THE EXTENSION OF SAINT'S FEAST DAYS - DR. GIL HAAS, SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

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            A Saint’s feast’s celebration is sometimes extended.  A novena (Latin, “nine”) is nine days of devotion preceding a feast, particularly Pentecost (memorializing the days of communal prayer for the Holy Spirit by the disciples and Mary described in Acts).   An octave (Latin, eighth) is the celebration of a feast for eight days beginning with the feast itself.  Our Book of Common Prayer does not mention the word “octave”.  However, there are propers for each of the weekdays of Easter Week which may be likened to an octave.  An eve or vigil occurs on the evening before a feast, and our Book of Common Prayer provides directions for vigils of Easter, Pentecost, and burials.  Easter Vigils began in the second century when baptismal candidates listened all night to readings.  At cockcrow on Easter Day, the candidates were baptized.  Our Book of Occasional Services provides forms for vigils of Christmas, the Baptism of our Lord, New Year’s (feast of the Holy Name), All Saints’ Day, and baptism.  The 1662 Prayer Book listed 16 feasts to be preceded by a vigil.  Early evening prayers are called vespers (Latin, evening).  In the context of a feast, a feast’s vespers are prayers offered the evening of a feast.  
Dr. Gil Haas, Saint Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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