Ember Days (?)

According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (every Anglican leaning Baptist needs one of these in their bookcase), Ember Days are four groups each of three days, in the church year, viz., the Wed., Fri., and Sat. after St. Lucy (13 Dec.), Ash Wednesday, Whitsunday, and Holy Cross Day (14 Sept.) respectively, which are observed as days of abstinence and fasting in the Churches of the West. The name is perhaps a corruption of quatuor tempora which in Latin means 'four seasons'. Their early history and original purpose is obscure, but they seem to be tied to seed time, harvest, and autumn vintage. The connexion (Oxford spelling, not mine) of the days with the crops has now been largely lost, and they are associated to-day almost entirely with the ordination of ministers.

On a practical matter, Bishops typically use the Ember Days as opportunities to check up on their postulants and candidates for Holy Orders. While in seminary I was required to write a letter to my Bishop on or around an Ember Day and he would respond on or around the following Ember Day. As for fasting and abstinence I don't know of anyone who still practices these on the Ember Days.