Wednesday before Ascension Day
Preserved but no longer current.
Rogation is the Latin equivalent of the Greek word "Litany," and on the three Rogation days "the Litany of the Saints" is appointed to be sung by the clergy and people in public procession. ("Litany," Gr. Htaneia, supplication. "Roga- tion," Lat. rogatio, same meaning.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Wednesday before Ascension Day” mean?
Rogation is the Latin equivalent of the Greek word "Litany," and on the three Rogation days "the Litany of the Saints" is appointed to be sung by the clergy and people in public procession. ("Litany," Gr. Htaneia, supplication. "Roga- tion," Lat. rogatio, same meaning.
Is “Wednesday before Ascension Day” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.