungary but also in the neighbouring countries and ethnic Hungarians living in neighbouring countries define themselves as a community. János Martonyi stressed that Hungary had come to terms with the loss of its former territories and would only demand that neighbouring states acknowledge the fact that they had acquired significant Hungarian communities along with the territories. This could be the foundation for developing the best possible friendships between our nations, he added. The Hungarian Foreign Minister declared that the Hungarian communities living outside Hungary are to decide what strategy they want to pursue and
Federal Territory Day Malaysia - F e b 0 1
Contemporary celebrations
Since 1988 participation in Australia Day has increased and in 1994 all States and Territories began to celebrate a unified public holiday on the actual day for the first time. Research conducted in 2007 reported that 27.6% of Australians polled attended an organised Australia Day event and a further 25.6% celebrated with family and friends making Australia Day the largest annual public event in the nation. This reflected the results of an earlier research project where 66% of respondents anticipated that they would actively celebrate Australia Day 2005.Outdoor concerts, community barbecues, sports competitions, festivals and fireworks are some of the many events presented in communities across Australia. These official events are presented by the National Australia Day Council, an official council or committee in each state and territory, and local committees. In Sydney the harbour is a focus and races are held, such as a ferry race and the tall ships race. Featuring the People’s March and the Voyages Concert, Melbourne’s events focus strongly on the celebration of multi-culturalism. Major celebrations are not confined to the East coast capitals. Despite a drop in attendance in 2010, but still with audiences estimated at 400,000, the Perth Skyworks is the largest single event presented each Australia Day. Citizenship ceremonies are also commonly held with Australia Day now the largest occasion for the acquisition of Australian citizenship. On 26 January 2011, more than 300 Citizenship Ceremonies took place and 13,000 people from 143 countries took Australian Citizenship. In recent years many citizenship ceremonies have included an affirmation by existing citizens. Research conducted in 2007 reported that 78.6% of respondents thought that citizenship ceremonies were an important feature of the day. The official Australia Day Ambassador Program supports celebrations in communities across the nation by facilitating the participation of high-achieving Australians in local community celebrations. In 2011, 385 Ambassadors participated in 384 local community celebrations. The Order of Australia awards are also a feature of the day. The Australia Day Achievement Medallion is awarded to citizens by local governments based on excellence in both government and non-government organisations. The Governor-General and Prime Minister both address to the nation. On the eve of Australia Day each year, the Prime Minister announces the winner of the Australian of the Year award, presented to an Australian citizen who has shown a "significant contribution to the Australian community and nation", and is an "inspirational role model for the Australian community". Subcategories of the award include Young and Senior Australian of the Year, and an award for Australia's Local Hero. Various music festivals are held on Australia Day, such as the Big Day Out, the Triple JHottest 100, and the Australia Day Live Concert which is televised nationally. For many years an international cricket match has been held on Australia Day at the Adelaide Oval. These matches have included both Test matches and One Day Internationals.Research in 2009 indicated that Australians reflect on history and future fairly equally on Australia Day, with 43% of those polled agreeing history is the most important thing to think about on Australia Day and 41% saying they look towards ‘our future’. Thirteen percent thought it was important to ‘think about the present at this time’ and 3% were unsure. Despite the date reflecting the arrival of the First Fleet, contemporary celebrations are not particularly historical in their theme. There are no large-scale re-enactments and the national leader’s participation is focused largely on events such as the Australian of the Year Awards announcement and Citizenship Ceremonies. Possibly reflecting a shift in Australians’ understanding of the place of Indigenous Australians in their national identity, Newspollresearch in November 2009 reported that ninety percent of Australians polled believed ‘it was important to recognise Australia’s indigenous people and culture’ as part of Australia Day celebrations. A similar proportion (89%) agreed that ‘it is important to recognise the cultural diversity of the nation’. Despite the strong attendance at Australia Day events and a positive disposition towards the recognition of Indigenous Australians, the date of the celebrations remains a source of challenge and national discussion.
