HISTORY OF THE FEAST DAY OF ASSUMPTION

Saturday 8th August

HISTORY OF THE FEAST DAY OF ASSUMPTION

Francis X Weiser SJ., in his book, “Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs”, (1958), noted that the five major Marian feast days were prescribed holydays from the days of the early Church, together with the days of the Apostles. It is believed that the Assumption is the oldest of the Marian feast days, as the anniversary of her “falling asleep” - (her "Dormition", in the Orthodox Rite). The memorial of her ‘falling asleep” was connected with the ancient traditional belief, said to have been derived from the Apostles, that her body did not decay, but soon after burial was united with her soul by a miraculous action of Divine Omnipotence, and was taken up to Heaven. This universal belief in Our Lady’s Assumption was framed by ancient legends which confirmed the underlying tradition.

The character of the Feast of the Assumption as a day of great religious processions derived from the ancient Roman Church under Pope Sergius I, in 701 AD, who inaugurated liturgical prayer processions, (litaniae) for all the major feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From the early centuries until the reformation, the Feast Day was celebrated throughout Europe and the Middle East with processions, solemn liturgies and festivities. In Catholic countries the customs still persist, although perhaps not to the same degree as once observed.

Father Weiser noted that the Hungarians observe 15 August with unusual solemnities pageants and parades, the feast day bearing particular importance as their first king, King Stephen, had chosen Our Lady as their Heavenly Queen and patroness of Hungary. It is to be noted, however, that Father Weiser’s review of Catholic customs was written in 1952. Sadly, whether these customs survived the invasion of Hungary by the Soviets in 1956 is doubtful.

In Spain, the practice of preparation by novenas conducted from 6th August and finishing on the feast day was practiced, together with nocturnal vigils prior to the feast. In fact, the original Mother’s day is said to have derived from the Spanish observance of the Feast of the Assumption.

In France, where Our Lady, under her title of her Assumption, is the primary patron of the country, the processions were spectacular, her statue carried in solemn procession while church bells pealed, and completed with Masses in which figures of angels descended to a flower-covered sepulchre.

In Italy the Feast is conflated with an ancient Roman festival dating from the time of Augustus and is accompanied by processions and customs varying in different regions, sometimes taking picnic lunches out to the countryside with carpaccio, olives and other delicacies. In some areas of Italy the traditional dish is fish. In Siena, the Paglio is undertaken on the day following the Assumption - a dramatic horse race through the cobbled streets of Siena.