Subject: Originally, yes. Now, not so much.
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Posted on: 2015-05-14 18:01:00 UTC
Although yes, originally it was connected to the celebration of one's own patron saint, there is no longer any explicit connection to Christianity. I'm a Wiccan (or, at least, soon-to-be one) and I still celebrate it :D
In case you don't know, my American friends, a name day is a tradition in many countries in Europe and Latin America that consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's given name.
Today, May 14th, is a name day for (among others): Jeremy, Victor, Michael, Maciej (or, Mattias - that's me!), Mary, Ampelia, Ampelius, and Fenenna.
Anyway, bring out those cakes! Let's party!!!
Cause some people celebrate those, too.
We do have All Saints' Day on November 1st, but that's more religious thing.
But who cares, let's have fun.
-Sets a table with tea and scones-
It is pretty common, at least here in Poland. While birthdays are celebrated, too, name days are more like a way to meet with friends and have a drink together. I.e. people from Italy know this as "Onomastico"
Can I hazard a guess that it's a Roman Catholic thing originally? It sounds like it might have its source in saints' days, and Poland, Italy, and South America are (I think) traditionally Catholic.
Wait, I don't need to guess - you probably know. So tell?
hS
you're exactly right: the "name day" celebration has its roots in the Catholic celebration of saints' days--so it makes perfect sense that traditionally-Protestant nations like the UK and the US don't celebrate them.
Although yes, originally it was connected to the celebration of one's own patron saint, there is no longer any explicit connection to Christianity. I'm a Wiccan (or, at least, soon-to-be one) and I still celebrate it :D
In fact, here in Mexico, is greeted with "Feliz Día de tu Santo." (lit.: "Happy Day of your Saint."). It even has its own celebratory song! It's not celebrated as it used to be though, it has been falling out of favor over the last decades.