Start of the "Season of Creation" at ours.
Christ be our Light
All creatures of our God and King*
Yahweh I know you are near**
Make me a channel of your peace.
* sprung on me and its a bit of a fist-full to play, so there was colourful muttering at the Wurlitzer!
* * "Yahweh" is forbidden in RC worship, but the song is excellent so that particular rubric is widely ignored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PIF4so8qvU
Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven (Lauda Anima)
Let All The World In Every Corner Sing (Undique Gloria)
Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord (D. Evans)
Come, People of The Risen King (Townend)
I know this rather perpetrates the myth that there are only about 10 people in Orkney ...
But when they sing hymns, they make a mighty sound. (I trust that brings the thread back on course.)
The beauty of this thread is that it resets itself back to topic every Sunday.
We had:
King of Love and Grace (My Guardian)
The Rock (Stand Strong, God is with you) - an action song which seems to be a current favourite with our worship team; I've mentioned it here at least twice before with its dubious theology of standing on Jesus the rock means you won't get knocked, probably because it rhymes.
Opening - Jesus, where’er thy people meet. (Wareham)
Gradual - Father hear the prayer we offer (Sussex)
Offertory - I, the Lord of sea and sky
Communion - Before the throne of God above (Before the throne of God)
Recessional - At the name of Jesus (Camberwell)
I try to make sure we alternate tunes to At the Name of Jesus, which is noted and appreciated, but today all our younger people were out in force and singing well, so their preference won the day.
Among our selection today (suited to the volunteer pianist in the organist's absence) was NEH 345: Christ is our King. Which is a splendid hymn, by the rightfully restored to honour Bp George Bell, but unfortunately almost right away demands instantaneous editing. 'Make the world know' is easy to substitute for 'all men', but amending 'Thousands of faithful men and true' in the next verse demands thought. We need a
policy for this and we haven't got one.
Very traditional hymns today, yet even so, the DoM was absent and his wife played.
Jesus where’er they people meet. Wareham
Breathe on me breath of God. Carlisle
We love the place O God. Quam dilecta.
The God of Abraham praise. Leoni
During Communion, God so loved the world. ( Upper voices only). Stainer.
Dreadful atmosphere at choir practice last Friday, so DoM’s absence was welcomed. Choir not needed next weekend, so only two more practices with him before he leaves. Sadly his wife will leave too.
My Spy was elsewhere this morning (one of her very occasional forays to Another Place!), but AFAIK the following were sung at Our Place today:
The head that once was crowned with thorns (St Magnus) We love the place, O God (Quam Dilecta)* Be still, my soul (Finlandia - as discussed recently on this thread!) Take up thy cross, the Saviour said (Breslau)
*This was often sung at Evensong at The Tin Tabernacle Of My Youth, but Quam Dilecta always seems to me to be an exceptionally lugubrious tune. Mind you, our organist at TTTOMY always played everything slowly (she was Very Old, but always Did Her Best).
At the church I attended as a student (in the days when Dinosaurs Roamed The Earth), the organist always played "Quam Dilecta" as the sign that the Minister was about to enter the pulpit and that we should all Settle Down.
We had the beginning of the Season of Creation at St Pete's too; I hope it doesn't go on too long, as the "liturgy" is not to my taste at all.
However, we sang with reasonable gusto the following:
Sing for God's glory - Lobe den Herren O God of earth and altar - King's Lynn For the healing of the nations - Alleluia Dulce Carmen Brother, sister, let me serve you - The Servant Song In Christ there is no east or west - Kilmarnock
It being the first Sunday of the month, we also had Evensong, with a congregation in double figures, who also sang lustily and with good courage:
Dear Lord and Father of mankind - Repton O God of earth and altar - King's Lynn (again, but that's OK - it's a rather nice tune) Abide with me - Eventide Hail gladdening light - Sebaste
At least at Evensong we get Cranmer's matchless prose, which gladdens the porcine heart.
I love the way in which hymn tunes (if not necessarily the words) cross international and denominational borders, thus:
Uppsala Cathedral, Lutheran, sang There's a wideness in God's mercy to the lovely tune Daily, daily - often associated in higher C of E circles with the Marian hymn Ye who own the faith of Jesus:
The Martinikerk, Franeker (NL), Reformed, sang Go with God, and he will go with you to the tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams:
The Old=Catholic Cathedral in Utrecht (NL) sang their post-Communion hymn to Christians, awake, salute the happy morn...
