Bernard and Pope Benedict XIII. shows, but as to the time of its origin
or a history of its growth, little seems to be known. At first the cult
consisted in various and voluntary prayers and practices. About the
middle of the fourteenth century an office was composed for recital on
Saturdays as dedicated to the Mother of God. The office in our
Breviaries was composed by St. Pius V, (1566-1572).




TITLE IX,--COMMEMORATIONS.

The rules laid down in the general rubrics of the Breviary for
commemorations were never very simple, and when we read the changes
brought about in _De ratione Divini officii recitandi juxta novum
Psalteri ordinem_, Titles II., III., IV., V., VI., with' the decrees of
the Congregation (January, 1912), and subsequently (_Abhinc duos Annos_)
everyone must fear to tread the maze with certainty and must often fall
back gratefully on the labours of the compilers of the _Ordo_ which he
follows. Or, perhaps, doubts may be dispelled by _The New Psalter_
(Burton and Myers) published in 1912. The chapter on the Calendar in
that book is worth study, but needs now additions and corrections, owing
to the issue of more recent decrees.

In the study of commemorations and translations of feasts there are two
words which have a special meaning and which, being often used in
calendar working, deserve a special note. They are "occurrence" and
"concurrence." _Occurrence_ is the conjunction of two or more offices,
which fall on the same day. It may be accidental when two movable feasts
are concerned or when a movable feast falls on a day which has a fixed