Other great festivals of the ecclesiastical year and of the saints were now observed with processional honors for which new hymns were written; special ceremonies also, were thus recognized. Hartmann wrote the elegiac hymn _Salve, lacteolo decoratum sanguine festum_ (_A. H._ 50. 251), “Hail festival, graced with the blood of the Innocents,” for the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The processional hymns of Rabanus Maurus were heard at Nativity, Easter and possibly the Feast of the Purification. The dramatic spirit, always present in the true processional is felt in all these hymns while the refrain reiterates the message of the feast: for Easter, R. Surrexit quia Christus a sepulcro, Collaetetur homo choro angelorum. (_A. H._ 50. 190) Since Christ has risen from the tomb, Let man rejoice with the choir of angels. for the Nativity, R. Christo nato, rege magno totus orbis gaudeat. (_A. H._ 50. 186) Since Christ is born, the mighty king, let the whole earth rejoice. Processional hymns for saints are represented by Radbert’s hymn honoring St. Gall, R. Annua, sancte Dei, celebramus festa diei, Qua, pater, e terris sidera, Galle, petis. (_A. H._ 50. 241) We celebrate, O Saint of God, our yearly feast on this day When thou, father Gallus, dost leave the earth for heaven. To celebrate the life and miracles of a patron saint was frequently the inspiration of a medieval procession, which, in the case of St. Gall, passed beyond the precincts of the monastery into the streets of the town.[23] It is no wonder that the tradition of these processions, furnished with all the splendor of festival vestments, of robed choirs, of monastic treasures and sacred banners should have made St. Gall unique. The Sunday processions were sometimes accompanied by imposing hymns in the form of litanies. It should not be forgotten that the ancient Christian processions were, in great part, of this nature. Waldram, Hartmann and Radbert wrote such hymns but Hartmann’s was evidently a favorite, _Summus et omnipotens genitor, qui cuncta creasti_, “Mighty and omnipotent father, who hast created all things,” with the refrain, R. Humili prece et sincera devotione Ad te clamantes semper exaudi nos. (_A. H._ 50. 253) With humble prayer and pure devotion, Ever hear us as we cry to Thee. It seems probable that the custom of singing a hymn in the procession before the reading of the Gospel originated at St. Gall. Hartmann provided a beautiful _versus_ for this purpose, Sacrata libri dogmata Portantur evangelici. (_A. H._ 50. 250) The sacred words of the Gospel are borne.