When does the fast end?

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Oblaidon

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We give up different things for lent. I gave up sweets. I was told that I could have had the sweets the Saturday before Easter.

I always thought that the day I could have what I had given up was on Easter (the day of joy). Part of the celebration for Easter has been to indulge in what I had given up (not the day before).
 
Most people think Lent ends at the Easter Vigil. In fact, usually at the beginning of the Holy Thursday Mass, the oils which have been blessed at a diocesan Chrism Mass are presented to the parish community. At the end of the presentation of the oils of the Sick, Catechumen, and Chrism, there is a declaration that Lent is ended and the Sacred Triduum (pronounced trid-du-om) begins. The Triduum is ONE celebration, taking place over a three-day period. It includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.

Of course Good Friday is a day of fast and abstinence, so technically speaking you can have your sweets on Holy Saturday morning!!
 
You can break the fast at mid-day on Holy Saterday. But personally I think It’s better to fast until after Easter Mass (Vigil or Morning) just because you appreciate it more.
 
Oblaidon said:
We give up different things for lent. I gave up sweets. I was told that I could have had the sweets the Saturday before Easter.

I always thought that the day I could have what I had given up was on Easter (the day of joy). Part of the celebration for Easter has been to indulge in what I had given up (not the day before).
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Lent ends in the afternoon of Holy Thursday.
 
I’m not sure when the change occurred, but the Lenten fast used to end after Easter Vigil Mass, but now it is after Holy Thursday Mass. However, many people still observe the Lenten fast until after Easter Mass. I do, because it almost seems like cheating to indulge before Good Friday.
 
the Lenten fast is lifted briefly for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, when we sing the Gloria again and white vestments are worn, then as the Eucharist is reposed elsewhere and the tabernacle and altar left empty, we begin the Pascal fast for the rest of the time until the Vigil begins. It is especially significant for those awaiting baptism and reception into the Church, it is marked by the fact that Friday again is a day of fast and abstinence (recall we have not been fasting at all, really, except voluntarily and individually) and we have the Saturday fast of grief and waiting. We fast not only from food but from pleasures, socializing, shopping, visiting, entertainment because it seems so wrong to enjoy these things during the period of mourning.
 
Giving up something like sweets for Lent is a self-imposed fast – The Church does not obligate one to do so. A self-imposed fast ends when you so chose.

:twocents:
tee
 
According to my knowledge, fasting on Good Saturday is not required but encouraged, as a continuation of the Pascal fast (Lent’s already over). I prefer not to jump forth on that day until after Easter Vigil, but I well remember Good Saturday being a normal “meat day” until a couple or couple-teen years ago.
 
Soldier4Christ said:
I’m not sure when the change occurred, but the Lenten fast used to end after Easter Vigil Mass, but now it is after Holy Thursday Mass. However, many people still observe the Lenten fast until after Easter Mass. I do, because it almost seems like cheating to indulge before Good Friday.
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Me too - I wait till Sunday to give up my Lenten sacrifices.

~Liza
 
Lent ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. You may choose to continue your lenten fast until any point beyond that, but, since lent is over, you have fulfilled your fast as of sundown on Holy Thursday. I tend to continue until Easter morning, but that is just the way I choose to do it.

Peace

Tim
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I’m listening CCC#?
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No number; it’s in the Glossary, under “Lent”. The definition states that Lent:

  1. *]Begins on Ash Wednesday
    *]Has 40 days
    *]Ends with the Easter Triduum
    So if you start on Ash Wednesday and count 40 days excluding Sundays, you end on Holy Saturday, not Holy Thursday. (If you include Sundays you end on Palm Sunday, so condition 3 of the definition isn’t met.)

    Furthermore the definition states that Lent ends with the Triduum. This is somewhat analogous to me saying “the movie ends with a song”; the implication is that the song is part of the movie, not something separate.
 
Timidity said:
So you’re saying that Catechism is wrong?
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I think the Glossary may be speaking in very broad terms. Where the other Church documents are more specific.
Also remember that the Glossary is not part of the actual Catechism. It’s an appendix added to some editions.

Remember that the Easter Triduum begins in the afternoon of Holy Thursday.
 
General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar
  1. The Easter triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes with evening prayer on Easter Sunday.
    …
  2. Lent runs from Ash Wednesday until the Mass of the Lord’s Supper exclusive.
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Also, germane to the OP:
  1. On Good Friday and, if possible, also on Holy Saturday until the Easter Vigil, the Easter fast is observed everywhere.
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tee
 
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