Photo: Gergely Botár
Photo: MTI, Attila Kovács (Online 21 Jan) Hungary aims to develop the best possible friendship with its neighbours, Minister János Foreign Martonyi declared at the Friends of Hungary 2014 conference in Budapest on Monday. Making friends and establishing friendships with other nations is a basic principle of foreign policy, János Martonyi said. The aim of foreign policy is to develop the best possible relations with "every worthy country", and maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries is particularly important, he added. The Hungarian Foreign Minister claimed that Hungary was in a unique situation in that the Hungarian nation as a cultural entity
Nauruan warrior, 1880
History Nauru was first inhabited by Micronesian and Polynesian people at least 3,000 years ago. There were traditionally
12 clans or tribes on Nauru, which are represented in the 12-pointed star in the flag of the country. Nauruans traced their descent matrilineally. Nauruans practice daquaculture – they caught juvenile ibija fish, acclimatised them to fresh water, and raised them in the Buada Lagoon, providing an additional and more reliable source of food. The other locally grown components of their diet included coconuts and pandanus fruit. The British sea captain John Fearn, a whale hunter, became the first Westerner to visit this island in 1798, and he named it "Pleasant Island". From around 1830, Nauruans had contact with Europeans from whaling ships and traders who replenished their supplies (such as fresh water) at Nauru. Around this time, deserters from the ships began to live on the island. The islanders traded food for alcoholic palm wine and firearms. The firearms were used during the 10-yearNauruan Tribal War that began in 1878, and by 1888 had resulted in a reduction of the population of Nauru from 1,400 to 900 people. Nauru was annexed by Germany in 1888 and incorporated into Germany's Marshall Island Protectorate. The Germans called the island Nawodo or Onawero. The arrival of the Germans ended the war, and social changes brought about by the war established kings as rulers of the island. The most widely known of these was King Auweyida. Christian missionaries from the Gilbert Islands arrived in 1888. The Germans ruled Nauru for almost three decades. Robert Rasch, a German trader who married a native woman, was the first administrator, appointed in 1890. Phosphate was discovered on Nauru in 1900 by the prospector Albert Ellis. The Pacific Phosphate Company started to exploit the reserves in 1906 by agreement with Germany. The company exported its first shipment in 1907. In 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, Nauru was captured by Australian troops. Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom signed the Nauru Island Agreement in 1919, creating a board known as the British Phosphate Commission (BPC). This took over the rights to phosphate mining. According to the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics (now the Australian Bureau of Statistics), "In common with other natives, the islanders are very susceptible to tuberculosis and influenza, and in 1921 an influenza epidemic caused the deaths of 230 islanders." In 1923, the League of Nations gave Australia a trustee mandate over Nauru, with the United Kingdom and New Zealand as co-trustees. On 6 and 7 December 1940, the German auxiliary cruisers Komet and Orion sank four supply ships in the vicinity of Nauru. On the next day, Komet shelled Nauru's phosphate mining areas, oil storage depots, and the shiploading cantilever. Japanese troops occupied Nauru on 26 August 1942. The Japanese troops built an airfield on Nauru which was bombed for the first time on 25 March 1943, preventing food supplies from being flown to Nauru. The Japanese deported 1,200 Nauruans to work as labourers in the Chuuk islands. Nauru, which had been bypassed and left to "wither on the vine" by American forces, was finally set free from the Japanese on 13 September 1945, when Captain Hisayaki Soeda, the commander of all the Japanese troops on Nauru, surrendered the island to the Australian Armyand the Royal Australian Navy. This surrender was accepted by Brigadier J. R. Stevenson, who represented Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee, the commander of the First Australian Army, on board the warship HMAS Diamantina. Arrangements were made to repatriate from Chuuk the 737 Nauruans who survived Japanese captivity there. They were returned to Nauru by the BPC ship Trienza in January 1946. In 1947, a trusteeship was established by the United Nations, and Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom became the U.N. trustees of the island. Nauru became self-governing in January 1966, and following a two-year constitutional convention, it became independent in 1968, led by founding president Hammer DeRoburt. In 1967, the people of Nauru purchased the assets of the British Phosphate Commissioners, and in June 1970, control passed to the locally owned Nauru Phosphate Corporation. One of the ships commissioned to ship the natural resources of Nauru was the Eigamoiya, built by the Henry Robb shipyard at Leith in Scotland. Income from the mining of phosphate gave Nauruans one of the highest living standards in the Pacific and the world. In 1989, Nauru took legal actions against Australia in the International Court of Justice over Australia's actions during its administration of Nauru. In particular, Nauru made a legal complaint against Australia's failure to remedy the environmental damage caused by phosphate mining. Certain Phosphate Lands: Nauru v. Australia led to an out-ofcourt settlement to rehabilitate the mined-out areas of Nauru.
