I love history and although my family doesn’t celebrate Michaelmas Day, I have enjoyed learning about its traditions. Michaelmas Day is the feast day of St. Michael and All Angels in the Christian calendar. Archangel Michael is widely regarded as the “chief of angels” and the patron saint of the sea, ships and horses.

In medieval times, Michaelmas Day was a “quarter-day”, one of four days in the year to pay rents and settle old debts. In England and northern Ireland, it was thought that if you ate a goose on Michaelmas Day you’d have good luck for the next year. Enjoying a goose on September 29th is still a tradition today for many families in the United Kingdom.

In some circles, archangel Michael is considered to be the angel of protection.

More about Michaelmas Day and the archangel Michael:

• Some food history of the feast (The Old Foodie)>>
• Folklore and associations with the day (Wilson’s Almanac)>>
• Archangel Michael from the Catholic Encyclopedia>>
• Archangel Michael (Sarah’s Archangels)>>

Angels have been a favorite subject for artists and we’ve found many incredible pieces of art featuring archangel Michael.

Michael the Archangel by CRDesigns
Browse more Michael Cards

Archangel Michael By Angelo Bronzino by artpaintings

Archangel Michael by sunspiritgallery

Archangel Michael Notecard by matthewalderman

Icon Archangel Michael by Mark_Killingsworth
View other Saint T-Shirts

The archangel michael by souporstars

Scott’s Cape Evans Hut (Photo: Alan Light)

A U.S. research company recently found what it believes to be the wreckage of the ship Terra Nova off the coast of Greenland. The wooden ship sank in 1943 while on a supply mission. But it is best known as the ship that carried Robert Scott and his fellow explorers to Antarctica in 1910-1912 as they attempted to be the first to reach the South Pole. Unfortunately, Scott and his four companions discovered the Norwegian party led by Roald Amundsen had reached the Pole first. All the members of Scott’s party died on the return trek back from South Pole.

It’s rather extraordinary that the wreckage was found now when the world is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Scott’s fateful Terra Nova Expedition.

More about the discovery of the Terra Nova wreckage:

• BBC Science News article>>
• Schmidt Ocean Institute (the discoverers of the wreckage) article>>

More about Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition:

• Wikipedia’s article on the Terra Nova Expedition>>
• Cool Antarctica’s article on Scott and the Expedition>>
• Cool Antarctica’s article on the Terra Nova ship>>