Stop covering the statues

[CyrilSebastian]

In what year did the Catholic churches stop covering the statues with purple cloths in Lent?

 

[porthos11]

In what year did the Catholic churches stop covering the statues with purple cloths in Lent?

None. We still do that.

 

[simpleas]

One parish near me still covers the statues, some don’t.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The 2010 Roman Missal (approved for use in Australia, England and Wales and Scotland) has for the Fifth Sunday of Lent:

“The practice of covering crosses and images throughout the church from this Sunday may be observed, if the Conference of Bishops so decides. Crosses remain covered until the end of the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, but images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.”

I also have a 1985 USA Roman Missal. It has something similar, but at the end of the Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent.

 

[tawny]

My Parish still covers the statues during Lent.

 

[dshix]

Mine does as well.

 

[brad90956]

My Church also covers that statues.

 

[Irishmom2]

Mine does not cover.

 

[Modern_Revert]

Mine doesn’t, but I wish it would

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Haven’t seen this in decades.

 

[Sunbreak]

My parish also covers statues in Lent.

 

[newcalling]

My parish does not cover the statues during Lent. It’s in one of California’s historic missions. I am new to the church, but someone here brought it up last year so I asked about it. I was told that it was just something which isn’t done anymore. I guess some parishes still do it. I haven’t seen it done, but I have only attended mass at three different parishes.

 

[RCbkr]

Ours are covered for Good Friday, but not for the entire season of Lent.

 

[katy]

Covered during the last 2 weeks of Lent

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

I suppose it was around the time of the Second Vatican Council because my parish priest informed us that, as a parish, they are choosing to follow the old discipline from before the council of covering the statues & crucifixes on Passion Sunday.

 

[GEddie]

It’s not mandatory in any case.

ICXC NIKA

 

[DaveBj]

My parish does, but I wish it didn’t. I’m going to catch flak for this, but I think it’s a silly custom that detracts from the preparations for Passion Week. And in the case of our specific church, we wind up with what looks a big purple ghost vultching over the altar.

 

[Chatter163]

The practice was never to cover statues and crosses for all of Lent, just the last two weeks of Lent, a time known traditionally known as Passiontide. There were several liturgical features, including the omission of the Gloria Patri and the psalm Judica me in the prayers at the foot of the altar. Though the Passiontide portion of Lent was mainly relegated to Holy Week in the 1970 missal, the permission to veil beginning on the 5th Sunday of Lent (formerly known as Passion Sunday) remains in the current missal, as has been pointed out here.