Rogation days

The Rogation Days (Latin rogationes or Litaniae minores " small litanies " ) are Christian prayer and procession days before the Feast of the Ascension. The week in which lie the Rogation Days, also known as transitional week, Betwoche, Bittwoche or cross week - because the procession was carried ahead on these days the cross - referred to. The name Litaniae received the Rogation Days, because the processions began with the singing of the Litany of the Saints and were accompanied by fervent prayer.

In the Protestant order of worship is the 5th Sunday of Easter, vocem jucunditatis, also Rogate (Latin Eurogate, " pray / ask " ) or Bittsonntag called, in allusion to the pre-Reformation tradition of the Rogation Days.

Flurumgänge

The Rogation Days in the phase of growth of the crop between planting and harvesting originally an agrarian orientation and stand in a certain tension to the joyful nature of the Easter season, which ends only with the liturgical feast of Pentecost. Mischief, and by tempest, was conceived as a result of human sin. Rogation Days, therefore, have a penitential character, the liturgical color is purple.

At the Bitttagen processions are held, regionally also called Bittgang, in which they prayed for a good harvest. The processions can be understood as a transformation of the late antique Roman Flurumgänge, the Ambarvalia. Maybe they are also bring in connection with Germanic legal traditions, according to which each landowner once a year had to walk around his property to maintain the claim of ownership.

Formation

The hallway processions to the Bitttagen leave to an arrangement of the Bishop of Vienne, Mamertus in 469/470 lead back to keep because of earthquakes and crop failures in the three days before Ascension associated with fasting penitential processions; the Council of Orléans made ​​it 511 for all the churches of Gaul mandatory. Around 800, the three Rogation Days by Pope Leo III. introduced in Rome and the whole of the Roman liturgy, but without prescribed fasting. In some places they were held on all three days before Ascension.

Also on the Feast of the Ascension itself and in the following days until Sunday, there were processions hallway. In Swabia place today at Ascension in many places Öschprozession instead, a large hall procession through the fields of the city. Special processions there was hail in some places on different days in the Bitt or cross week: on Tuesday on Friday, "Hail Freytag " or " showers Friday " or on Saturday or Sunday. (See: List of hail and fire processions. )

Erntebitttage

Processions are rejected in Protestantism and were - even nationwide gorgeous prohibited - for example in Brunswick. Nevertheless, were isolated until the 18th century in Protestant communities still held Flurumgänge. In the Church Order of Brunswick 1709 Duke Anton Ulrich ordered a " hail celebration " as Repentance (without procession ) for the " Monday post vocem Jucunditatis " ( 5th Sunday after Easter) to; 1825 Spring Festival of hail celebration was moved to the second or third Monday in June. 1968 renewed the Synod of the Lutheran Church Brunswick, the practice of hail holiday, which was celebrated with school and evening services, as Erntebittag and certain appointment as the first Sunday after Trinity or on any day during the week following:

" In a world that is threatened by starvation of millions of people, the Church will always have to remember that you also concern for the physical well-being of the people is applied by their actions, but also in their prayers. "

Also Württemberg King Wilhelm I had a holiday with Erntebittgottesdiensten excited in the famine years 1815-1817, which was perceived throughout the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg - " with hunger soup, sausages and a cool drink " - and today locally persists as a community festival, such as in Honhardt.

Today's practice

The custom of rogations has been frequently get in the Catholic Church in rural areas and in some cases even revived again. Rural communities discover the ancient procession routes new, in the cities, new forms are being tested - often adapted in the evenings, now living and working rhythm. In recent years, the subject area has been expanded. So it says in the Missal of the Catholic Church. " On the Bitt and Ember, the Church prays for manifold human concerns, especially for the fruits of the earth and of human activity " side " integrity of creation " can also work for all, peace be bread for the world and reverence for human life motifs. Design elements are traditionally the Litany of the Saints, other litanies, psalms and prayers as well as changing the Rosary.

The Evangelical Worship Book, the liturgy for the Evangelical Church of the Union ( EKU ) and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany ( VELKD ), contains several texts for the Proper worship of rogation days, especially, for example, as a request for blessed work, prayer for daily bread to the responsible use of nature and technology, to overcome social tensions, peace and protection of life.

Itemization