THE

PROCESSION

ASCENSION

PRECEEDING

OF OUR L O R D

JESUS

MASS

ON T H E

CHRIST

INTO

HEAVEN

After Terce has been completed, the Clergy, leaving the Quire, go in Procession
around the interior of the Church, while the following Hymn and Responsory are sung:
The Processional Hymn
(used for the Procession around the Church up the the Rood Screen):
Only the hi and 2nd Cantor together chant the following

Refrain:

It

1.

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of ages;

It

Day when Our God as-cends, high In-to Heav-en to reign. 1.Then, ML repeat the Refrain:

t
1.

It

It

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.

The 1st Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

t
y.

2.

Lo!

The fair beaut-y of Earth, from the death of win-ter

a-ri-sing. Shews how His gifts to man-kind all with Their Mas-ter re-turn. 2.

'

1.

i^

a , i I g
I "

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

II J

3
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.-

y .

3.

-=

r-"

Cloud-less o'er-head are the skies, with flow-erets the pas-tures

. i HI

are smi- ling. While the bright orb of the day glows with ef-ful-gence of Light. 3.
1

p^'

Then, M repeat the Refrain:

1.

j=Ft

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

E:

i
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.
The hi Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

4.

y.

Sor-row and death are now past; and Christ as a Vic-tor

re-tur-neth. Leaf-age the wood-land a-dorns, mead-ows with her-bage are decked. 4.-

Then, All repeat the Refrain:

6=
1.

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

I-

i

J
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.^
The 2nd Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

'

'

y . Down-tread-ing hell's dread-ed power, to heights of the Heav-en

5.

He soar-eth. Earth, sky, and o-cean the while, pour-ing their ju-bil-ant hymn. 5.Then, All repeat the Refrain:
E

1.
'

,^

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

>
I
B
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.The hi Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:
1
I
\
fr1
I

6.

y .

!-

Loose from the chain-links of hell long a-wait-ing spir-its

in pri-son. Souls in the shad-ow of death call to the realms of the blessed.

1
1.
'

6.

3r^
I
1
5
L_.
1
_1
i-J
Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

i
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. l.->
The 2nd Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

i
^

7.

y . Forth from the fet-ters of death THOU ART Lead-ing num-ber-less

cap-tives; Free-ly they stretch forth their steps whith-er Their Ran-som-er goes. 7.

1
1.

3;
^

1
a
a;
- i - H

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

:
*

1M

Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.

The hi Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:
i:
1
'

=F
^

8. y .

Cleansed from the guilt, and re-newed, em-braced in the Arms

of Thy mer-cy. Up to Thy Fath-er on High, bear them, the pledg-es of grace. 8.

Then, AIL repeat the Refrain:

I
1.

It

It

-jPr

~ir

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

'

"

Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.^
The 2nd Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

-
9.

y .

Thus as a guerd-on meet shall Thy Brow have a Doub-le

.

.
i
u
Cor-o-nal, One for Thy mer-it's be-half, one in Thy peo-ple ob-tained. 9.

-Hi

I__
1.

^
_
1 3~~r~
1
' ii-4

-J

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

13=^

Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. l.->
The 2nd Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:

10.

y .

Sov-er-eign Health of the world, Cre-a-tor, Re-deem-er, and

Sa-viour, On-ly-Be-got-ten of God, Son of the Fath-er Su-preme. 10.

Then, AIL repeat the Refrain:
b =

1.

.
IT

.
It

TPr
Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

' - ^ m
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.

1
E

11.
1

^^w

,.

.=

y.

Peer

of

,1

. .

Thy Si-re,

with
1

Him Co'-ter-nal, in glor-y

'

'

Co-E-qual, O Thou, by Whom all things are, Be-ing's Or-ig-in-al Fount. 11.
Then, AIL repeat the Refrain:
b

1.

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.^
The 2nd Cantor alone then chants the following Verse:
b

12.

y.

Sunk in pro-found-est of depths were we, when in pit-y

1
1
=
1
-1
'
^ '^iji

^
11
be-hold-ing. Thou to de-liv-er our
race, deign-edst our flesh to as-sume. 12.

6
1.

