Seasons of Advent and Christmas

[JMJ_coder]

I have two questions, but they are somewhat related…so I’ll ask them together.

1. Currently in the Roman Church, and for at least the last several centuries, the season of Advent consists of four Sundays. Has the Roman Church ever employed the six Sunday season, as is the case in our Eastern Churches?
2. During the reform of the calendar following Vatican II, the season of Christmas was shortened from extending until Candlemas to now being over on the Sunday after Epiphany (~2-3 weeks). What was the Church’s rationale for this?

 

[malphono]

1. Currently in the Roman Church, and for at least the last several centuries, the season of Advent consists of four Sundays. Has the Roman Church ever employed the six Sunday season, as is the case in our Eastern Churches?

Not to my knowledge, but perhaps patrick457 would have more information on that. However, both the Ambrosian Rite and the Mozarabic Rites (at least the traditional ones) indeed have a 6-week Advent cycle.

 

[Neofight]

Not to my knowledge, but perhaps patrick457 would have more information on that. However, both the Ambrosian Rite and the Mozarabic Rites (at least the traditional ones) indeed have a 6-week Advent cycle.

Actually, at one point in Church history, Advent (like Lent, our other liturgical season of penance) was 40 days.