It seems that Faughart was the scene of her birth. Faughart Church was founded by Saint Moninne in honour of Brigit. The old well of Brigit's adjoining the ruined church still attracts pilgrims. There is evidence in the Trias Thaumaturga for Brigit's stay in Connacht, especially in County Roscommon and also in the many churches founded by her in the Diocese of Elphim. Her friendship with Saint Patrick is attested by the following paragraph from the Book of Armagh: "inter sanctum Patricium Brigitanque Hibernesium columpnas amicitia caritatis inerat tanta, ut unum cor consiliumque haberent unum. Christus per illum illamque virtutes multas peregit". (Between Patrick and Brigid, the columns of the Irish, there was so great a friendship of charity that they had but one heart and one mind. Through him and through her Christ performed many miracles.) At Armagh there was a "Templum Brigidis"; namely the little abbey church known as "Regles Brigid", which contained some relics of the saint, destroyed in 1179, by William FitzAldelm. Brigit was interred at the right of the high altar of Kildare Cathedral, and a costly tomb was erected over her "Adorned with gems and precious stones and crowns of gold and silver." Over the years her shrine became an object of veneration for pilgrims, especially on her feast day, February 1. About the year 878, owing to the Scandinavian raids, Brigit's relics were taken to Downpatrick, where they were interred in the tomb of Patrick and Columba. The relics of the three saints were discovered in 1185, and on June 9 of the following year were reinterred inDown Cathedral. In modern Ireland, "Mary of the Gael" remains a popular saint, and Brigit remains a common female Christian name.
Placenames:
Hundreds of placenames in her honour are to be found all over both Scotland and Ireland. Kilbride is one of Ireland’s most widely spread placenames, there are 43 Kilbrides located in 19 of Ireland’s 32 counties: Antrim (2), Carlow, Cavan, Down, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny (3), Laois, Longford, Louth, Mayo (5), Meath (4), Offaly (4), Roscommon (2), Waterford, Westmeath (2), Wexford (4), and Wicklow (8) as well as two Kilbreedy’s in Tipperary, Kilbreedia and Toberbreeda in Clare, Toberbreedia in Kilkenny, Brideswell Commons in Dublin, Bridestown and Templebreedy in Cork and Rathbride and Brideschurch in Kildare.. Similarly, there are a number of placenames derived from Cnoic Bhríde ("Brigit's Hill"), such as Knockbridge in Louth and Knockbride in Cavan. Brigit-related names in Scotland and England include several Bridewells or Brideswells, (commemorating in their names the presence of a sacred well dedicated to Brigit or her pre-Christian antecedent), East Kilbride, West Kilbride, Kilbride, Brideswell, Templebride and Tubberbride, derived for the word for well, "Tobar" in Irish or Gaelic). These Brigidine sites include the original Bridewell Palace in London which became synonomous with jail houses through the English speaking world.
