Septuagesima Sunday

[Psalm45_9]

Hi All! Is it still appropriate to call the third Sunday before Lent Septuagesima Sunday? The fasting for Lent used to be so severe that there was needed a small season to prepare for it. The season was known as Septuagesima Tide or Pre-Lent. Now that the fasting regulations have been dropped to just abstaining from Meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday as well as fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, this season has been dropped from the Calendar. Although it still exists in the Eastern Church and begins on the Fourth Sunday before their Lent begins. However the term “Septuagesima” means “70th” because there are approx. 70 days until Easter. The next two Sundays were known as: Sexagesima Sunday and Quinquagesima Sunday. Meaning “60th” and “50th” because that is approx. how many days left until Easter, rounded of course. Would it still be appropriate to call the following two Sundays by these names although the season has been dropped?

 

[puzzleannie]

you can call it whatever you want, you can even call it Super Sunday. If you are asking how a Catholic Church should refer to days of the liturgical calender, the priest need only refer to the Roman Calendar and use that terminology, unless of course, he is one of those who has rejected the authority of Rome.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I once read that one of the areas, France I think, had a very long Lent, while Rome had a rather short one. In the final compromise the shorter - 40 day - Roman Lent became standard, but a three week pre-Lent preserved the other custom.

Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays were celebrated much as the Lenten Sundays - purple vestments, no Gloria, Te Deum, Alleluia. Since these sundays are now celebrated with all the trappings of Ordinary Time Sundays it would seem to be misleading to refer to them by the old names.

 

[Cranch]

Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima Sundays were celebrated much as the Lenten Sundays - purple vestments, no Gloria, Te Deum, Alleluia. Since these sundays are now celebrated with all the trappings of Ordinary Time Sundays it would seem to be misleading to refer to them by the old names.

These masses are alive and well in the observance of the Latin (Tridentine) Mass which follows the liturgical calendar of the 1962 missal. I attended Septuagesima Sunday mass yesterday where, in the Gospel, Jesus preaches the kingdom of heaven is like to a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard…. (Matt 20:1-16)

 

[Joe_Kelley]

These masses are alive and well in the observance of the Latin (Tridentine) Mass which follows the liturgical calendar of the 1962 missal. I attended Septuagesima Sunday mass yesterday where, in the Gospel, Jesus preaches the kingdom of heaven is like to a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard…. (Matt 20:1-16)

OP asked *Would it still be appropriate to call the following two Sundays by these names although the season has been dropped? *

I presume you have not dropped the season so should not change the names.

 

[Cranch]

OP asked *Would it still be appropriate to call the following two Sundays by these names although the season has been dropped? *

I presume you have not dropped the season so should not change the names.

I can read Joe, thanks. Your use of the past tense simply made me think it might be of interest (or even informative) to some to learn that these masses are still celebrated in the Latin Mass; a fact not mentioned up to that point in the thread but germane nevertheless, in my opinion.

 

[Psalm45_9]

I can read Joe, thanks. Your use of the past tense simply made me think it might be of interest (or even informative) to some to learn that these masses are still celebrated in the Latin Mass; a fact not mentioned up to that point in the thread but germane nevertheless, in my opinion.

Well the way I look at it is that they gave the rounded days left until Easter. So as of Sunday there were approx. 70 days until Easter. This is what I explained to my RCIA students. I let them know about Septuagesima tide and how it ties into Carnival and Mardi Gras. I was trying to explain that Mardi Gras is really a Catholic Festival, but over the years a lot of vice has become part of it. So I still call the three Sundays before Lent by their old names just to remind myself that Easter is coming and we are entering into the Holy Seasons of Lent and Paschal Triduum.

The Pre-Lenten season also still exists in the Eastern Rites. Last week began there “Septugesimatide”. Last Sunday was the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. Yesterday was The Sunday of the Prodigal Sunday. Next Sunday is Meatfare Sunday and then following is Cheesefare Sunday.