1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/November

NOVEMBER (Lat. novem, nine), the ninth month of the old Roman year, which began with March. By the Julian arrangement, according to which the year began with the 1st of January, November became the eleventh month and had thirty days assigned to it. The 11th of November was held to mark the beginning of winter; the sacred banquet called epulum Jovis took place on the 13th. It is said that the senate desired to rename the month in honour of Tiberius—his birthday occurring on the 16th, but the emperor declined, saying, “What will you do, Conscript Fathers, if you have thirteen Caesars?” The Anglo-Saxon names for November were Windmonath, “windmonth” and Blodmonath “blood month.” In the calendar of the first French republic November reappeared partly as Brumaire and partly as Frimaire. The principal November festivals in the calendar of the Roman Church are: All Saints Day on the 1st, All Souls’ on the 2nd, St Martin’s on the 11th, the Presentation of the Virgin on the 21st, St Cecilia’s on the 22nd, St Catherine’s on the 25th and St Andrew’s on the 30th. St Hubert commemorated on the 3rd. In the English calendar All Saints’ and St Andrew’s are the only feasts retained.