Today 14th January is the Feast of the Ass. See the page about this in my donkey Culture & History pages. I was also sent a link by Jim in USA to remind me about today, which I must admit I had actually forgotten. Many thanks Jim! He included a link to a priest’s blog. Father Z provides some useful additional detail about the feast and also a greeting card to give to your parish priest, with the slogan “You put the ass in Mass” (!) http://wdtprs.com/blog/2018/01/14-jan-happy-feast-of-the-ass
And here is the main hymn for the Feast of the Ass, Orientis Partibus.
Orientis partibus adventavit asinus
pulcher et fortissimus sarcinis aptissimus
Hey, sir asne, hey!
Hic in collibus Sichan
iam nutritus sub Ruben
transiit per Iordanem
saliit in Bethlehem
Saltu vincit hinnulos
dammas et capreolos
super dromedarios velox madianeos
Aurum de Arabia thus
et myrrham de Saba
tulit in ecclesia virtus Asinaria
Dum trahit vehicula multa cum sarcinula
illius mandibula dura terit pabula
Cum aristis hordeum comedit
et carduum
triticum e palea
segregat in area
Amen dicas, asine, iam satur de gramine
Amen, amen itera aspernare vetera
Related blog post from January 2016: The Dream of Matilde
Equus Asinus 
Oh brilliant, thanks Jabba. And happy new year!
PS The Magnificat (at least the first half !) reminded me very much of Vespers in the great Charterhouse at Parkminster. Gosh, was it only nine years ago I lived in my lovely isolated hermitage in the great cloister there, where the only glimpse of the outside world was the jet planes flying overhead towards Gatwick airport?
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Every day is a feast day for donkeys, but a day dedicated to donkey feasting and merriment is a good excuse for more carrots. Wonderful music! Maybe Matilde’s dream will include some dancing carrots tonight?…
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When I played the video back on my phone while the donks were waiting for their evening feed, it elicited wild braying from Morris and Matilde. Aaaaaaargh! They will not bray on cue…
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