ROGATION DAYS. It was a general custom formerly, says Bourne, and it is still observed in many country parishes, to go round the bounds and limits of the parish on one of the three days preceding Holy Thursday ; when the minister, accompanied by his church wardens and parishioners, used to deprecate the vengeance of God, beg a blessing on the fruits of the earth, and preserve the rights and properties of the parish. The primitive custom used by Christians on this occasion was, for the people to accompany the bishop or sonic of the clergy into the fields, where Litanies where made, and the mercy of God implored, that be would avert the evils of plague and pestilence,. that he would send thorn good and seasonable weather, and give them in due season the fruits of the earth. The Litanies or Rogations thou used gave the name of Rogation Week to this time. They occur as early as A.D. 550, when they were first observed by Mamertius, bishop of Vienna, on account of the frequent earthquakes that happened, and the incursions of wild beasts, which laid in ruins and depopulated tho city. (Walifred, Strad., c. 28,' Do Repub. Ecclesiast.') In the canons
of Cuthbert, archbishop of Canterbury, made at Cloveahoo, in the year 747, it was ordered Wet Litanies, that is Rogations, should be observed by the clergy and people, with great reverence, on the seventh of the calends of May, according to the rites of the church of Rome, which terms this the Greater Litany, and also, according to the custom of our forefathers, on the three days before the Ascension of our Lord, with testing., &o. (Wilkins, Condi. Brit. ;' Spelm., r. ' Litaftia.) In the Book of Common Prayer they are still retained. The three Ro gation Days are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Holy Thursday, which aro appointed fast days. The previous Sunday is Rogation Sunday.
'legation Week, in the northern parte of England, is called Gang Week, from to gang, which in the north signifies to go. Gang-week, occurs in the rubric to John, c. 17, in the Saxon Gospels; and Gang-dagas are noticed in the laws both of Alfred and A thelstan.
(Brand's Popular A utig. ; Brady's Claris Calendaria.)