Flowers for Laetare Sunday?

[baltobetsy]

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is also known as Laetare Sunday. It is a lightening of the sadness of Lent, shown in the use of the liturgical color Rose for vestments that day.

I had a chat with my pastor today about flowers on the altar. He pointed out that the general directions for the decoration of the altar during Lent call for things to be subdued, and not include flowers. I wonder if this is lifted for Laetare Sunday or not.

Can anyone point me to the instructions about this? Thanks.

Betsy

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“305. Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar.
During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this season, without expressing prematurely the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers.** Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts are exceptions. **
Floral decorations should always be done with moderation and placed around the altar rather than on its mensa.”

So flowers are sometimes around the altar, but never on it.

 

[AJV]

To add to John Lilburne’s post, the Ceremonial of Bishops also quotes this same legislation, no 252

During Lent, the altar is not to be decorated with flowers and the use of musical instruments is allowed only to support the singing. The fourth Sunday of Lent, called Laetare Sunday, Solemnities, and Feasts are exceptions to this rule. On Laetare Sunday rose vestments may be used.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

As Laetare Sunday is an exception, I recommend rose-colored roses. A theme flower, right?

 

[baltobetsy]

Thanks, guys. I probably won’t press the issue, but it’s nice to know I could if I wanted to!

I work in a flower shop, and our church vases look better than the ones from a rival shop that are currently used in our parish. I was hoping to send altar flowers (for the main altar behind the altar of sacrifice) for the 4th Sunday to show off our designer’s work. But Father seems not to want to have any flowers at all for all of Lent, so I’ll not go against his wishes. He’s a good guy.

Betsy

 

[benedictgal]

Thanks, guys. I probably won’t press the issue, but it’s nice to know I could if I wanted to!

I work in a flower shop, and our church vases look better than the ones from a rival shop that are currently used in our parish. I was hoping to send altar flowers (for the main altar behind the altar of sacrifice) for the 4th Sunday to show off our designer’s work. But Father seems not to want to have any flowers at all for all of Lent, so I’ll not go against his wishes. He’s a good guy.

Betsy

If he does change his mind, try not to do a full boogie with the flowers. And, like our friend from the Chicagoland area wrote, stick with the rose-colored roses.

Now, switching gears a bit to Palm Sunday, we put palm leaves in the vases, but, we also added Hawaiian gingers (they look like red tongues) in moderation. It was beautiful; but, after the last Palm Sunday Mass, we took them down. For the Chrism Mass (when I was at our cathedral), we ordered two large white floral arrangements. After the Mass, we kept them refrigerated and then used them for Holy Thursday. After the procession, we moved them to the altar of repose.

If he won’t fudge on the roses for Laetare Sunday, perhaps you can offer to do something simple (yet lovely) for Holy Thursday that could then be taken to the altar of repose (so long as the area does not resemble a tomb).

 

[baltobetsy]

If he won’t fudge on the roses for Laetare Sunday, perhaps you can offer to do something simple (yet lovely) for Holy Thursday that could then be taken to the altar of repose (so long as the area does not resemble a tomb).

Holy Week is taken care of yearly by another parishioner. I think I’ll wait until the Easter lilies die and then do something splashy.

Betsy

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Holy Week is taken care of yearly by another parishioner. I think I’ll wait until the Easter lilies die and then do something splashy.

Betsy

Well take pictures so we can see!

My younger daughters LOVE Gaudete and Laetare!!! They’ve loved it ever since they were little when they called it “Barbie Pink Sunday.”

 

[baltobetsy]

and Laetare!!! They’ve loved it ever since they were little when they called it “Barbie Pink Sunday.”

The young priest I like at our Cathedral has beautiful vestments - not fiddlebacks, as some of our tradition-minded members might prefer, but gorgeous fabrics just the same, with a traditional look. I was surprised to hear him say that he didn’t care for the rose set, because it reminded him of Pepto Bismol. They could also be called “Barbie Pink,” for sure. I suppose he didn’t choose the fabrics himself!

Betsy

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

The young priest I like at our Cathedral has beautiful vestments - not fiddlebacks, as some of our tradition-minded members might prefer, but gorgeous fabrics just the same, with a traditional look. I was surprised to hear him say that he didn’t care for the rose set, because it reminded him of Pepto Bismol. They could also be called “Barbie Pink,” for sure. I suppose he didn’t choose the fabrics himself!

Betsy

Even though they’ve stopped their liturgically-themed attire for Mass, they still wear something pink on these days.

I have pink, suede Converse shoes for special occasions. These two days are considered special.

 

[Morwenna]

Wasn’t today Laetare Sunday?

When I went to Mass today, the priest was still in violet (rather than rose), and there were still the barren branches (instead of flowers) behind the altar.

Is Laetare Sunday no longer celebrated?

 

[Phemie]

Wasn’t today Laetare Sunday?

When I went to Mass today, the priest was still in violet (rather than rose), and there were still the barren branches (instead of flowers) behind the altar.

Is Laetare Sunday no longer celebrated?

The option is there for either rose or violet. Our parish has no rose vestments and the last two pastors had no desire to get any or wear any

I did tell our former pastor, my boss, (a short, chubby, pink skinned, 75 year old with a crown of white hair) that I thought he’d look cute in pink, he pointed to the door of his office and growled “OUT!” Our present pastor made a joke last year to the effect that wearing rose could cause gossip.

 

[Morwenna]

The option is there for either rose or violet.

I didn’t realize this; thanks for the info!

Our parish has no rose vestments and the last two pastors had no desire to get any or wear any

I did tell our former pastor, my boss, (a short, chubby, pink skinned, 75 year old with a crown of white hair) that I thought he’d look cute in pink, he pointed to the door of his office and growled “OUT!”

Sounds like he has a wonderful sense of humor