or with one another. Occupying to some extent an intermediate position
between these two chief divisions come the festivals of our Blessed
Lady, which have this in common with the festivals of the saints, that
they fall on fixed days; but, on the other hand, they are to a certain
extent connected with each other and with some feasts of our Lord. This
is carried out in such a way that they are distributed throughout the
Church year and are included in each of the festal seasons (Kellner,
_Heortology_, Part I.).

From Apostolic times the feasts of Easter, the Ascension and Pentecost
were celebrated. In the second century feasts of the Apostles were
celebrated and the cult of the Martyrs was of speedy and widespread
development. But it was not, probably, till the fourth century, that the
feasts of saints who were not martyrs were celebrated.

_Origin of the different grades of feasts_. To-day, we find Church
festivals arranged in three grades, doubles, semi-doubles and simples,
and it is very difficult, to determine clearly and accurately the origin
and the nature of the arrangements. But from the works of scholars, who
have studied this matter, the following may be considered as a fair and
accurate summing up:--

In the first ages of the Church the Apostles and Martyrs only were
commemorated in public prayers and, above all, in the Mass, perhaps, by
a special prayer. Then, in time, followed the reading of a panegyric in
their honour, and later still hymns and histories of martyrdom were
added to the public recitation of the Office. Still later, there were
added the feasts of the saints with an office resembling our simple
office. Matins were entirely ferial, but had either a biography of the
saint or a long extract from the Fathers added. The other hours were as