Relics:
Brigit's skull has been preserved in Igreja São João Baptista Lumiar the church of St Joao Baptista at Lumiar near Lisbon airport in Portugal since 1587 and is venerated on February 2 (not February 1, as in Ireland). St Brigid’s head was reputedly carried to King Diniz of Portugal in 1283 by Irish Knights traveling to the Aragonese Crusade. A fragment of her skull was brought to St Bridget’s Church, Kilcurry in 1905 by Sister Mary Agnes of the Dundalk Convent of Mercy and in 1928 another fragment was sent by the Bishop of Lisbon to St Brigid’s church in Killester in response to a request from Fathers Timothy Traynor and James McCarroll. The inscription on the tomb in Lumiar reads: “Here in these three tombs lie the three Irish knights who brought the head of St. Brigid, Virgin, a native of Ireland, whose relic is preserved in this chapel. In memory of which, the officials of the Table of the same Saint caused this to be done in January AD 1283.”
The cult overseas:
Church dedications, artwork, folklore and medieval manuscripts indicate the extent of the cult of Brigid in England, Scotland and Wales, Brittany, northern and eastern France, the Low Countries, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy. • Alsace: Devotion to Brigid dates to the eight century, there are relics of the Saint in the Church of Pierre de Vaux in Strasbourg. • Belgium: A fragment of a medieval Irish shawl known as ‘St Brigit's Mantle’ is venerated at Bruges, to where the cult of Brigid was introduced by Foillan (d655). There is a chapel (7th-10th century) dedicated to SainteBrigide at Fosses-la-Ville, a church in Liege and an altar in Hesse. • Brittany: Saint-Denis in St Omer is the best known of over thirty church and chapel dedications to Brigid, she is venerated in folklore as midwife to Mary and protectress of cattle. A palton is held at Morimer each year. • Cologne: four parish churches and seven chapels are dedicated to Brigid and a relic is preserved at Great St. Martin Church. A church dedicated to St Brigid was destroyed in the Napoleonic period. She had a chapel at Mainz. • Italy: Donatus of Fiesole compiled the metrical Life of Brigit. There is a church in Bobbio. • Netherlands: and Saint Brigid is the patron saint of the Dutch city of Ommen. • Portugal: Brigit's skull preserved in the church of St Joao Baptista at Lumiar was traditionally venerated on February 2 (not February 1, as in Ireland) and in former times was carried in procession as a sacred conduit in the blessing of children and animals throughout the parish, bênção do gado. • Spain: A cult of Brigid at Olite in Navarre was introduced from Troyes and Picardy in northern France around 1200 and a church dedicated to her in Seville. • Switzerland: A sacred flame, Lumen Sanctae Brigidae, was tended at Liestal in the 13th century and there is a chapel in St Gallen. Saint Brigit, in the alternative spelling of her name, Bride, was patron saint of the powerful medieval Scottish House of Douglas. The principal religious house, and Mausoleum of the Earls of Douglas and latterly Earls of Angus being St. Bride's Kirk, Douglas. Another saint Bridget of Sweden (1303–1373) was given a Swedish variant of the old Irish name named in honour of Brigit.
20th century:
Even as the lore of the pious saint was being spread to America, Australia and other English speaking countries by Irish missionaries including the Brigidine Sisters founded in her honour in 1807, Brigit was adopted as an icon by 20th century feminists who admire her achievement in a patriarchal society. Her political proponents included Maud Gonne and Inghinidhe na hÉireann who promoted her as a model for women. Within the institutional church, there were many who hailed her achievement (and her successor abbesses) of holding a position superior to their male counterparts and the claim, consistent in her Lives, that she had the status of a bishop, a status afterwards accorded to successive abbesses of Kildare until the twelfth century, was a source of inspiration despite being downplayed in times of high misogynism by more Anglo-centric writers and translators. Finally, growing interest in Celtic mysticism, folk spirituality and alternative forms of religion has attracted new age activists to the supposed goddess aspects of Brigit. As a result Brigid’s popularity has proven remarkably robust through all the tumultuous changes in belief systems in the 1600 years since her death.
