Did you know...

...  it's All Saints Day? After all the spookiness of All Hallow's Eve it's now All Hallow's Day or All Saints Day. Even more fascinating (are you still with me) it came into existence in 609AD when Pope Boniface thought it a good idea to have a special day remembering all the Martyrs and he chose 13th May. A few hundred years later in 837 Pope Gregory IV decided to allow the saints to join in and moved the date to Ist November. Now it tends to be a remembrance of all souls who have arrived in Heaven. Those who are on their way but haven't quite got there are (not sure what they're doing) are remembered tomorrow on All Souls Day. 

Irish saints are an interesting lot - somewhat feisty. One of my favourites has to be St Fionnchú or Fanahan who was a handy chap to have in a fight and was often called on when necessary. Know for his fiery temper, sparks leapt from his gnashing teeth as he went into battle, wielding his crozier named Head Battler. Female saints seem to have a particularly difficult time as they are invariably beautiful and pursued by unwanted suitors - the solution to this inevitably being some kind of self mutilation, often the plucking out of an eye. Two saints in the extras - a gorgeous depiction of St Bridget by a very famous Irish stained glass artist, Harry Clarke, and a rather random St Theresa (I think) lurking behind some grasses in front of an old pub - she's almost life size.

I was swayed over by the sunset though - so still and calm and luminous.