Pre-Lent

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Pre-Lent
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard: print for Septuagesima
Celebrations
Observances
lunar calendar)
Related toLent, Easter
Liturgical seasons

Pre-Lent begins the

Christian time of preparation for Easter, in the three weeks before Lent.[1] This period launches a campaign of catechesis, reflected in the liturgical readings.[2] Its best-known feature is its concluding three-day festival, Carnival or Shrovetide.[3]

Western Churches

The pre-Lenten period begins with

mystery plays.[6] The traditional lectionary for the canonical hours summarizes salvation history between Septuagesima and Easter, beginning with a reading of the Book of Genesis.[7] The last three days of pre-Lent are known as Carnival, Shrovetide, or Fastelavn, a festival ending with Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras.[8][9]

The

vestments (except on feasts) and a more penitential mood.[10] From Septuagesima, Alleluia is not traditionally sung in worship.[10] A sermon of Hildebert
explains the logic of this practice:

Moreover this day, which is, as it were, the gate of the fast, and takes away from us the song of joy, that is, Alleluia, shows our state of penitence and sorrow, teaching us that we ought to cease from immoderate joy, and remain in tears of repentance. We therefore repeat the hymn again and again, and address Alleluia itself, desirous of retaining it as a guest, and saying to it, Abide with us, for the day is far spent; and we then give it our last farewell, saying, The good angel of the Lord accompany you, that you may return again to us; that we may know that we shall not have perfect joy, until, renewed by the Body and Blood of our Redeemer, we receive that song with gladness.[11]

A custom developed during the Middle Ages of children burying an Alleluia on Septuagesima Eve.[12] It is possible for Candlemas (2 February) to fall after Septuagesima Sunday, creating occasional musical challenges.[13]

The pre-Lenten period includes three Sundays, whose names refer to the approximate periods of seventy, sixty, and fifty days before Easter. The Sundays are also known by the opening word of the introit for the day:[14]

While Lutheran and Anglican liturgies continue to mark a pre-Lenten period, the Roman Rite after 1970 eliminated Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima.[19] The preconciliar rites after the Second Vatican Council also continue to mark these seventeen days. The Revised Common Lectionary does not does not associate particular readings with the Sundays before Lent, but some users of this lectionary, such as the Church of England, have retrofitted a pre-Lenten provision.[20]

Eastern Churches

Main articles: Paschal cycle and Great Lent

In the

Sunday of Forgiveness, the day before the beginning of Great Lent.[21] Since the liturgical day begins at sunset, and Great Lent begins on a Monday, the point at which Great Lent begins is at Vespers on the night of the Sunday of Forgiveness, with a ceremony of mutual forgiveness. In some monasteries, this ceremony is performed at Compline
instead of Vespers.

Thus begins the first day of the Great Fast, which is known as Clean Monday. The weeks of pre-Lent and Great Lent are anticipatory by nature. They begin on Monday and end on Sunday, each week being named for the theme of the upcoming Sunday. The hymns used during the pre-Lenten and Lenten seasons are taken from a book called the Triodion.

The weeks of the pre-Lenten Season break are:

  • Zacchaeus Sunday (Slavic tradition) is sometimes regarded as a pre-Lenten Sunday because of its place in the Slavic lectionary. In that tradition, it is the eleventh Sunday before Pascha (Easter). There are no hymns proper to this Sunday. Its only distinguishing feature is the reading of Luke 19:1-10, the Gospel concerning Zacchaeus. This lectionary reading is sometimes also appointed on the same Sunday in the Byzantine ("Greek") lectionary, as well. The week following this Sunday is a normal, non-Lenten time, since it falls outside the Triodion.
  • The
    Pharisee
    to boast about fasting.
  • The
    Prodigal Son
    : Ninth Sunday before Pascha (63 days). The week following this Sunday is the last during which the laity may eat meat or meat products. The fasting rules for this week are the same as those for non-Lenten periods.
  • The
    Cheese-Fare Week
    and is a fast-free week, with the exception that meat and meat products are forbidden.
  • Sunday of Forgiveness or Cheese-Fare Sunday: Seventh Sunday before Pascha (49 days). This Sunday is the last day dairy products may be consumed. Throughout Great Lent, fish, wine, and olive oil will be allowed only on certain days.

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
    .
  2. ^
    ISSN 0034-1258
    .
  3. ISSN 0083-5897
    .
  4. ^
    S2CID 164617825
    .
  5. ProQuest 1302425959
    .
  6. S2CID 161763679
    .
  7. S2CID 162572706
    .
  8. doi:10.1093/OED/2819425396. The period comprising Quinquagesima Sunday and the two following days, 'Shrove' Monday and Tuesday. (Subscription or participating institution membership
    required.)
  9. ISBN 978-0-19-210019-1
    .
  10. ^
    S2CID 194585704
    .
  11. S2CID 170166080
    .
  12. ISSN 0015-587X
    .
  13. ProQuest 232421717
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  14. ISBN 978-0-19-866262-4
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  15. S2CID 221079137
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  16. ISSN 2032-5371
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  17. JSTOR 726958
    .
  18. JSTOR 41639962
    .
  19. ISSN 1757-8949
    .
  20. ISBN 978-0-7151-2000-2
    .
  21. ISBN 978-0-19-936782-5
    .
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