Michelians

MICHAELMAS: A festival celebrated Sept. 29, not only in the Roman Catholic Church, but also in the Greek and various Protestant churches in honor of the archangel Michael (q.v.), not with reference to any particular apparition of his, but generally commemorating the benefits which mankind have received from the angels. The festival seems to have been Roman in origin, and it is very old. In the eighth century the celebration was quite common in the Church. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates three special apparitions of the archangel, viz., May 8, Sept. 6, and Oct. 16. Michael-

365

mas is also known as the Festival of St. Michael and All the Holy Angels. In England Michaelmas day is one of the four quarter-days, on which rents are paid, burghal councils elected, etc. Here, and also in other countries, it marks the beginning of the autumn term at schools and universities.

Bibliography: A. Butler, Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints, on Sept. 29; J. C. W. Augusti, Denkvmrdigkeiten, iii. 281 sqq., Leipsic, 1820; A. J. Bin- terim, Denkwurdigkeiten, v., i., pp. 465 sqq., Mainz, 1829; DCA, ii. 1177-79.

MICHELET, SIMON TEMSTRUP: Norwegian theologian; b. at Trondhjem Feb. 8, 1863. He was graduated from the University of Christiania (B.A., 1881; medalist, 1885; candidate in theology, 1887); studied at German universities, particularly at Leipsic, for several years, devoting himself to the history of religion, Semitic languages, and the Old Testament; received ordination and pastorates at Trondhjem and Christiania, 1894-96; was appointed professor of theology at the University of Christiania, 1896. He is a representative of the higher criticism, aiming through his publications to interest not merely academic circles, but also the Norwegian public. In his dogmatics he has been influenced by F. Petersen (q.v.), and in his exegesis by Frants Buhl (q.v.). He has argued in favor of retaining the ancient languages in the curricula of the gymnasia, and is a leader in the Norwegian student world. He has published Amos, oversat og fortolket . . . Med en udsigt over de samtidige til-stande i Israel (1893); Del gamle testamentes syn paa synden (1899); Gamle HeUigdomme i nyt Lys (1902); and Aandens Tjenere, ikke Bogstavens (1907), on the confessional question.

John O. Evjen.