# A FULL List of -Mas's... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498 "2009-08-06T02:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/1 "2009-08-06T02:46:06Z")
Naturally when I was a child I wasn’t too impressed by the word “Christmas”. It was an acceptable word, if not too creative. Then when I got into high school we read a Sherlock Holmes story, _The Hound of the Baskervilles_ IIRC. And they mentioned the holiday Michaelmas (pronounced “mik’l-mus” [short “I”]), Sep. 29, for the Archangel Michael. This peaked my interest a little, because after all, I thought Christmas was the only “-mas”. I now knew there were more. But I didn’t make any conscious effort to uncover them. But they did come up here and there, in books, with random searches in dictionaries, etc. So far this is the comprehensive list of all the “-mas’s” I have uncovered (I hope I don’t forget any, because I am saying from memory): Candlemas (Feb. 2), Lammas (Aug. 1, in England esp.), Michaelmas (Sept. 29), Hallowmas (an old name for All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1), Martinmas (Nov. 11, the patron saint of reformed drunks interestingly), Christmas (duh), and Childermas (Holy Innocents’ Day, Dec. 28–an “old-fashioned” name). I also once read in a book by an British author “Roodmas”. No further explanation was given. Now the “rood” was another name for the cross of Jesus. But I have no idea when this date is or what exactly it is for–**does anyone else know (esp. from Britain)**:)? Well, that is my comprehensive list to-date. **Did I miss anything?** And please tell me if you find this subject interesting too. I find it hard to believe I am the only person fascinated by words–esp. when they are variations on a theme. Thank you in advance to all who reply:) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/2 "2009-08-06T02:52:17Z")
> [@Jim B.](#): > > I also once read in a book by an British author “Roodmas”. No further explanation was given. Now the “rood” was another name for the cross of Jesus. But I have no idea when this date is or what exactly it is for–does anyone else know (esp. from Britain)? I’d say 14 September, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/3 "2009-08-06T03:02:36Z")
I’ve also seen the term Marymass used for the feast of the Assumption of the BVM (15 August). ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/4 "2009-08-09T23:44:21Z")
Just an update on _Marymas_, from my Catholic Encyclopedia: > [@](#): > > Technically, this term refers to any feast of the BVM, with the suffix _mas_ derived from the Latin _missus_ or the Anglo-Saxon _maessa_ (from the verb _mittere_ “to send”). Usually Marymas refers to the feast of the Annunciation on 25 March. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/5 "2009-08-10T02:35:08Z")
You forgot the infamous “No Mas! No Mas!” > **[Roberto Durán vs. Sugar Ray Leonard II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard-Duran_II)** > > Roberto Durán vs. Sugar Ray Leonard II, billed as The Super Fight, and later popularly known as the No Más Fight, was a boxing match which took place on November 25, 1980, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, United States. It was the second of three bouts between the pair. It gained its name from the moment at the end of the eighth round when Durán turned away from Leonard towards the referee and quit by apparently saying, "No más" (Spanish for "No more"). > Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Du... ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/6 "2010-03-09T23:44:42Z")
I hope it’s acceptable to post a follow up to this thread. I came across another one yesterday: _Crouchmas_, the feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross on 3 May. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/7 "2010-03-10T14:02:47Z")
So when’s Fishmas? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/8 "2010-03-10T15:32:34Z")
Here’s a few more: abomas aceldamas adenocarcinomas adenomas aerenchymas agamas agmas almas amas analemmas anathemas angiomas animas antepenultimas arapaimas aromas asramas asthmas astrocytomas atheromas atmas bemas bimas blastemas blastomas brahmas caeomas camas carcinomas carcinosarcomas chacmas chiasmas chlorenchymas choriocarcinomas chromas cinemas collenchymas comas commas condylomas curcumas cycloramas cymas dermas dharmas digammas dilemmas dioramas diplomas docudramas dogmas dolmas doumas drachmas dramas dumas eczemas edemas emphysemas empyemas endotheliomas enemas enigmas ependymas epitheliomas erythemas exanthemas fibromas fibrosarcomas gamas gammas glaucomas glioblastomas gliomas gramas grandmas granulomas gummas halmas hemangiomas hematomas hepatomas hybridomas intimas jicamas karmas keratomas kerygmas kinemas lamas lemmas leucomas leukomas limas lipomas llamas lordomas