12. THE MARTYROLOGIES OF ADO, USUARDUS, RABANUS MAURUS, AND NOTKER BALBULUS 405 13. IMPORTANT CALENDARS FROM THE EIGHTH TO THE ELEVENTH CENTURIES 410 CONCLUSION 419 APPENDIX I. CLASSIFICATION OF FEASTS IN THE ROMAN CALENDAR 421 II. ON SOME LISTS OF FESTIVALS 421 III. THE FESTIVALS OF OBLIGATION AS OBSERVED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES 423 IV. LITURGICAL VESTMENTS 428 V. THE WORD MASS AS A NAME FOR THE SACRIFICE OF THE ALTAR 430 VI. ON THE DATE FOR CHRISTMAS IN HIPPOLYTUS 437 VII. CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND DURING THE COMMONWEALTH 439 VIII. EXCURSUS ON THE THREE HOLY KINGS 441 IX. THE GREEK ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR 442 X. ENGLISH WRITERS AND THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 445 XI. EXCURSUS ON THE SO-CALLED TYPICA 447 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 449 INDEX 457 HEORTOLOGY PART I THE CHURCH’S FESTIVALS IN GENERAL 1. _Introduction_ The external worship of God, if it is not to remain vague and indefinite, finds expression on the one hand through certain elements belonging to the senses, such as signs and words, and on the other it is connected with places and times. By the changes of day and night, of seasons and years, Creation calls upon man to raise his mind to God at stated times and to enter into communion with Him. The day with its brightness is suited for work, night with its stillness invites man to turn his thoughts in upon himself. The change of day and night calls upon us to begin the day’s work with God, and to commend ourselves to His keeping in the darkness of the night. The course of the seasons, too, matures the fruits of the earth necessary for our support, and the succession of years reminds us of the fleeting nature of everything earthly, for our whole life is composed of successive years. Consequently the civilised peoples already in remote antiquity have found a call to the worship of God in the changing seasons and times, and so have introduced sacred seasons. Sacred times and places are common to all religions in general. The change of times, bringing with them corresponding changes in nature, made a religious impression upon mankind. In turn, man sanctified certain times and dedicated them to God, and these days thus consecrated to God became festivals.