Assumption-tide

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From the Oratory of the Sorrowful Heart of Mary Bulletin, dated August 17, 2025:

Assumption-tide

Within the Assumption Octave

Traditional Catholics will be familiar with the idea of multiple overlapping octaves. The practice of celebrating an octave, while not only traced to the time spent by the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary in expectation of the Paraclete, also has its origins in the Old Testament eight-day celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36) and the Dedication of the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:9). Truly, Christ did not come to abolish the Old Law but to fulfill it.

By the 8th Century, Rome had developed liturgical octaves not only for Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas but also for the Epiphany and the feast of the dedication of a church.

After 1568, when Pope Pius V reduced the number of octaves (since by then they had grown considerably) the number of octaves were still plentiful. At that time, octaves were classified into several types. Easter and Pentecost had "specially privileged" octaves, during which no other feast whatsoever could be celebrated. Christmas, Epiphany, and Corpus Christi had "privileged" octaves, during which certain highly ranked feasts might be celebrated. Also, the octaves of other feasts allowed even more feasts to be celebrated.

To reduce the repetition of the same liturgy for several days, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope St. Pius X made further distinctions, classifying octaves into three primary types: Privileged Octaves, Common Octaves, and Simple Octaves. Privileged Octaves were arranged in a hierarchy of First, Second, and Third Orders. For the first half of the 20th Century, octaves were ranked in the following manner, which affected holding other celebrations within their timeframes …most Traditional Catholics using the Missal of St. Pius X will be familiar with this list of octaves:

-  Privileged Octaves   
   
   
    -  Privileged Octaves of the First Order
       
        -  Octave of Easter           
       
        -  Octave of Pentecost           
           
           
   
    -  Privileged Octaves of the Second Order
       
        -  Octave of Epiphany           
       
        -  Octave of Corpus Christi
           
                       
   
    -  Privileged Octaves of the Third Order
       
        -  Octave of Christmas           
       
        -  Octave of the Ascension           
       
        -  Octave of the Sacred Heart
           

-  Common Octaves       
   
    -  Octave of the Saint Joseph Solemnity       
   
    -  Octave of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
       
    -  Octave of Saints Peter and Paul
       
    -  Octave of the Assumption
       
    -  Octave of All Saints
       
    -  Octave of the Immaculate Conception
       

-  Simple Octaves
       
    -  Octave of Saint Stephen       
   
    -  Octave of Saint John the Apostle       
   
    -  Octave of the Holy Innocents    


Assumption-tide is this current period of time between the feasts of the Assumption and that of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (August 22nd, the Octave Day of the Assumption). It is a time that’s meant to both contemplate the great mystery of the Immaculata’s Assumption into heaven, as well as a preparation for the sublime, crowning feast of her Immaculate Heart on the Octave Day. We can live out this beautiful Assumption Octave by adding to our daily prayers the Collect from the Solemnity:


Almighty and everlasting God, who hath taken up the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of Thy Son, with body and soul into heavenly glory: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may always, ever intent on higher things, deserve to be partakers of her glory. Through the same . . .