lymphogranulomas lymphomas lymphosarcomas magmas mahatmas malaromas mamas mammas mas mazumas medulloblastomas melanomas melismas melodramas meningiomas mesotheliomas miasmas mommas monodramas mycetomas mycoplasmas myelomas myomas myxedemas myxomas nemas neurilemmas neuroblastomas neurofibromas neuromas nomas oedemas osteomas osteosarcomas pajamas panamas panoramas papillomas parenchymas penultimas pheochromocytomas pimas plasmalemmas plasmas plasmodesmas pneumas polyomas primas prosomas pseudoparenchymas psychodramas pumas pyjamas pyodermas retinoblastomas rhabdomyosarcomas sarcolemmas sarcomas satsumas schemas sclerenchymas sclerodermas scleromas scoliomas scotomas scyphistomas semicomas seriemas shamas shammas sigmas simas smegmas somas stemmas sterigmas stigmas stomas strumas summas syntagmas taramas teratocarcinomas teratomas tokonomas toxoplasmas trachomas traumas treponemas tritomas ulamas ulemas ultimas xanthomas zeugmas zygomas ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/9 "2010-03-10T15:52:06Z")
I think the OP was specifically asking about holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/10 "2010-03-10T17:01:55Z")
Well, then, don’t overlook [Zweibelmas](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/26073), celebrated every September 21st. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/11 "2010-03-10T17:54:42Z")
I’ve often heard of Dogmas, the blessing of the pets. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/12 "2010-03-11T01:50:07Z")
> [@Wilbo523](#): > > Here’s a few more: By far, most of those are merely plurals of words ending in “ma”, hardly the sort of thing this thread is really about. In case the OP is unaware, the “-mas” in these names comes from “mass”, as in the celebration of the Eucharist, in turn deriving from the service’s (at one time) concluding words “Ite, missa est” sending people off, with the meaning of “missa” being as described by **Cunctator**. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/13 "2018-09-28T14:07:41Z")
Not at all intending to resurrect a zombie thread. But I was kind of taken aback by [this](http://catholicism.org/merry-childermas.html) site. As you can see, it has many more examples than just the ones I included. Good. But one example I have been a little confused by is “Andermas”, the alleged feast of St. Andrew. I have been doing internet searches. And I have even checked my own unabridged dictionary (which otherwise has just about every English word in existence in it). What on earth is Andermas? I suspect the author of this website just misspelled the actual word. Does anyone know what he is referring to? Or is there really such a feast day as “Andermas”? I deliberately started this thread as a complete reference of “-mases”. If there is one I am missing, I would really like to know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/14 "2018-09-28T14:47:53Z")
Andrewsmass is a thing, esp. in Scotland and areas where Scots settled. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/15 "2018-09-29T19:40:29Z")
BTW today is Michaelmas as I write this. I felt compelled to add that for some reason. And BTW, how exactly do you spell and pronounce Andrewsmas? I know it’s just one S at the end. Other than that I just don’t know. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/16 "2018-09-29T21:30:03Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > BTW today is Michaelmas as I write this. I felt compelled to add that for some reason. > > And BTW, how exactly do you spell and pronounce Andrewsmas? I know it’s just one S at the end. Other than that I just don’t know. > > 🙂 I think it’s quite possible that different spellings (within reason) would all be accepted - regional variations etc. Including having or not having the possessive “s” in the middle. I’d pronounce the name section as you usually pronounce that name, possessive-ized or not as the case may be, and end with “mas” as in Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/17 "2018-09-29T21:45:38Z")
I like the ‘beckmas’… (my birthday)😉 ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/18 "2018-09-29T23:14:54Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Andrewsmass is a thing, esp. in Scotland and areas where Scots settled. Unless it is an older name for St. Andrew’s Day, it is remarkably un-noticed, even in St. Andrews. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-full-list-of-mass/505498/19 "2018-09-30T01:29:05Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I like the ‘beckmas’… (my birthday)😉 Unfortunately, unless the church has started officially celebrating it, it’s probably not a mas. Actually, I’m certain; no más. 🙂 You can probably get yourself a -fest just by unilaterally declaring one though. 🙂 (And if you hang around the opera enough, you may eventually get a Beckmesser as well.)