Look up red letter day in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A red letter day (sometimes hyphenated as red-letter day) is any day of special significance or opportunity. Its roots are in classical antiquity; for instance, important days are indicated in red in a calendar dating from the Roman Republic (509–27 BC).[1]
In medieval manuscripts, initial capitals and highlighted words (known as rubrics) were written in red ink. The practice was continued after the invention of the printing press, including in Catholic liturgical books. Many calendars still indicate special dates, festivals and holidays in red instead of black.
In the universities of the UK, scarlet days are when doctors may wear their scarlet 'festal' or full dress gowns instead of their undress ('black') gown.
In Norway, Sweden, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia and some Latin American countries, a public holiday is sometimes referred to as "red day" (rød dag, röd dag, 빨간 날, 紅日, tanggal merah), as it is printed in red in calendars.[2]
On red letter days, judges of the English High Court (King's Bench Division) wear, at sittings of the Court of Law, their scarlet robes (see court dress).[3] Red letter days for these purposes are a fixed selection of saints' days (sometimes coinciding with the traditional start or end dates of the legal terms during which sittings of the High Court take place) and of national celebrations, mostly associated with senior members of the British royal family (and, therefore, changing from generation to generation).
Current red letter days in the United Kingdomedit
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: Update needed on what will change or changed after Elizabeth II's death. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(September 2022)
The list of red letter days currently observed in the United Kingdom (and on which, if a weekday, judges of the English High Court (King's Bench Division) traditionally wear, at sittings of the Court of Law, their scarlet robes)[4] is as follows:[5]
Days which will never fall within the legal term are not red letter days (examples being Christmas Day and Easter Day).
Former red letter days in the United Kingdomedit
A comparison can be drawn with the Red Letter Days listed 100 years ago in Dress and Insignia Worn at His Majesty's Court (1921), which are on the same principle (a fixed selection of saints’ days, plus days honouring senior members of the Royal Family), except that the modern list adds the national saints of Wales and Scotland (St David and St Andrew, not listed in 1921) although not the national saint of England (St George). The 1921 listing, in full, is:[6]
Red Letter Days on which the Judges of the High Court (King's Bench Division) wear, at Sittings of the Court of Law, their Scarlet Robes:
January 25. (Conversion of Saint Paul.)
February 2. (Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.)
February 24. (Saint Matthias.)
Ash Wednesday. (Movable.)
March 25. (Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.)
^"Red letter day idiom origin". Retrieved 2018-07-25.
^"High Court Judges, Court Dress". Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Retrieved 14 April 2021. On Red Letter days (which include the Sovereign's birthday and certain saints' days) all High Court judges wear a scarlet robe.
^"Days". Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
^Cambridge Pocket Diary. Cambridge University Press.
^Dress and Insignia Worn at His Majesty's Court. London: Harrison and Sons Ltd. 1921. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
December 17, 2023
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For other uses see Red letter day disambiguation Look up red letter day in Wiktionary the free dictionary A red letter day sometimes hyphenated as red letter day is any day of special significance or opportunity Its roots are in classical antiquity for instance important days are indicated in red in a calendar dating from the Roman Republic 509 27 BC 1 In medieval manuscripts initial capitals and highlighted words known as rubrics were written in red ink The practice was continued after the invention of the printing press including in Catholic liturgical books Many calendars still indicate special dates festivals and holidays in red instead of black In the universities of the UK scarlet days are when doctors may wear their scarlet festal or full dress gowns instead of their undress black gown In Norway Sweden Hong Kong South Korea Indonesia and some Latin American countries a public holiday is sometimes referred to as red day rod dag rod dag 빨간 날 紅日 tanggal merah as it is printed in red in calendars 2 Contents 1 Legal 1 1 Current red letter days in the United Kingdom 1 2 Former red letter days in the United Kingdom 2 See also 3 ReferencesLegal editOn red letter days judges of the English High Court King s Bench Division wear at sittings of the Court of Law their scarlet robes see court dress 3 Red letter days for these purposes are a fixed selection of saints days sometimes coinciding with the traditional start or end dates of the legal terms during which sittings of the High Court take place and of national celebrations mostly associated with senior members of the British royal family and therefore changing from generation to generation Current red letter days in the United Kingdom edit This section needs to be updated The reason given is Update needed on what will change or changed after Elizabeth II s death Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information September 2022 The list of red letter days currently observed in the United Kingdom and on which if a weekday judges of the English High Court King s Bench Division traditionally wear at sittings of the Court of Law their scarlet robes 4 is as follows 5 October 18th St Luke 28th St Simon and St Jude November 1st All Saints 14th King Charles III born 1948 2nd Saturday in November Lord Mayor s Day 30th St Andrew December 21st St Thomas January 25th Conversion of St Paul February 2nd Candlemas 6th Queen s Accession 1952 Moveable Ash Wednesday 24th St Mathias March 1st St David 25th Lady Day April 21st Queen Elizabeth II born 1926 25th St Mark May 1st St Philip and St James Moveable Ascension Day June 2nd Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II 1953 2nd Saturday in June Queen s Official Birthday 10th Duke of Edinburgh born 1921 11th St Barnabas 24th St John the Baptist 29th St Peter July 25th St James Days which will never fall within the legal term are not red letter days examples being Christmas Day and Easter Day Former red letter days in the United Kingdom edit A comparison can be drawn with the Red Letter Days listed 100 years ago in Dress and Insignia Worn at His Majesty s Court 1921 which are on the same principle a fixed selection of saints days plus days honouring senior members of the Royal Family except that the modern list adds the national saints of Wales and Scotland St David and St Andrew not listed in 1921 although not the national saint of England St George The 1921 listing in full is 6 Red Letter Days on which the Judges of the High Court King s Bench Division wear at Sittings of the Court of Law their Scarlet Robes January 25 Conversion of Saint Paul February 2 Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary February 24 Saint Matthias Ash Wednesday Movable March 25 Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary April 25 Saint Mark May 1 Saint Philip and Saint James Ascension Day Holy Thursday Movable May 6 The King s Accession May 26 The Queen s Birthday June 3 The King s Birthday June 11 Saint Barnabas June 22 The King s Coronation June 23 Prince of Wales s Birthday June 24 Saint John the Baptist June 29 Saint Peter Celebration of His Majesty s Birthday Movable June 25 Saint James October 18 Saint Luke October 28 Saint Simon and Saint Jude November 1 All Saints November 9 Lord Mayor s Day November 30 Saint Andrew December 1 Birthday of Queen Alexandra December 21 Saint Thomas See also editRed envelope giving a gift in a red envelope associated with certain dates or events in East Asian culturesReferences edit Fasti Antiates penelope uchicago edu Retrieved 2018 07 25 Red letter day idiom origin Retrieved 2018 07 25 High Court Judges Court Dress Courts and Tribunals Judiciary Retrieved 14 April 2021 On Red Letter days which include the Sovereign s birthday and certain saints days all High Court judges wear a scarlet robe Days Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society Retrieved 16 April 2020 Cambridge Pocket Diary Cambridge University Press Dress and Insignia Worn at His Majesty s Court London Harrison and Sons Ltd 1921 Retrieved 16 April 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red letter day amp oldid 1171731311, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
