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bm1234
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Is Lent suppose to be 40 days? It starts on Ash Wed and Ends with the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday.
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CatholicNick
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40 days, not counting Sundays.
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Andreas_Hofer
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The traditional requirements of fast and/or abstinence carried through the Triduum, but I was wondering about this myself during Holy Week. I don’t know if the technical end of Lent was the same traditionally as now, so that might shape the response.
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PhilotheaZ
Guest
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. No matter what mathematical manipulations you resort to, it never adds up to exactly 40 (it is more than 40 if you include Sundays, fewer than 40 if you don’t). I have often wondered about this myself.
The first answer I have seen that makes sense to me is at ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=499935&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=14&Author=&Keyword=40+days&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=1&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at= by Michelle Arnold, who says that “We say it is forty days in an approximate sense and in a spiritual sense – since biblical periods of penance usually use the number forty.” Also read the link by Jimmy Akin jimmyakin.org/2004/03/the_length_of_l.html that she recommends.
Many people do continue their Lenten voluntary penance during the Triduum, which is technically not part of Lent.
The first answer I have seen that makes sense to me is at ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=499935&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=14&Author=&Keyword=40+days&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=1&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at= by Michelle Arnold, who says that “We say it is forty days in an approximate sense and in a spiritual sense – since biblical periods of penance usually use the number forty.” Also read the link by Jimmy Akin jimmyakin.org/2004/03/the_length_of_l.html that she recommends.
Many people do continue their Lenten voluntary penance during the Triduum, which is technically not part of Lent.
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Joan_M
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The adnwers given by Michelle Arnold and Jimmy Aiken, and others who tell us that it is not really 40 days are forming their answers to match them with the Triduum (sp?) which is now treated as if it was a totally separate season from either Lent or Easter.
None of this confusion reigned prior to that. Lent has, for centuries, started on Ash Wednesday and ended at midnight on Holy Saturday. As Sundays are always solemnities and were never included in Lent, you have exactly 40 days.
Confusion only reigns now when people try to insist that Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are not a part of Lent. Well - Good Friday is surely a part of Lent! It’s also the second of only two days of Fast and Abstinence in the whole of Lent!
They’ll have to come better than that to satisfy me!
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Michelle_Arnold
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That is because the Triduum is a separate liturgical season from Lent or Easter. It is a liturgical season in its own right and the shortest of the liturgical year. I encourage you to read Paschale Solemnitatis, the liturgical document that contains the rubrics for Holy Week. In it you’ll find that it states:
The clear implication from these statements is that, according to current liturgical law, Lent and the Triduum are separate liturgical seasons. Interestingly enough though, since the Triduum does not end until Vespers on Easter Sunday, it appears that the Triduum and the Easter season overlap a bit.
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lak611
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When did the Triduum become a separate liturgical season? I was never aware of this until I saw this thread on the fora. Nobody ever explained it in CCD, Catholic high school, or at my parish.
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tee_eff_em
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Since at least 1969: General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar – Chapter II-b. The Yearly Cycle
PS. Another monkey wrench in the argument is that the Solemnity of St Joseph always falls within the bounds of Lent, but is excepted from the fast.
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lak611
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Interesting that I was never taught this. I also never heard of ember and rogation days until I joined this forum. Those are mentioned in the link you provided. Are these still celebrated in any diocese in the USA?Since at least 1969: General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar – Chapter II-b. The Yearly Cycle
PS. Another monkey wrench in the argument is that the Solemnity of St Joseph always falls within the bounds of Lent, but is excepted from the fast.
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tee_eff_em
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I am not aware of the USCCB having arranged them.
There is no notation, eg, on the liturgical calendar if they have done so.
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Andreas_Hofer
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The Solemnity of the Annunciation also almost always falls during Lent, meaning that very often the fast is dispensed by law on that day as well - it’s a little more complicated still, though, because there is also a higher chance of it falling during Holy Week, which bumps it out to the next available day. 2008 is an interesting year because both solemnities fall on days that cannot be pre-empted, so St. Joseph will fall on March 15 and Annunciation will be celebrated on March 31, the Monday following Low/Divine Mercy Sunday.
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G_S
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There are forty days of penitence before Easter. They include Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. They exclude the Sundays in Lent. Let’s not get too bent out of shape about this. The “Lent ends with Holy Thursday” mantra has made many people see Good Friday as a day for celebration and shopping.
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Psalm45_9
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Prior to Vatican II, Lent was 40 days long (not counting the Sundays). Vatican II made the Paschal Triduum its own liturgical season, so Lent is now 37 days (not counting the Sundays.) However, the spirit of Lent continues through the days of the Paschal Triduum up to Easter Sunday. So it is more correct to say that on Ash Wednesday we begin 40 days of fasting and prayer, rather then 40 days of Lent.
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