THE MOVEABLE FESTIVALS. 377 



11. HOLY THURSDAY, or Ascension Day. 



Festum Ascensionis. 



Le Jeudi Saint d'Ascension. — Fr. 



Ob$. The fifth Sunday after Easter is called Rogation Sunday, 

 and the Thursday following is Ascension Day. The Monday, 

 Tuesday, and Wednesday in the same week, and immediately pre- 

 ceding Holy Thursday, are called the Rogation Days. 



Ascension Day may be thus described : — The apostles and other 

 disciples were returning to Jerusalem for the approaching feast of 

 Pentecost. Ten days before that festival, while they were all at 

 table together in Jerusalem, Christ favoured them with his last ap- 

 parition. Having repeated his former commission, and given his 

 last charge to his apostles, in the place where they were assembled 

 together in Jerusalem, thence led them forth on the road to Betha- 

 nia, to a high part of Mount Olivet, about a Sabbath day's journey 

 from the city. Being arrived at the summit of the mountain, he 

 raised himself from the earth in the presence of his disciples, and 

 lifting up his hands, as was customary with the Jews on such occa- 

 sions, he gave them his blessing, and at the same time ascended 

 into heaven in their sight ; and as in his resurrection he raised him- 

 self by his own power, so in his ascension he was wafted up to 

 heaven by his own divine energy and power, being himself the very 

 author of life and motion. The disciples followed him with their 

 eyes as he rose, till a bright cloud took him out of their sight. And 

 while they stood in silent amazement two angels appeared in white 

 garments, and thus accosted them : — " Ye men of Galilee, vvhy 

 stand ye looking up to heaven ''. This Jesus who is taken up from 

 you shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into 

 heaven ;" that is to say, when he shall come to judgment. The 

 apostles after this glorious sight returned full of joy to Jerusalem. 



The parochial perambulations usually take place today, to define 

 and perpetuate the memory of the boundaries of the parishes. 

 The boundaries of the township and parish of Wolverhampton are 

 in many points marked out by what are called Gospel Trees, from 

 the custom of having the Gospel read under or near them by the 

 clergyman attending the parochial perambulations. 



The subsequent is from Herrick's Hesperides, page 18 : 



—Dearest, bury me 



Under that Holy Oke, or Gospel Tree; 

 Where, though thou see'st not, thou niayest think upon 

 Me, when thou ycerly goest procession. 



Hymnus in feslo Ascensionis. 



Aeterne Rex Altissime, 

 Kedemptor & fideliuni, 

 Cui mors perempta detulit 

 Sunimae triumphum gloriae, 

 Ast-endis Orbes sideriun. 

 Quo te vocabatcoelitus 

 Collata, noQ humaoicus, 



Kk2- 



