79. What is done by the Church on the day of St. Marco and ne’ three days of the minor Rogations?
On the days of St. Marco and ne’ three days of the minor Rogations, processions and solemn prayers are made by the Church to appease God, and make him favorable to us so that he forgives us our sins, keep his punishments away from us, bless the fruits of the earth that begin to show themselves, and provide for both our spiritual and temporal needs.
80. The processions of S. Mark and the Rogations are ancient?
The processions of S. Mark and the Rogations are very ancient, and the people used to compete barefoot with a true spirit of penance and in very large numbers, leaving every other occupation to intervene.
- What do we do with the litanies of the Saints that are sung in the Rogations, or in other similar processions?
With the Litanies of the Saints
- we implore mercy from the Holy Trinity; and to be heard we turn in particular to Jesus Christ with those words: Christ, hear us, Christ, hear us, Meaning what: Christ listen to us, Christ hear us.
- we invoke the patronage of the Virgin Mary, of the Angels and Saints of heaven, telling them; pray for us: pray for us.
- we turn again to Jesus Christ and pray to him, for everything He has done for our health, to free us from all evils, and mainly from sin, telling him: free us, Sir: free us, oh Lord.
- we ask him for the gift of true penance, and the grace to persevere in his holy service, and we pray for all orders of the Church, and for the union and happiness of all God's people by saying: we ask you, hear us: listen to us, oh Lord, please.
- Let's end this prayer with the words with which we begin, that is, by imploring God's mercy, telling him again: Kyrie eleison etc.: Gentleman, have mercy on us etc.
- How we should intervene in processions?
We must intervene in the processions
- with good order and with a true spirit of penance and prayer, singing slowly and with piety what the Church sings; o, not knowing, uniting us with our hearts and praying in particular;
- with modesty and concentration, not looking here and there, nor speaking to anyone without necessity;
- with great confidence, May God be there to answer our groans, and common prayers, and grant us what is so necessary for the soul, as for the body.
- Because the Cross is preceded in processions?
In processions the cross is preceded to teach us, that we must always have Jesus Christ crucified before our eyes to regulate our lives and our actions according to his examples, and to imitate him in his passion, patiently suffering the pains that afflict us.
SOURCE: Major Catechism of Saint Pius