BTW, Uppsala welcomed its new Dean today - I must be getting old, as she looked very young to be in such a job! - with a most wonderful display of Copes. The new Dean, as celebrant, wore a Chasuble, of course.
A mystery (not helped by a slight mistranslation on my part):
The Martinikerk, Franeker (NL), Reformed, sang Go with God, and he will be with you to the tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Well, they sang it in Dutch, but that's how it translates into English - and the onscreen words and music attributed the tune to RVW. However, I don't seem to be able to find the hymn online, yet I'm sure I know it, and have in the past sung it in English.
Any hints? RVW may, of course, written the tune for completely different words.
Here it is - scroll forward to about 1 hour 10 minutes!
Words are probably "God be with you till we meet again" which is 525 in the old English Hymnal and set to that RVW tune. but the I suspect many of us probably sang this at end of term school assemblies.
Words are probably "God be with you till we meet again" which is 525 in the old English Hymnal and set to that RVW tune. but the I suspect many of us probably sang this at end of term school assemblies.
Yes, a little further research reveals that God be with you till we meet again by Jeremiah Rankin is indeed the English original, with the tune RANDOLPH by RVW.
The Dutch version is not a direct translation from the English, but even so, I'm sure I've sung Go with God, and he will be with you somewhere in England in the dim-and-distant past...
At the funeral today of a dear lady from our church who died age 84
How Great Thou Art / HOW GREAT THOU ART
Great Is Thy Faithfulness / FAITHFULNESS
Thine Be The Glory / MACCABAEUS
We frequently have how great thou art as the coffin is being carried out at the end, congregation leaving also. This means we always end with the verse about birds singing in the trees, rather than v 3 or 4. Odd.
"Praise the Lord through every nation" / WACHET AUF
Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45c, recited.
"Help us O Lord to learn" / ST. ETHELWALD
"Take up your cross the Savior said" / BOURBON
"Where true charity and love dwell" / UBI CARITAS
"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?" / from an RC collection
"All hail the power of Jesus' name" / CORONATION
At the funeral today of a dear lady from our church who died age 84
How Great Thou Art / HOW GREAT THOU ART
Great Is Thy Faithfulness / FAITHFULNESS
Thine Be The Glory / MACCABAEUS
We frequently have how great thou art as the coffin is being carried out at the end, congregation leaving also. This means we always end with the verse about birds singing in the trees, rather than v 3 or 4. Odd.
It would seem like the solution there is to not begin the procession out until later in the hymn, like the beginning of or midway through the third verse.
I will admit that I’ve made pretty detailed instructions—okay, very detailed instructions*—for my funeral, including the hymns to be sung. I’ve also suggested that the prelude/pre-service music comprise of other hymns (played, not sung) which is fairly common in these parts. My instructions include a list of hymns that I like and that are suitable for this, as well as a list of hymns not to be included. I’m afraid “How Great Thou Art” is on the latter list.
Angela had also requested some specific hymn tunes to be played before the service, including one for which the music took a bit of finding (so I'm told, not being a musician). The congregation left to When the Saints go marching in - a very upbeat ending
At the funeral today of a dear lady from our church who died age 84
How Great Thou Art / HOW GREAT THOU ART
Great Is Thy Faithfulness / FAITHFULNESS
Thine Be The Glory / MACCABAEUS
We frequently have how great thou art as the coffin is being carried out at the end, congregation leaving also. This means we always end with the verse about birds singing in the trees, rather than v 3 or 4. Odd.
It would seem like the solution there is to not begin the procession out until later in the hymn, like the beginning of or midway through the third verse.
We frequently have how great thou art as the coffin is being carried out at the end, congregation leaving also.
I find this strange as, in my experience over many years, the funeral people come to the front of the church towards the end of the final hymn, and wait while the blessing is said, with the congregation standing. Only then do they pick up the coffin and leave, usually, but not always, accompanied by music (organ or recorded). The family follow and possibly the rest of the congregation.
I can't speak for Alan29 but usually at the end of a Funeral Mass there is a little 'ceremony of farewell and respect '. The priest will sprinkle the coffin of the deceased with holy water as a last reminder of their baptism and then greet the deceased with incense as a last sign of respect and then the celebrant will say words to the effect' Now let us take .....to their rest.'
then the undertakers (or traditionally family members) will lift the coffin and take it from the church followed by those present with the family members first. Usually a hymn will be sung at that point.
