When does Lent end?

[HeyLA]

Hi all,

I have a burning question…when does Lent end? Is it Palm Sunday - 40 days after Ash Wednesday - or is it Holy Saturday - because Sundays don’t count?

And…what does that mean for the things that we give up during Lent?

 

[puzzleannie]

Lent ends before the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, which begins the Easter Triduum, the shortest season of the Church year. (I believe evening prayer is not said if one participates in this Mass).

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Before the Holy Week revisions in the late 50’s, Lenten Penances ended at noon on Holy Saturday. That was when the Vigil Mass was on Saturday Morning.

I don’tknow of any official rule, but ending the penances with the Vigil Mass still has the right feel to it.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Before the Holy Week revisions in the late 50’s, Lenten Penances ended at noon on Holy Saturday. That was when the Vigil Mass was on Saturday Morning.

I don’tknow of any official rule, but ending the penances with the Vigil Mass still has the right feel to it.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Before the Holy Week revisions in the late 50’s, Lenten Penances ended at noon on Holy Saturday. That was when the Vigil Mass was on Saturday Morning.

I don’t know of any official rule, but ending the penances with the Vigil Mass still has the right feel to it.

 

[JimG]

Nothing wrong with continuing one’s particular penances through Holy Saturday. But as puzzleannie said, the season of Lent ends on Holy Thursday with the start of the Mass.

 

[jmcrae]

Lent may end on Holy Thursday, but fasting does not.

We fast on Good Friday, and as Joe points out, there is no reason not to continue our private penances right up until the Easter Vigil.

I am under the impression that those who are being received into the Church are supposed to fast on Holy Saturday, as well, but I seem to be the only person on earth who has ever heard of this.

 

[puzzleannie]

Nothing wrong with continuing one’s particular penances through Holy Saturday. But as puzzleannie said, the season of Lent ends on Holy Thursday with the start of the Mass.

especially the RCIA candidates, but anyone is encouraged to start the Easter fast at this time, either the basic lent Fast and abstinence (as on Good Friday) or stricter (one meal, bread and water etc.) until the Easter Vigil begins.

 

[Gertabelle]

Excellent responses here. Just wanted to add that when I was in a contemplative Benedictine monastery, the Triduum was like no other experience on earth. Puzzleannie mentioned that evening prayers are not said on Holy Thursday if one attends the Mass that evening. Honestly, I don’t even remember, as we spent the entire afternoon and evening until midnight in communal and private prayer.

Good Friday and Holy Saturday were spent in prayer, fasting, and the Grande Silence. After Easter Vigil on Saturday night we all celebrated with coffee, tea, a little brandy , and lots and lots of sweets – oh, and much merrymaking and laughter!

And yes, those in RCIA are generally advised to spend Holy Saturday in prayer and fasting. I’m sure this varies from parish to parish.

Great question, OP.

 

[SFH]

Hi all,

I have a burning question…when does Lent end? Is it Palm Sunday - 40 days after Ash Wednesday - or is it Holy Saturday - because Sundays don’t count?

And…what does that mean for the things that we give up during Lent?

As an aside, the Latin name for Lent is Quadragesima, which literally means “40” (i.e., the 40 days before Easter Sunday). Since Sundays are not included, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday were necessarily included in the 40 day count.

I believe the idea that Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are not part of Lent is a post-Vatican II innovation that came in with the reformed calendar (a completely unwarranted innovation I might add, but I digress …). I don’t think it’s very logical and most of our Protestant brethren continue to include the Triduum as part of Lent. It certainly has no historical basis – the early Church as well as the Middle Ages continued the Lenten observance through the Triduum.

For those Catholics who attend a Tridentine Mass and continue to follow the pre-Vatican II calendar, Lent still ends on Holy Saturday.

 

[jmcrae]

The priest who heard my Confession on Tuesday seemed to be under the impression that Lent ends on Palm Sunday.

And we do, indeed, sing the Gloria at the Chrism Mass on Holy Monday, so it’s making me wonder whether Sundays are included in Lent, and Holy Week (plus the Triduum) is a separate though related season?

 

[Corki]

The priest who heard my Confession on Tuesday seemed to be under the impression that Lent ends on Palm Sunday.

And we do, indeed, sing the Gloria at the Chrism Mass on Holy Monday, so it’s making me wonder whether Sundays are included in Lent, and Holy Week (plus the Triduum) is a separate though related season?

I thought the Chrism Mass was earlier in the day on Holy Thursday with the reception of the Holy Oils at the parish before the Mass of the Lord’s supper.

 

[jmcrae]

I thought the Chrism Mass was earlier in the day on Holy Thursday with the reception of the Holy Oils at the parish before the Mass of the Lord’s supper.

Maybe it’s different, in different Dioceses?

 

[Andruschak]

Lent may end on Holy Thursday, but fasting does not.

We fast on Good Friday, and as Joe points out, there is no reason not to continue our private penances right up until the Easter Vigil.

I am under the impression that those who are being received into the Church are supposed to fast on Holy Saturday, as well, but I seem to be the only person on earth who has ever heard of this.

It has NOT been mentioned in my RCIA class. But perhaps we will get guidlines at this Sunday’s Dismissal?

I’ve been on a fast since November 13, 2006. Two meals a day, dinner and supper only, fish or meat at dinner only, with a quart of skim milk for breakfast. (To ward off osteoporosis, a danger for males in my condition.) However, this fast has been purely voluntary, as has the abstinance on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sturdays.

I am under the impression that fasting is not mandatory if you are over age 59. I am 62. But I felt a spiritual need to make an honest try at the fasting/abstinance provisions of BSP/CFP, and the results to date tend to validate this need. (Personal opinion only, not endorsed by my cats.)

{My three cats have not had a problem with that contaminated pet food, being on a dry kibble diet intended for geriatric cats}

 

[jmcrae]

It has NOT been mentioned in my RCIA class. But perhaps we will get guidlines at this Sunday’s Dismissal?

Who can say? I like to think that our RCIA is pretty orthodox, but I have yet to hear it mentioned by any of the other Catechists. (I am in charge of the Period of Inquiry, so it’s not me who would be the one to tell them about the fasting on Holy Saturday - that’s up to the person who is in charge of the Period of Purification and Enlightenment.)

I’ve been on a fast since November 13, 2006. Two meals a day, dinner and supper only, fish or meat at dinner only, with a quart of skim milk for breakfast. (To ward off osteoporosis, a danger for males in my condition.) However, this fast has been purely voluntary, as has the abstinance on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

That sounds about normal, for me, other than the quart of milk at breakfast - I normally have coffee for breakfast, and two meatless meals every day except for Sundays, when I eat beef for dinner, and sometimes I have bacon with my lunch on Sundays.

I am under the impression that fasting is not mandatory if you are over age 59.

This is true.

I am 62. But I felt a spiritual need to make an honest try at the fasting/abstinance provisions of BSP/CFP, and the results to date tend to validate this need. (Personal opinion only, not endorsed by my cats.)

{My three cats have not had a problem with that contaminated pet food, being on a dry kibble diet intended for geriatric cats}

We have also been very lucky in that regard - the brand of pouch pockets we get for them is not on the list of affected brands. I feel badly for all those poor cats - I was reading that the symptoms of this poison are exactly like the symptoms of drinking engine coolant - very painful and horrific.