A septangle is a figure with seven sides. A septave is a seven-tone musical scale. A septuagenarian is a person who is between 70 and 79 years old. It’s almost a conundrum why September, from the same Latin root “septem” which means seven, is the ninth month of the calendar year. There were a few attempts to rename September, but none of them stuck.
Most people associate September with the start of the academic year. Within the Eastern Orthodox Church, September is the beginning of the liturgical calendar, which dictates what scriptures are read when, and which saints are celebrated on which days. In the Northern Hemisphere, September is associated with harvest, school, Halloween and pumpkin spice lattes.
Those born in September celebrate with a sapphire birthstone. Flowers for the month of September are the forget-me-not and morning glory. In art and mosaics, September is often represented through a basket of grapes, which signifies the harvest.
The Harvest Celebration
The September equinox is probably the most important point in time within the month. Generally, this day occurs between September 21 and 24. In 2016, it occurs on September 22. On this one day, the sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. The length of the daylight and nighttime is almost equal on the equinox.
Many cultures hold fall festivals that celebrate the harvest. The Romans celebrated Pomona, the goddess of fruits. In Korea, the major fall festival is Chuseok, which also pays tribute to the ancestors and hometowns. Japanese citizens also honor their ancestors on Autumnal Equinox Day, celebrated around September 23. Pagans celebrate Mabon, one of the three fall festivals that honor the harvest. Latvians celebrate Apjumības, the day on which cereals are mowed for the last time.
Michaelmas, celebrated on September 29, is thought to be the Christian celebration of the harvest. It’s the Feast of the Archangels or Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels. The date marked the ending and beginning of the husbandman’s year in medieval Europe. The bailiff would make out the accounts for the year when the harvest had been brought in. New staff might be hired for the next year. It was an important date for peasants as many were paid their wages.
However, Michaelmas was also considered a holy day, much like Christmas, in celebration of the archangel Michael who defeated Satan in a war in heaven. Some scholars have suggested that Michael is Jesus, but it is only speculation based on the idea that Michael led an army of angels. Because the Bible never indicates that there are two armies of angels, the logical assumption is that Michael and Jesus must be the same person.
We Use the Gregorian Calendar
Why is September the ninth month? At one time, in the Roman calendar, September was the seventh month. The Roman calendar consisted of 304 days, which did not correspond to the solar cycle. When the calendar was reformed to the Julian calendar, the months of January and February were added to the beginning of the year. The months of September, October, November and December were not renamed. Later, the Julian calendar was reformed to the Gregorian calendar by Pope Gregory XIII to reduce the number of leap years every four centuries. It was a small change, but made the difference in keeping dates in sync with the sun.
Go have your pumpkin spiced latte this fall season before they’re gone. Get those apple cookies inspired by fall. Have a warm cup of apple cider on one of those cool evenings. Just remember that September is more than harvest, back-to-school, and the changing of the leaves.