*Ø* Blogmanac January 14 | Feast of the Ass, old England

This was a popular theatrical representation of the Biblical ‘Flight into Egypt’, performed in the Middle Ages.

The escape of the Holy family of Jesus into Egypt was represented by a beautiful girl holding a child at her breast, and seated on an ass, splendidly decorated with trappings of gold-embroidered cloth. After the procession, the ass was taken to the church's high altar, where it remained during the religious services. In place of the usual responses, the congregation brayed like donkeys. At the end, the priest brayed three times instead of pronouncing the benediction. He was answered by a general hee-hawing ...

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