Much the same happened at my Auntie S's funeral recently - an RC Mass in the chapel of the home/convent where she had lived for some 15 years.
The final hymn was *The Old Rugged Cross*, which many of the Family seemed not to know, and the coffin was carried out round about verse 2. The Family followed, leaving the Sisters and the residents to warble the rest of the hymn as best they could.
Tine wasn't pressing, so we could all have stayed in the chapel until the end of the hymn.
It may be a local, Merseyside thing .... but here the entire congregation follow the coffin and family out of church to see it being put into the hearse and taken away.
Yes, everybody straggled out to see the coffin being put in the hearse, but nothing and nobody moved for at least 15 minutes after that. Meanwhile, the Sisters, the residents, and the priest, had finished the hymn, and came out to join us, and to see Auntie off, so to speak.
The wait gave members of the Family some extra time to meet and greet, however.
It may be a local, Merseyside thing .... but here the entire congregation follow the coffin and family out of church to see it being put into the hearse and taken away.
Same here - then everyone hops in their cars and follows the hearse to the cemetery (both of which are adjacent to ruined pre-reformation chapels). The procession down single track roads can be fairly lengthy.
So glad when reading this that we opted for a private (family only )woodland burial for my late husband. Beautiful music sung by professional choirs, thanks to Bluetooth speaker, leaving the rousing hymns for the public service of thanksgiving a month later.
Not sure if this counts, but Our Place had its monthly Walsingham Cell Mass this morning, marking The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the proper day was yesterday, but it's easier for some of the Cell members to come on a Saturday).
FatherInCharge urges the congregation (there could be 10 or 12 present) to sing *Happy Birthday* to Our Lady after the Mass...
ALL Orthodox Churches, I think. It is one of the 12 "Great Feasts" of the church year (and. incidentally, the dedication of our church). Some may disagree about when September 8th occurs.
Some may disagree about when September 8th occurs.
I have the uneasy feeling I'm being crass, but how is it possible to have it at some point other than after September 7th and before September 9th?
Not everyone observes the same calendar, and this seems particularly so with religious feasts/observances. On top of that, what particular day is 4 September (I can't think of anything of particular import which occurred on that day) may well be different in Rome and Mt Athos.
Seriously, though, I guess it's right to observe her birth, given that she was born at some unknown date, but to sing *Happy Birthday* reduces it to a child's tea-party. Huh. Grump grump grump...
Forgive me for asking ... but we don't even know the date of Our Lord's birthday. So how (and, indeed, why) can we celebrate Mary's birthday?
Well, one could ask the same question about Christmas, since as you say we don’t know Jesus’s birthday—though my understanding is that it was probably summer if shepherds were in the field at night. Though the argument could certainly be made that Christmas is primarily about the Incarnation, not the birthday per se.
Headed to a funeral later this morning, so we’ll see what might be sung.
Though the argument could certainly be made that Christmas is primarily about the Incarnation, not the birthday per se.
Indeed so.
But the average person in the pews is likely to tell you Christmas is about the “birth of Jesus,” and many of the standard Christmas carols and hymns reinforce that.
Forgive me for asking ... but we don't even know the date of Our Lord's birthday. So how (and, indeed, why) can we celebrate Mary's birthday?
The late Queen used to have an official birthday which wasn't the same as her actual birthday. So even more reason to celebrate the official birthday of someone whose actual birthday is unknown.
Though 'why' is still a good question. Most saints (including our Lady) are celebrated on their heavenly birthday, ie the date of death, martyrdom, assumption or whatever. Maybe it was thought that some are so special that they deserve more than one celebration.
(Tried to edit the above without success. This is what I was going to add:)
In the case of Mary there is a particular Anglican (or maybe just C of E) problem. Because of what were considered to be superstitious beliefs about Mary's Assumption, Cranmer left 15 August (her major feast) off the calendar and for centuries Anglicans had to pretend that the Annunciation was really a feast of our Lady and not so much of our Lord, in order to give her a feast day. Late last century the liturgical commission wanted to restore 15 August but were shouted down by hardline evangelicals, so 8 September became her major feast. The 15th was finally restored in Common Worship in 2000.
is a major Marian feast, classified as a solemnity in the Catholic Church, a Festival in the Lutheran Churches, and a Principal Feast in the Anglican Communion. In Orthodox Christianity, because it announces the incarnation of Christ, it is counted as one of the 8 great feasts of the Lord, and not among the four great Marian feasts
Headed to a funeral later this morning, so we’ll see what might be sung.
