Leaf from a Book of Hours (Calendar for October)

Description

Every book of hours began with a calendar showing the important feast (holy) days for each month. This calendar for October contains the names "St. Francis, confessor," "St. Faith, virgin," and "Pope Calixtus." The large monogram "KL" stands for "kalends," the Roman name for the first day of the month.
Books of hours begin with a calendar showing the important feast (holy) days for each month. This calendar for October includes the names " St. Francis, confessor," " St. Faith, virgin," and Pope Calixtus. The large monogram "KL" stands for kalends, the Roman name for the first day of the month. The book of hours was a private devotional book for use by laypeople, containing prayers to be recited at the seven liturgical hours of the day. (The liturgy is a set of procedures required for public worship.) The main text of the book is the Little Office of the Virgin Mary, or the Hours of the Virgin.
Gallery display label text by curator Annette Dixon, March 2002