It was a time of unusual weather patterns - storms, floods and earthquakes tormented the land and made life difficult for peoples of many countries. About this time the bishop of Vienne in Gaul originated an annual observance of penitential exercises lasting a period of three days before the feast of the Ascension. He also prescribed penitential processions during these three days. Thus began what we now know as the Rogation Days. Previous to this period, the custom of combining litanies and processions had developed to such a point that the two terms had become synonymous.
Litanies are an ancient form of prayer stemming from Jewish tradition.
They consist of a set of invocations and responses usually done by different groups of people. In the Christian tradition, litanies typically consist of four parts. In more agrarian times, it was customary for the people to form a procession at the Church which would wend its way through the lanes and fields as the priest sprinkled holy water on the newly planted crops. Upon arrival at the Church again, a sermon would be preached and the Rogation Mass begun. In larger towns, people would assemble in their parish churches and form processions, all converging upon the town's major Church or Cathedral.