Looking Toward the Feast of the Ascension

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Anglican Patrimonial tidbit:  In the Anglican tradition the Thursday in Holy Week is called 'Maundy Thursday', and the Thursday of the Ascension of the Lord is called 'Holy Thursday'. It is for this reason there are so many poems entitled 'Holy Thursday' written by English authors that concern not Holy Week but rather Our Lord's Ascension and Session at the right hand of the Father.

The following prayers are some of the most ancient to be found in Christendom:

APPEAR, O Lord, make thyself known, O Lord, as thou didst appear manifest in the flesh; born of a Virgin, found by the shepherds, recognised in power, proclaimed by the Star, adored with gifts, manifest in the river, believed on in faith, received up in the cloud and promised again by him that announced it: that by the grace of this holy festival thy Church may now receive thy joys, as once it made known thy mysteries.

Mozarabic Missal

WORTHY of glory from every mouth, and of confession by every tongue, and of adoration and exaltation from all ceatures, is the adorable Name of thy glorious Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: thou who didst create the world in thy grace and its inhabitants in thy pitifulness: who didst save mankind by thy compassion and hast shown great grace unto mortals. Thousand thousands of those on high bless and adore thy Majesty, O my Lord; and ten thousand times ten thousand holy angels, and hosts of spiritual beings, ministers of fire and spirit, glorify thy name: thy holy cherubim and spiritual seraphim, offering adoration, crying and praising without ceasing, calling one to another and saying "Holy, holy holy."

Liturgy of SS. Adai and Mari

BEFORE the glorious seat of thy majesty, O Lord, and the exalted throne of thine honour, and the awful judgment-seat of thy burning love, and the absolving altar which thy command hath set up, and the place where thy glory dwelleth, we, thy people and the sheep of thy fold, do kneel with thousands of the cherubim singing ALLELUIA, and many times ten thousand seraphim and archangels, acclaiming thine holiness, worshipping, confessing and praising thee at all times, O Lord of all, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for ever.

Chaldean Liturgy

Our Lady, Guardian of Plants, pray for all of us upon the earth.