Earthquakes and other calamities afflicted the diocese of Vienne in Dauphine (France) in the fifth century, and St. Mamertus, who was bishop of that diocese, instituted a penitential procession with public supplications on the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Ascension Day. In 816, Pope Leo III, introduced it into Rome, and soon after it became a general observance throughout the Church.

   The Litany of the Saints, the psalms and prayers sung during the procession on these days are supplications: hence the name of Rogation days (rogare, to ask) applied to them. The object of these "rogation" supplications is to appease the anger of God and avert the scourges of His justice, and to pray for the harvest.

   A similar function is observed on April 25th, on the Feast of St. Mark, but this is of Roman origin. It is called the Greater Litanies in contrast to the Lesser Litanies of the Rogation Days: but in practice there is no difference between them.

I.  THE PROCESSION AND LITANY

   The officiating priest wears a purple stole and cope. The cantors stand as they sing the following:

Psalm 43: 26 ~ ANTIPHON

Arise, O Lord, help us and deliver us for
Thy name’s sake. (P.T. Alleluia.) We have
heard, O God, with our ears; our fathers
have told us. Glory be to the Father

Then all kneel and two cantors begin the Litany of the Saints. Each invocation is repeated by the choir. At the invocation Sancta Maria all stand and the procession begins. After the Litany of the Saints, the psalm Deus, in adjutorium . . . is sung.

LITANY OF THE SAINTS

Lord, have mercy on us.
   Christ, have mercy on us.
   Lord, have mercy on us.
   Christ, hear us.
   Christ, graciously hear us.
   God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
   God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
   God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
   Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us
   Holy Mary, pray    for us
   Holy Mother of God, pray for us
   Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us
   St. Michael, pray for us
   St. Gabriel, pray for us
   St. Raphael, pray for us
   All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us
   All ye holy orders of blessed Spirits pray for us
   St. John Baptist, pray for us
   St. Joseph, pray for us
   All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets, pray for us
   St. Peter, pray for us
   St. Paul, pray for us
   St. Andrew, pray for us
   † St. James, pray for us
   St. John, pray for us
   † St. Thomas, pray for us
   † St. James, pray for us
   † St. Philip, pray for us
   † St. Bartholomew, pray for us
   † St. Matthew, pray for us
   † St. Simon, pray for us
   † St. Thaddeus, pray for us
   † St. Matthias, pray for us
   † St. Barnabas, pray for us
   † St. Luke, pray for us
   † St. Mark, pray for us
   All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists, pray for us
   All ye holy Disciples of our Lord, pray for us
   † All ye holy Innocents, pray for us
   St. Stephen, pray for us
   St. Lawrence, pray for us
   St. Vincent, pray for us
   † St. Fabian and St. Sebastian, pray for us
   † St. John and St. Paul, pray for us
   † St. Cosmas and St. Damian, pray for us
   † St. Gervase and St. Protase, pray for us
   All ye holy Martyrs, pray for us
   St. Sylvester, pray for us
   St. Gregory, pray for us
   † St. Ambrose, pray for us
   St. Augustine, pray for us
   † St. Jerome, pray for us
   † St. Marin, pray for us
   † St. Nicholas, pray for us
   All ye holy Bishops and Confessors, pray for us
   All ye holy Doctors, pray for us
   St. Anthony, pray for us
   St. Benedict, pray for us
   † St. Bernard, pray for us
   St. Dominic, pray for us
   St. Francis, pray for us
   All ye holy Priests and Levites, pray for us
   All ye holy Monks and Hermits, pray for us
   St. Mary Magdalen, pray for us
   St. Agatha, pray for us
   † St. Lucy, pray for us
   St. Agnes, pray for us
   St. Cecilia, pray for us
   † St. Catharine, pray for us
   St. Anastasia, pray for us
   All ye holy Virgins and Widows, pray for us
   All ye holy Men and Women, Saints of God, pray for us
   Be merciful, spare us, O Lord
   Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord
   From all evil, deliver us, O Lord
   From all sin, deliver us, O Lord
   † From Thy wrath, deliver us, O Lord
   † From sudden and unprovided death, deliver us, O    Lord
   † From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Lord
   † From anger, and hatred, and all ill will, deliver us, O Lord
   † From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Lord
   † From lightning and tempest, deliver us, O Lord
   † From the scourge of earthquake, deliver us, O Lord
   † From plague, famine, and war, deliver us, O Lord
   From everlasting death, deliver us, O Lord
   Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy coming, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy Nativity, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy Baptism and holy fasting, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy Cross and Passion, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy Death and Burial, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy holy Resurrection, deliver us, O Lord
   Through Thy wonderful Ascension, deliver us, O Lord
   Through the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, deliver us, O Lord
   In the day of judgment, deliver us, O Lord
   We sinners, beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst spare us, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst pardon us, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all orders of the Church in holy religion, we beseech Thee, to hear us
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and unity to all Christian People., we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst restore to the unity of the Church all who have strayed from the truth, and lead all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   † That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relations, and benefactors from eternal damnation, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   Son of God, we beseech Thee, to hear us
   Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
   Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
   Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
   Christ, hear us.
   Christ, graciously hear us.
   Lord, have mercy on us.
   Christ, have mercy on us.
   Lord, have mercy on us.
   Our Father . . . (secretly)
V.: And lead us not into temptation.
R.: But deliver us from evil.