The hymns at the funeral were:
“I Bind unto Myself Today/ST. PATRICK, DIERDRE*
“The Strife is O’er”/VICTORY
“For All the Saints/SINE NOMINE**
* The funeral was in the chapel of an Episcopal boys’ school of which the deceased was an alumnus and at which he’d taught for over 30 years. “I Bind unto Myself Today” is the school hymn.
** Only the first four verses. Another instance where, even though the congregation didn’t immediately follow the family out, it would have been good not to start the procession until the next-to-last verse or so instead of the second verse.
... In Orthodox Christianity, because it announces the incarnation of Christ, it is counted as one of the 8 great feasts of the Lord, and not among the four great Marian feasts
The Annunciation in the Orthodox tradition is most definitely a feast of Mary. This is clear from the rubrics for its liturgical observance. Feasts of the Lord which occur on a Sunday completely obliterate the normal Sunday (Resurrection) services. Feasts of the Mother of God occuring on a Sunday are combined with the normal Sunday services, taking second place behind the weekly observance of the Resurrection.
For most Saints in the liturgical tradition their 'day' is the day of their death or their entry to new life.
For most of the 'biblical' Saints where we do not know the actual dates or years of their birth or death, pious and other traditions have given an annual commemoration date
e.g St Joseph on 19th March,St Stephen on 26th December,St John on 27th December,Holy Innocents on 28th December,Ss Peter and Paul on 29th June as well as the major commemorations of Mary on 8th September,8th December and 15th August.
These are dates which in many cases are hallowed by centuries of observance.
Why is St Luke's day on 18th October ? I have no idea,but there will be some reason why that date was chosen to commemorate St Luke.
The Annunciation was most certainly regarded as a Marian feast in my RC youth, with the emphasis on Mary's acceptance of the angel's message.
It is only since Vatican 2 that it has become to be seen as the beginning of the Incarnation and therefore a feast of Our Lord.
The Annunciation was most certainly regarded as a Marian feast in my RC youth, with the emphasis on Mary's acceptance of the angel's message.
It is only since Vatican 2 that it has become to be seen as the beginning of the Incarnation and therefore a feast of Our Lord.
At the risk of taking things in an Epiphanaic direction I wonder if there is any link between that shift and the greater emphasis on life beginning at conception.
Comments
“Open our eyes, Lord” (Bob Cull).
“Take up thy cross, the Saviour said” - Breslau.
“Lift high the cross” - Crucifer.
“Christ for the world, we sing” - Moscow.
Christ be our Light
All creatures of our God and King*
Yahweh I know you are near**
Make me a channel of your peace.
* sprung on me and its a bit of a fist-full to play, so there was colourful muttering at the Wurlitzer!
* * "Yahweh" is forbidden in RC worship, but the song is excellent so that particular rubric is widely ignored. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PIF4so8qvU
Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven (Lauda Anima)
Let All The World In Every Corner Sing (Undique Gloria)
Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord (D. Evans)
Come, People of The Risen King (Townend)
The beauty of this thread is that it resets itself back to topic every Sunday.
We had:
King of Love and Grace (My Guardian)
The Rock (Stand Strong, God is with you) - an action song which seems to be a current favourite with our worship team; I've mentioned it here at least twice before with its dubious theology of standing on Jesus the rock means you won't get knocked, probably because it rhymes.
The Lord's My Shepherd sung like this.
God I Look to You (I will love you, Lord my strength)
In Christ Alone
Gradual - Father hear the prayer we offer (Sussex)
Offertory - I, the Lord of sea and sky
Communion - Before the throne of God above (Before the throne of God)
Recessional - At the name of Jesus (Camberwell)
I try to make sure we alternate tunes to At the Name of Jesus, which is noted and appreciated, but today all our younger people were out in force and singing well, so their preference won the day.
Can't you sing 'O Lord' instead?
Among our selection today (suited to the volunteer pianist in the organist's absence) was NEH 345: Christ is our King. Which is a splendid hymn, by the rightfully restored to honour Bp George Bell, but unfortunately almost right away demands instantaneous editing. 'Make the world know' is easy to substitute for 'all men', but amending 'Thousands of faithful men and true' in the next verse demands thought. We need a
policy for this and we haven't got one.