Miracles:
As with all saints, Brigit was not able to be declared so without proof of her miracles. These were commonly recorded by those who had witnessed the miracles or had some relation to a person who had. In Saint Brigit’s case, most of her miracles were related to healing and domestic tasks usually attributed to women. If Brigit wished or predicted something to occur then it came to pass. A few examples of her miracles are described below. Several of Brigit’s miracles occurred on Easter Sunday. On this day, a leper had come to Brigit to ask for a cow. She asked for a time to rest and would help him later; however, he did not wish to wait and instead stated he would go somewhere else for a cow. Brigit then offered to heal him, but the man stubbornly replied that his condition allowed him to acquire more than he would healthy. After convincing the leper that this was not so, she told one of her maidens to have the man washed in a blessed mug of water. After this was done, the man was completely cured and vowed to serve Brigit. On another occasion, Brigit was traveling to see a physician for her headache. They were welcomed to stay at the house of Leinsterman. His wife was not able to have children that survived except for two daughters that had been dumb since their birth. Brigit was traveling to Áth with the daughters when her horse suddenly startled, causing her to wound her head on a stone. Her blood mixed with the water here. Brigit then instructed one of the girls to pour the bloodied water onto her neck in God’s name causing the girl to be healed. The healed sister was told to call her sister over to be healed as well, but the later responded that she had been made well when she bowed down in the tracks. Brigit told the cured sisters to return home and that they also would birth as many male children that their mother had lost. The stone that Brigit had injured herself cured any disease of the head when they laid the head on it. Brigit also performed miracles that included curse elements as well. When on the bank of Inny, Brigit was given a gift of apples and sweet sloes. She later entered a house where many lepers begged her for these apples, which she offered willingly. The nun who had given the gift to Brigit was irritated by this saying that she had not given the gift to the lepers. Brigit was angered at the nun for withholding from the lepers and therefore cursed her trees so they would no longer bear fruit, rendering them barren. Yet another virgin also gave Brigit the same gift as the nun, and again Brigit gave them to begging lepers. This time the virgin asked that she and her garden be blessed. Brigit then said that a large tree in the virgin’s garden would have twofold fruit from its offshoots, and this was done.
Namesakes:
Not all Kilbride or St Bride’s churches are directly associated with Brigit the daughter of Dubhthach. Seathrún Céitinn’s History of Ireland 1841 edition edited by Dermod O’Connor lists 14 Saints gleaned from the martyrologies and heroic literature each called Brigid, and not including Brigit of Kildare.. This dizzying abundance of Brigits had the effect of confusing those scholars in the 16th and 17th centuries who compiled the calendars from older manuscript sources, many of them now lost. For example John Colgan states Brighit of Moin-miolain was the daughter of Neman in one reference and the daughter of Aidus in another. The Martyrology of Donegal, for example, lists Brighit daughter of Diomman (feast day May 21), Brighit of Moin-miolain (feast day on March 9), and what may be five more: Brigid the daughter of Leinin (associated with Killiney, feast day March 6), Brighit of Cillmuine (November 12), Brighe of Cairbre (feast day January 7). and two other Brighits (feast days March 9, the second Brigit of that date, and Sept 30).
Connection with pagan Brigid
Saint Brigit of Kildare, the Christian saint, is often confused as being the same person as the Celtic pagan goddess Brigid who was a goddess of fertility blessing many births and harvests to Celtic pagans, and long preceded the saint from Kildare, the goddess Brigid was originally revered by the Brigantes of northern England; and a parallel conversion and adoption there may partly account for the cult of Saint Brigid spreading so rapidly in, around and outside Ireland, Scotland and England in the United Kingdom. Saint Brigid had an uncanny gifted and saintly ability to see into the souls of others, and confronted the Devil. Saint Brigid remains one of the United Kingdom's most popular saints after Saint Patrick. Saint Brigid born of a pagan father Dubthach, who was a powerful magical Druidic wizard and warlock , was given the name of the highly honored Celtic pagan goddess Brigid. Henceforth, with God, Saint Brigid is a patron saint and guardian of the poor pastoral folk who work the land, she protects the harvest; she increases the yield of cow, dairy and sheep. She lights the fire which is never extinguished, the ever-burning fire in the hearth of the humble croft. Saint Brigid is also the patron saint of studies and learning, just as the older Celtic goddess Brigid succoured the creative arts and poetry . Saint Brigid is recognised as one of the most potent symbols of Christian womanhood and fertility for all times. Her saintly glory is suffused in legend with her role as 'the Bride of Christ', and at times confused almost with the identity of the Virgin Mother herself. Some neo-pagans and historians question the historicity of Saint Brigid, or how much of her life as traditionally recounted is historically accurate. The Irish 'Book of Lismore', a traditional book on the lives of the ancient Celtic Irish saints written in Irish, Saint Brigid is described: 'She is the prophetess of Christ; she is the Queen of the South; she is the Mary of the Gael.'
Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 23 Jan) The Diploma Rescue Programme planned by the Government, which supports the language studies of those who only require a certificate of foreign language competency to obtain their higher education degree, is expected to assist some 10 thousand young people through a HUF 3bn fund. In Hungary, at least a B2 (intermediate) level language exam is necessary to obtain a diploma, but universities have the right to set higher standards. Minister of State for Employment Sándor Czomba said at the press conference where the programme was presented that those Hungarian citizens who have hitherto failed to receive their diploma as they have no foreign language competency certificate, but who have already passed their state exams, are no longer students in a legal sense of the word and are not older than 35 years of age will be entitled to join the programme. He added that no age limit will be set for those receiving childcare benefit or allowance and regis-
tered jobseekers will be given priority. According to the latest data, there are 49,370 persons who only need to obtain a foreign language competency certificate to receive their diplomas. In the opinion of Sándor Czomba, this “unused capital” must be activated and the Government hopes that the Programme, which is expected to be launched in March and end on 15 August 2015, will facilitate this process. As the Minister of State pointed out, the Government aims primarily to channel those who already have an elementary knowledge of the language to English and German language courses. No certificate of proof will be required, as teachers will decide whether the applicant has a sufficient level of competence. Plans are also underway to add French language to the initiative. The subsidy will cover the costs of a 240-hour course, up to a total of HUF 300 thousand per person. Participants will only have to finance the closing exam of the course, but registered
jobseekers may obtain their first foreign language competency certificate free of charge, Sándor Czomba stressed. He highlighted the fact that the unemployment rate for those below the age of 25 years is 25-27 percent in Hungary, while for those with higher education diplomas it is 6 percent, indicating that obtaining a diploma brings them into a better position on the labour market. The amount of HUF 3bn earmarked for the programme will be disbursed from the education budget of the National Employment Fund, and through a two-stage tendering process during which the educational institutions and then the participants will be selected. Speaking about deadlines, he said that the tenders would be announced until the end of January, while a decision on educational institutions is to be made at the end of February with courses scheduled to begin from the end of March.
Minister Balog speaks at Hungarian Culture Day gala
Photo: Ministry of Human Resources (Online 23 Jan) Culture is the cohesive force that binds together a nation through both space and history, Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog said on Wednesday on Hungarian Culture Day at a gala program involving all national cultural institutions. Mr. Balog said culture always unites and never divides, adding that economic growth is futile unless it also means
more funding for culture: “only those nations can progress, who hold on to their language and culture” – he said. Mr. Balog said that this year the state budget for culture is 17 billion forints (EUR 56 million) higher than in previous years. Among recent state investments in culture he highlighted the restoration of the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, “the most defining investment in national
culture”, the renewal of the Fejér county state archives, the opening of the Budapest Music Centre with a state investment of 600 million forints (EUR 2 million) and the current reconstruction of three historically significant buildings in Budapest. The Minister also presented several cultural awards to individuals and institutions involved in culture.
