CHORUS 2023
Orientis Partibus
The Feast of the Ass (Latin: Festum Asinorum or asinaria festa, French: Fête de l'âne) was a medieval, Christian feast observed on January 14th, celebrating the Flight into Egypt. It was celebrated primarily in France, as a by-product of the Feast of Fools celebrating the donkey-related stories in the Bible, in particular the donkey bearing the Holy Family into Egypt after Jesus's birth.
This feast may represent a Christian adaptation of the pagan feast, Cervulus, integrating it with the donkey in the nativity story. In connection with the Biblical stories, the celebration was first celebrated in the 11th century, inspired by the pseudo-Augustinian "Sermo contra Judaeos" c. 6th century. In the second half of the 15th century, the feast disappeared gradually, along with the Feast of Fools, which was stamped out around the same time. It was not considered as objectionable as the Feast of Fools. A girl with child on a donkey would be led through town to the church, where the donkey would stand beside the altar during the sermon, and the congregation would "hee-haw" their responses to the priest. |
Orientis partibus
adventavit asinus, pulcher et fortissimus, Sarcinis aptissimus. Hez, Sir Asnes, hez! Hic in collibus Sychen iam nutritus sub Ruben transiit per Jordanem saliit in Bethlehem Saltu vincit hinnulos damas et capreolos super dromedarios velox madianeos Aurum de Arabia, Thus et myrrham de Sabba Tulit in ecclesia Virtus asinaria. Dum trahit vehicula multa cum sarcinula illius mandibula dura terit pabula Cum aristis, hordeum comedit et carduum triticum ex palea segregat in area Amen dicas, asine Iam satur ex gramine amen, amen itera aspernare vetera Hez, Sir Asne, Hez! |
In eastern lands
the ass arrived handsome and strong, fit for burden Hail(gee up), Sir Ass, Hail. Here in the hills of Sichan, already fed below the Ruben he crosses the Jordan, he enters Bethlehem In his leaps he conquers the mules, the fallow deer and roebucks and surpasses the fast camels of the Medes Gold from Arabia, incense and myrrh from Saba this gallant ass brought to the church While he pulls carts, many with heavy loads his jaws grind tough fodder He eats barley, beards and all, and spiny thistles the wheat from the chaff he separates on the threshing floor You say "amen" ass, all filled with grass "Amen, amen" once again, spurning the past |