The Ember Days

Ember Days are four sets of days set within the church year where God’s people are invited to seek His blessings and acknowledge that all that is good flows from His hands, to give alms, and to reflect on their sins similar to what is done during Lent and Advent. These days were originally days of repentance, prayer, and fasting, and roughly followed the four seasons of the natural year.

The Ember Days are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of:

• The week following the First Sunday in Lent

• The week between Pentecost and Trinity Sunday

• The week following the Feast of the Holy Cross (September 14)

• The week following the Commemoration of St. Lucy (Lucia of Syracuse (b.283–d.304) on December 13.

  We can remember the dates with this little mnemonic couplet:

  “Fasting days and Emberings be
  Lent, Whitsun, Holyrood, and Lucie.”

In our Lutheran heritage these days marked a time of piety which was especially devoted to preaching and teaching on the Catechism. Following the Reformation, the Ember Days became the roots of “days of repentance” in evangelical circles. Today, we can keep these special days to return our practice of piety to its roots by fasting, prayer – especially praying the catechism, and deep self-examination and focused repentance. Regarding the Ember Days, Martin Luther wrote, “It has hitherto been our custom to teach the elements and fundamentals of Christian knowledge and life four times a year.” (Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works, Vol. 51, p.135.)