Similarly, how did the Magi recognize an earth-shaking event in the humble stable with Joseph and Mary?
Gavantí's opinion that the custom of celebrating the octave of feasts dates back to the days of the Apostles is devoid of proof (Thesaurus sacr. The feast of Christmas, which too is very old, had originally no octave. Peter and Paul and other saints, "quorum festivitas apud nos clarior habetur . Two kinds of octaves were distinguished, those of feasts of our Lord, and those of saints and the dedication.
From the fourth century onwards the celebration of octaves is mentioned more frequently. Cabrol, "Etude sur la Peregrinatio", Paris, 1895, pp. Certain octaves were considered as privileged days, on which work was forbidden.
It occurs in the Apostolic Constitutions , the sermons of the Fathers, the Councils ("Const. temp.", i; "Ep.", lv, 32, 33 etc.; "Peregrinatio Etheriæ", ed.
In the fourth century, when the primitive idea of the fifty days' feast of the paschal time began to grow dim, Easter and Pentecost were given octaves. In the first category are further distinguished principal feasts -- those of Easter and Pentecost, which had specially privileged octaves, and those of Christmas, the Epiphany, and Corpus Christi, which were privileged (the Ascension octave was not privileged ).
Possibly at first this was only a baptismal custom, the neophytes remaining in a kind of joyful retreat from Easter or Pentecost till the following Sunday. Octaves, which exclude all or practically all occurring; and transferred feasts, are called privileged. Under OCTAVARIUM ROMANUM there is an account of Gavanti's attempt to provide a more varied offìce for the octaves. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2018 Catholic Online.