St. Swithin's Day
From Giftypedia
When Celebrated
Always on July 15th
Gifty-ness
About the Holiday
St. Swithin was the Bishop of Winchester born, around the year 800, and died on July 2, 862. Often referred to as the weather saint, he asked on his deathbed to be buried outside the gate where "sweet rain from heaven" may fall on him. But, his monks thought he should be buried in a more ornate shrine and so tried to move his body on July 15th. Legend has it that torrential rains fell that day and 40 days and nights that followed, which led many to believe the saint was displeased with being moved. Tradition has that whatever the weather is on St. Swithin's Day dictates what it will be the next 40 days. As the old rhyme goes:
- St. Swithun's day, if thou dost rain,
- For forty days it will remain;
- St. Swithun's day, if thou be fair,
- For forty days 'twill rain na mair
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