Jesus where’er they people meet. Wareham
Breathe on me breath of God. Carlisle
We love the place O God. Quam dilecta.
The God of Abraham praise. Leoni
During Communion, God so loved the world. ( Upper voices only). Stainer.
Dreadful atmosphere at choir practice last Friday, so DoM’s absence was welcomed. Choir not needed next weekend, so only two more practices with him before he leaves. Sadly his wife will leave too.
O Lord, our Lord, throughout the earth
Sing for God's glory
Judge Eternal
Love is the touch of intangible joy
Love divine
The head that once was crowned with thorns (St Magnus)
We love the place, O God (Quam Dilecta)*
Be still, my soul (Finlandia - as discussed recently on this thread!)
Take up thy cross, the Saviour said (Breslau)
*This was often sung at Evensong at The Tin Tabernacle Of My Youth, but Quam Dilecta always seems to me to be an exceptionally lugubrious tune. Mind you, our organist at TTTOMY always played everything slowly (she was Very Old, but always Did Her Best).
It's not a bad hymn - I expect it could be sung to Another Tune, though I can't think of one offhand.
We love thine altar, Lord;
O what on earth so dear?
For there in faith adored
We find thy presence near.
My bold.
“For the Beauty of the Earth”/DIX
“Will You Come and Follow Me”/KELVINGROVE
“Arise, Your Light Is Come”/FESTAL SONG
However, we sang with reasonable gusto the following:
Sing for God's glory - Lobe den Herren
O God of earth and altar - King's Lynn
For the healing of the nations - Alleluia Dulce Carmen
Brother, sister, let me serve you - The Servant Song
In Christ there is no east or west - Kilmarnock
It being the first Sunday of the month, we also had Evensong, with a congregation in double figures, who also sang lustily and with good courage:
Dear Lord and Father of mankind - Repton
O God of earth and altar - King's Lynn (again, but that's OK - it's a rather nice tune)
Abide with me - Eventide
Hail gladdening light - Sebaste
At least at Evensong we get Cranmer's matchless prose, which gladdens the porcine heart.
Uppsala Cathedral, Lutheran, sang There's a wideness in God's mercy to the lovely tune Daily, daily - often associated in higher C of E circles with the Marian hymn Ye who own the faith of Jesus:
The Martinikerk, Franeker (NL), Reformed, sang Go with God, and he will go with you to the tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams:
The Old=Catholic Cathedral in Utrecht (NL) sang their post-Communion hymn to Christians, awake, salute the happy morn...
BTW, Uppsala welcomed its new Dean today - I must be getting old, as she looked very young to be in such a job! - with a most wonderful display of Copes. The new Dean, as celebrant, wore a Chasuble, of course.
The Martinikerk, Franeker (NL), Reformed, sang Go with God, and he will be with you to the tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Well, they sang it in Dutch, but that's how it translates into English - and the onscreen words and music attributed the tune to RVW. However, I don't seem to be able to find the hymn online, yet I'm sure I know it, and have in the past sung it in English.
Any hints? RVW may, of course, written the tune for completely different words.
Here it is - scroll forward to about 1 hour 10 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zJnTi-N5gM
How Great Thou Art / HOW GREAT THOU ART
Great Is Thy Faithfulness / FAITHFULNESS
Thine Be The Glory / MACCABAEUS
Welcome aboard @Truron - and thank you!
Yes, a little further research reveals that God be with you till we meet again by Jeremiah Rankin is indeed the English original, with the tune RANDOLPH by RVW.
The Dutch version is not a direct translation from the English, but even so, I'm sure I've sung Go with God, and he will be with you somewhere in England in the dim-and-distant past...
We frequently have how great thou art as the coffin is being carried out at the end, congregation leaving also. This means we always end with the verse about birds singing in the trees, rather than v 3 or 4. Odd.
"Praise the Lord through every nation" / WACHET AUF
Psalm 105: 1-6, 23-26, 45c, recited.
"Help us O Lord to learn" / ST. ETHELWALD
"Take up your cross the Savior said" / BOURBON
"Where true charity and love dwell" / UBI CARITAS
"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?" / from an RC collection
"All hail the power of Jesus' name" / CORONATION
I will admit that I’ve made pretty detailed instructions—okay, very detailed instructions*—for my funeral, including the hymns to be sung. I’ve also suggested that the prelude/pre-service music comprise of other hymns (played, not sung) which is fairly common in these parts. My instructions include a list of hymns that I like and that are suitable for this, as well as a list of hymns not to be included. I’m afraid “How Great Thou Art” is on the latter list.
