The Octave of the Immaculate Conception
The Liturgical Year
By Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)
This, the eighth day from that on which we kept the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, is the Octave properly so called; whereas the other days were simply called days within the Octave. The custom of keeping up the principal Feasts for a whole week is one of those which the Christian Church adopted from the Synagogue. God had thus spoken in the Book of Leviticus: “The first day shall be called most solemn and most holy: you shall do no servile work therein … The eighth day also shall be most solemn and most holy, and you shall offer holocausts to the Lord, for it is the day of assembly and congregation: you shall do no servile work therein.” (Leviticus 25:35-36) We also read in the Book of Kings that Solomon, having called all Israel to Jerusalem for the dedication of the Temple, suffered not the temple to return home until the eighth day. (1 Kings 8:65-66) Continue reading