H unga r y c onde m ns the us e of f or c e a ga ins t pr ot e s t or s in U k r a ine (Online 22 Jan) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary condemns the use of force, and monitors with the greatest concern the events in Kyiv where some demonstrators have already lost their lives. The use of force only aggravates the extremely
complex and dangerous situation, therefore the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary calls on the parties to start a dialogue. The current situation demands a responsible behaviour from all those involved, and negotiations can offer the only
chance to find a solution that best serves the country's interest. The Ministry also calls on the Ukrainian authorities to respect the citizens’ right to assemble and their freedom of expression.
H u n g a r y s u p p o r t s S e r b i a ’s E U accession (Online 22 Jan) Serbia's European Union accession talks began in Brussels on Tuesday and are expected to last several years. The Serbian delegation at the opening session was headed by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and all twenty-eight Member States were also represented. MFA Minister of State for EU Affairs Enikő Győri attended the first meeting of the Serbian accession talks on behalf of Hungary. Speaking at the press conference following the meeting, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle called the day a historic one, while Ivica Dacic claimed that this was the most important event since World War II, because his country - which used to be considered more "western" than other communist countries, but then lost a lot of time and significantly fell behind - has finally set out on the path leading to joining the community of European nations. How Serbia which has not recognised the independence of Kosovo - shapes its relations with its former provinces was not only a precondition for the talks but will remain a point of consideration. As Enikő Győri put it, the issue of Pristina-Bel-
grade dialogue "will continuously be hovering over the entire accession process". The negotiating mandate discussed last month luckily does not allow "immediate suspension of talks" should the Serbia-Kosovo relationship take a turn for the worse, she added, referring to the fact that there were some EU Member States - Germany and the UK according to analysts familiar with the talks - that wanted the Kosovo-related criteria to be included in each negotiating chapter. The position at the other end of the spectrum was that the criteria of normalising Serbia's relations with Kosovo should be mentioned in Chapter 35, "Miscellaneous". The compromise reached mentions the requirement of settling the SerbiaKosovo relationship at the general assessment level in Chapter 35, and at the same time attaches appropriate significance in each negotiating chapter to the "Kosovo aspect". A motion to condemn Serbia for any step taken against normalising its relations with Kosovo and therefore to suspend the EU accession talks would have to obtain qualified support from the 28 EU Member States.
Hungary will do its utmost to promote the EU accession process of Serbia - Enikő Győri emphasised. "When I met the Serbian Prime Minister, I told him ’Welcome to the negotiating table, dear neighbour’.” She added that the commencement of Serbia's accession talks is a milestone in relations between the Western Balkans and the European Union. The Hungarian Minister of State recalled that Hungary left no doubt that it wanted its neighbours to join the community that Hungary joined roughly ten years ago. "We all know from history that Hungarian-Serbia relations have not been easy. There are problems and issues that need to be resolved", Enikő Győri said. She also highlighted that Hungary also expects Serbia to address minority rights appropriately and that "this was not a bilateral but a European issue.” The Hungarian Minister of State for EU affairs pointed out that Serbia, "which only recently was ravaged by war", has undergone substantial changes during the past ten years. This "shows that the perspective of EU accession has a very significant transformative power".
Hungary expresses concern over the ruling of the Serbian Constitutional Court (Online 21 Jan) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary expresses its concern over the Serbian Constitutional Court's recent ruling, which declared certain provisions of the law on national councils unconstitutional. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary pays due respect to the principle of the independence of the Constitutional Court, it expresses its concern over the fact that the ruling would limit the
powers of the Hungarian National Council of Vojvodina and narrow the scope of the rights acquired thus far by the ethnic Hungarian minority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary considers it regretful that the Constitutional Court has revoked some of the competences of the national councils but finds it reassuring that the bulk of the authority of the Hungarian National Council of Vojvodina and the foundations of minority
autonomy were left intact. It is particularly regretful that the Constitutional Court eliminated the minority councils' right to cooperate with the government organisations of their parent nations, it said. Serbia's talks on EU accession, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, will provide a broader opportunity for the Serbian Government to develop its legal system in line with the European Union's expectations and standards.