Years ago I heard an old Italian bishop, tired of the yakking inside the meeting of their conference, react to my description of a Corpus Christi procession in the Vatican Gardens and say: “Meno chiacchiere – più processioni. … Less jabbering – more processions.”
Today, 25 April, the Feast of St. Mark, is when Holy Church traditionally had it’s “Major” Rogation Day, with the singing of litanies and a procession asking God to bless new crops, etc. The “Minor” Rogation Days occur from Monday through Wednesday before Ascension Thursday… THURSDAY.
“Rogation” comes from rogo “to ask”.
The procession, which often went about the boundaries of a parish, was called the “beating of the bounds”, handy back when there were no or few maps for keeping boundaries in the common knowledge.
Another wonderful tradition which should be revived. The Church’s calendar was intimately bound up with the journey of your planet around its yellow star.
Præsta, quaesumus, omnípotens Deus: ut, qui in afflictióne nostra de tua pietáte confídimus, contra advérsa ómnia, tua semper protectióne muniámur.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we, who in our affliction put our trust in Thy mercy, may ever be defended by Thy protection against all adversity.
I would add… “adversity from without and from within”.
