Ante Diem III Kalendas August

Modern Date : July 30th

Ante Diem III Kalendas August
Third Day to the Kalends of August


This is one of the dies comitiales when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

July was named in honor of Julius Caesar, and was formerly called Quinctilis, or the fifth month (after March).


Madam Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Hahn, later called Madam Blavatsky, was born at the midnight hour between the 30th and 31st of July (in the Russian Calendar, August 12) in 1831, at Ekaterinoslav. She was the mystic and medium who wrote Isis Unveiled.


Alpha-Capricornids
The Alpha-Capricornids peak at this time. Having begun on the third, it will end on August twenty-fifth. It is best observed from the southern hemisphere, but can be seen in some northern areas. It is a particularly bright shower with some fireball class meteors.


St Abdon
A Persian nobleman who suffered martyrdom with his companion, St. Sennen. Abdon, also called Abdo or Abdus in some lists, is recorded in the Acta of the saints dating to the ninth century, but he and St. Sennen were venerated as early as the third century. The martyrs were exposed to persecutions in the reign of Emperor Diocletian and were carried in chains to Rome. There, they were put in an arena with wild animals but remained unharmed as the animals refused to slay them. Gladiators were sent in to kill them as a last resort. Abdon's body and that of his companion were buried in the Pontian cemetery near the gates of Rome; however, the cities of Florence and Soissons also claim to possess their remains. St Abdon is the patron of hygiene. In the Vosges Mountains of Europe, the ashes of ferns cut and burned on
this feast keep away insects and unwanted guests.


Thunder God
On the 24th day of the 6th lunar month, the Chinese celebrate the Thunder-god (Leigong) or God of War by setting off fireworks. This is also the Birthday of the Lotus.

Ante Diem IV Kalendas August

Modern Date : July 29th

Ante Diem IV Kalendas August
Fourth Day to the Kalends of August


This is one of the dies comitiales, when committees of citizens could vote on political or criminal matters.

July was named in honor of Julius Caesar, and was formerly called Quinctilis, or the fifth month (after March).


Meteor Showers
The Piscis Austrinids meteor shower peaks on this date. It began on July ninth and will end on August seventeenth. This shower is best seen from near-equatorial or southern hemisphere sites.

The Delta Aquarids meteor shower also peaks at this time and emanates from the same region of space. It began one day earlier than the Piscis Austrinids and will end two days after.


St Martha (another Magdalene saint?)
Despite her reputation as a domestic saint, invoked for help cooking, running a household and maintaining the family peace, she's also a dragon-taming saint (or perhaps those aren't so contradictory). Along with her sister Mary and brother Lazarus, she later went to Marseilles, where she is honored on May 24 as one of the Three Maries. Her body was discovered at Tarascon in France where a magnificent church was erected in her honor. Both Tarascon and the herb Tarragon are derived from the word for dragon.

I found this charm from a novena to St Martha (Magdalene? (Wife of Jesus), that can be reverted back to old religion use:

"St Martha, I resort to thy aid and protection. As proof of my affection and faith, I offer thee this light, which I shall burn every Tuesday. Comfort me in all my difficulties and through the great favors thou didst enjoy when the Saviour(Jesus, Sun-God) was lodged in thy house. Intercede for my family, that we be provided for in our necessities. I ask of thee, St Martha (Mother), to overcome all difficulties as thou didst overcome the dragon which thou hadst at thy feet."


Horse God
On the 23rd day of the 6th lunar month, the Chinese honor the Horse-God, Mawang. Mawang or Ma-Wang is a huge subject in Chinese Daoist theology, and to be honest...at this point I have not a clue. The websites dealing with this god are hard to read at best. This is an area for futher study.