3T"

ft

p-

Hail thee! Fes-tiv-al Day, thrice hal-low'd for a-ges of a-ges;

t
Day when Our God as-cends, high in-to Heav-en to reign. 1.^
The First Processional Responsory (used on Sunday only, by the Clergy, for the
Procession from the Quire into the Church):
The hi

CantQr

alone begins:

J ^ ^ ^

"Ye men of Gal-il

'

ee.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
All respond:

Al-le

f^."

up

"Why

stand

ye

ga - zing

up

In - to

lu-ya. "In like man-ner as ye have seen

Heav - en?"

Him Go - ing

^^..^r^

in-to Heav-en, so shall He come a-gain," al-le-lu-ya, al-le-lu - ya, al-le - lu-ya.

T h e l M d o m a d o L ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
alone chants:
E

y.

And while they look-ed stead-fast-ly to-ward Heav-en as

^*>s

He went up, be - hold, two men stood by them in white ap-par - el, which al-so said:

All respond:

up

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
"In like man-ner as ye have seen
Him Go - ing

in-to Heav-en, so shall He come a-gain," al-le-lu-ya, al-le-lu - ya, al-le - lu-ya.

At this point the Clergy halt in front of the Rood Screen for the Celebrant
to chant the Bidding of the Bedes.
The Bidding of the Bedes (from the Sacramentary of Leofric, Bishop of Exeter):
y.
Let us pray the mercy of the Lord, dearly beloved brethren, for our
brothers and sisters from the East and from the West, that each of them might
also pray for us in diverse places. Through Christ Our Lord. F^. Amen.
y.
Let us pray also for unity in the Church, for the sick, for the
disabled, for captives, for penitents, for labourers, for them that have set sail,
for them that travel over land, for almsgivers, for the souls of the departed, and
for them that are not partaking of Communion, that the Lord grant them to do
worthy penance. Through Christ Our Lord. 1^. Amen.
y.
Let us pray the mercy of the Lord also for the souls of our beloved
ones passed away, N., and N., that the Lord vouchsafe to bestow upon them a
>eaceful rest, and translate them unto a place of repose and refreshment by the
ntercession of His Saints. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. 1^. Amen.
y.
We offer Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, this prayer from the rising of the
Sun unto the setting thereof, from the right hand side unto the left; to the honour
and Glory of the Divine and Human Natures of Christ; to the honour of the
celestial hierarchies, of Michael and Gabriel the Archangels; to the honour and
glory of the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs; for all virgins, faithful,
and penitents, for all that are married; for them that are not exceedmg good, for
them that are not exceeding evil; for all deserving our prayer and supplication.
Through the Same Christ Our Lord. F^- Amen.

The Second Processional Responsory (used on Sunday only, by the Clergy, for the
Procession back from the Church into the Quire):
The 1st Cantor

J:

"Let not your heart.

alone begins:

"Be

All respond:

troub - led;

"I will

send you

Kfti

teach you the

to

go

the

Spir- it

My

Fath-er;

and

of Truth, and He will

ra
com-mand-ments of

The M. Cantor

life,"

al-le- lu -

ya.

jt

alone then chants:y. "If I

go not a- way, the Com-for-ter will not come;

3:
when I shall have been ta-ken up, I will send Him un-to you."

^
And

All respond:

!>

- -

He will teach you the

com-mand-ments of

^
life,'

1
al-le- lu -

ya.

The 1st Cantor

y.

alone chants:

to the Fath-er, and to the Son, 4< and

Glor-y be

j]E
3sarfH'
g ^^JL
to the Ho - ly Ghost.

t
All respond:

And He will teach you

the

com-mand-ments of

life,"

al-le- lu -

ya.

The Processional Conclusion (used on the Feast Day of the Ascension only, to
conclude the Procession):
God is Gone up with a merry noise.
And the Lord with the sound of the trump, alleluya.
Let us pray. Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that like as we
do believe Thine Only-Begotten Son, Our Redeemer, to have ascended unto the
Heavens, so we may also in mind dwell in Heavenly Places. Through the Same
Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity
of the Holy Ghost, God, through all the ages of ages. 1^. Amen.
Thus is the Procession completed, and the Divine Liturgy of the Mass is
begun immediately hereafter.