THE ROGATION PRAYERS

PSALM 69 ~ O GOD MAKE HASTE TO HELP OUR SOUL

O God, come to my assistance: O Lord, make haste to help me.
   Let them be ashamed and confounded, that seek after my soul.
   Let them be turned backward and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
   Let them be turned back with shame, that say unto me, Aha, aha.
   Let all those that seek Thee be joyful and glad in Thee, and let such as love Thy salvation say continually: Let the Lord be magnified.
   But I am poor and needy: help me, O God.
   Thou art my helper and my deliverer: O Lord, make no delay.
   Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
   As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
   V.: Save Thy servants.
   R.: Who hope in Thee, O my God.
   V.: Be unto us, O Lord, a tower of strength.
   R.: From the face of the enemy.
   V.: Let not the enemy prevail against us.
   R.: Nor the son of wickedness have power to hurt us.
V.: O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
   R.: Neither requite us according to our iniquities.
V.: Let us pray for our Sovereign Pontiff N…
   R.: The Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.
   V.: Let us pray for our benefactors.
R.: Vouchsafe, O Lord, for Thy Name’s sake, to reward with eternal life all those who do us good, Amen.
   V.: Let us pray for the faithful departed.
R.: Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
   V.: May they rest in peace.
   R.: Amen.
   V.: For our absent brethren.
   R.: Save Thy servants, who hope in Thee, O my God.
   V.: Send them help, O Lord, from the holy place.
   R.: And from Sion protect them.
   V.: O Lord, hear my prayer.
   R.: And let my cry come unto Thee.
   V.: The Lord be with you.
   R.: And with Thy spirit.

Let us pray. — O God, whose property is always to have pity and to spare, receive our humble petition: that we, and all Thy servants who are bound by the chains of sin, may by the compassion of Thy goodness mercifully be absolved.
   Graciously hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the prayers of Thy suppliants, and pardon the sins of them that confess to Thee: that, in Thy bounty, Thou mayest grant us both pardon and peace.
   In Thy clemency, O Lord, show unto us Thine unspeakable mercy: that Thou mayest both loose us from all our sins, and deliver us from the punishments which we deserve for them.
   O God, who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy people making supplication to THee, and turn away the scourges of Thine anger, which we deserve for our sins.
Almighty, everlasting God, have mercy upon Thy servant N., our Sovereign Pontiff, and direct him according to Thy clemency into the way of everlasting salvation, that by Thy grace he may both desire those things that are pleasing to Thee, and perform them with all his strength.
   O God, from whom are holy desires, right counsels, and just works, give to Thy servants that peace which the world cannot give: that our hearts being devoted to the keeping of Thy commandments, and the fear of enemies being removed, the times, by Thy protection, may be peaceful.
   Inflame, O Lord, our reins and hearts with the fires of the Holy Ghost: that we may serve Thee with a chaste body and please Thee with a clean heart.
   O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins: that through devout supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired.
Direct, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our actions by Thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance: that every prayer and work of ours may begin always from Thee, and through Thee may be happily ended.
   Almighty, everlasting God, who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all, of whom Thou foreknowest that they will be Thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech Thee, that they for whom we intend to pour forth our prayers, whether this present world still detain them in the flesh, or the world to come hath already received them out of their bodies, may, through the intercession of all Thy Saints, by the clemency of Thy goodness, obtain the remission of all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .

R.: Amen.
   V.: The Lord be with you.
   R.: And with thy spirit.
   V.: May the almighty and merciful Lord graciously hear us.
   R.: Amen.
   V.: And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
   R.: Amen.

II. THE MASS OF ROGATION

INTROIT ~ Ps. 17. 7

EPISTLE ~ James 5. 16-20
Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed James the Apostle.

GRADUAL ~ Ps. 117. 1.

GOSPEL ~ Luke 11. 5-13
† Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke.

OFFERTORY ~ Ps. 113. 30, 31

PREFACE ~ Preface for Easter

COMMUNION ~ Luke 11. 9, 10

POSTCOMMUNION

ARISE, O Lord, help us and deliver us for Thy Name’s sake.
Alleluia.