One would think so ........
then the undertakers (or traditionally family members) will lift the coffin and take it from the church followed by those present with the family members first. Usually a hymn will be sung at that point.
The final hymn was *The Old Rugged Cross*, which many of the Family seemed not to know, and the coffin was carried out round about verse 2. The Family followed, leaving the Sisters and the residents to warble the rest of the hymn as best they could.
Tine wasn't pressing, so we could all have stayed in the chapel until the end of the hymn.
The wait gave members of the Family some extra time to meet and greet, however.
Same here - then everyone hops in their cars and follows the hearse to the cemetery (both of which are adjacent to ruined pre-reformation chapels). The procession down single track roads can be fairly lengthy.
FatherInCharge urges the congregation (there could be 10 or 12 present) to sing *Happy Birthday* to Our Lady after the Mass...
Good question.
The tradition in RC, C of E, and some Lutheran and Orthodox Places, is to mark her nativity on 8th September, and this Wikipedia article tells us why:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Mary
ALL Orthodox Churches, I think. It is one of the 12 "Great Feasts" of the church year (and. incidentally, the dedication of our church). Some may disagree about when September 8th occurs.
Not everyone observes the same calendar, and this seems particularly so with religious feasts/observances. On top of that, what particular day is 4 September (I can't think of anything of particular import which occurred on that day) may well be different in Rome and Mt Athos.
Indeed!!!!!!
Its another of those "assumptions" that are made. (Did you see what I did there?)
Seriously, though, I guess it's right to observe her birth, given that she was born at some unknown date, but to sing *Happy Birthday* reduces it to a child's tea-party. Huh. Grump grump grump...
Headed to a funeral later this morning, so we’ll see what might be sung.
The late Queen used to have an official birthday which wasn't the same as her actual birthday. So even more reason to celebrate the official birthday of someone whose actual birthday is unknown.
Though 'why' is still a good question. Most saints (including our Lady) are celebrated on their heavenly birthday, ie the date of death, martyrdom, assumption or whatever. Maybe it was thought that some are so special that they deserve more than one celebration.
In the case of Mary there is a particular Anglican (or maybe just C of E) problem. Because of what were considered to be superstitious beliefs about Mary's Assumption, Cranmer left 15 August (her major feast) off the calendar and for centuries Anglicans had to pretend that the Annunciation was really a feast of our Lady and not so much of our Lord, in order to give her a feast day. Late last century the liturgical commission wanted to restore 15 August but were shouted down by hardline evangelicals, so 8 September became her major feast. The 15th was finally restored in Common Worship in 2000.
“I Bind unto Myself Today/ST. PATRICK, DIERDRE*
“The Strife is O’er”/VICTORY
“For All the Saints/SINE NOMINE**
* The funeral was in the chapel of an Episcopal boys’ school of which the deceased was an alumnus and at which he’d taught for over 30 years. “I Bind unto Myself Today” is the school hymn.
** Only the first four verses. Another instance where, even though the congregation didn’t immediately follow the family out, it would have been good not to start the procession until the next-to-last verse or so instead of the second verse.
The Annunciation in the Orthodox tradition is most definitely a feast of Mary. This is clear from the rubrics for its liturgical observance. Feasts of the Lord which occur on a Sunday completely obliterate the normal Sunday (Resurrection) services. Feasts of the Mother of God occuring on a Sunday are combined with the normal Sunday services, taking second place behind the weekly observance of the Resurrection.
For most of the 'biblical' Saints where we do not know the actual dates or years of their birth or death, pious and other traditions have given an annual commemoration date
e.g St Joseph on 19th March,St Stephen on 26th December,St John on 27th December,Holy Innocents on 28th December,Ss Peter and Paul on 29th June as well as the major commemorations of Mary on 8th September,8th December and 15th August.
These are dates which in many cases are hallowed by centuries of observance.
Why is St Luke's day on 18th October ? I have no idea,but there will be some reason why that date was chosen to commemorate St Luke.
It is only since Vatican 2 that it has become to be seen as the beginning of the Incarnation and therefore a feast of Our Lord.
At the risk of taking things in an Epiphanaic direction I wonder if there is any link between that shift and the greater emphasis on life beginning at conception.