Catholic Ascensiontide traditions

ASCENSIONTIDE.

The nine days between Christ's Ascension into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost were spent by the Apostles in prayer. This is thought to be the origin of the Novena- a name still given to the tradition of praying for nine consecutive days when there is something special or some great need we want to ask of God.

The days before the feast of the Ascension were known as 'Rogation days' from the Latin 'rogare', meaning 'to ask'. One of the traditions associated with Rogation days were the Rogation processions. Rogation processions gave their names to various places, such as 'Gospel Oak', where the Gospel would be read or 'Paternoster field' where the Our Father would be said.

These are still sometimes used around the fields asking for a blessing on the land and on the newly-planted crops. Some churches near the sea have a blessing of the water and the fishing boats, for the harvest of the sea. 

This tradition has been linked with 'beating the bounds' with processions around the parish boundaries. This commenced after the Reformation, when the old rogation processions were formerly banned. People missed them and so they turned it into walks around the parish borders.

Another tradition of Ascensiontide is the decorating and blessing of wells, and thanking God for the gift of pure water. Some rural villages have beautiful floral 'well dressings' depicting Biblical scenes and local saints.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION.

Why not have a Rogation procession in your parish around the parish borders. Prayers, rosary and/or a blessing of a particular spot. You might include both traditions by cleaning up a local well or fountain that as a parish venture, and then bless and decorate it during the Rogation procession on Ascensiontide.