Christian Cyclopedia

(festum asinorum). 1. Another name for Feast* of Fools. 2 Festival of the Flight to Egypt, within the Epiphany* octave.* Perhaps innocent in origin; but by 13th c. burlesque elements were prominent. Braying by participants at mass, bringing ass into ch., use of the so-called Prose of the Ass were made part of mass and canonical office. 3. The ass at times also figured in Palm* Sun, processions and commemorating the story of Balaam's ass.