"ordinary" Time

[chrysostom]

I've been told it's meaning is essentially "ordinal", as in, having to do with counting.  So why didn't we just say "ordinal" time then?

 

Just curious.  :D

[Nihil Obstat]

What is this ordinary time you are talking about? :|

[Dr_Asik]

That's a good question: I didn't know that was the root. Wikipedia agrees:

 

"Ordinary" comes from the same root as our word "ordinal", and in this sense means "the counted weeks". In the Roman Catholic Church and in some Protestant traditions, these are the common weeks which do not belong to a proper season. In Latin, these seasons are called the weeks per annum, or "through the year".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_season#Ordinary_Time_or_Time_after_Epiphany

 

[chrysostom]

I googled it.  It seems the Latin is "tempus per annum".  I know it's part of the 1970 calendar reforms, but that English translation has GOT to be archaic somehow or else the modern translator just...goofed?  I know of few other words that (a) must be explained or else misunderstanding will definitely happen and (b) already have better alternatives such as "ordinal".

 

:P

[BarbTherese]

I understand Ordinary Time as being outside of the formal Proper Seasons, such as Easter, Lent, Advent etc.  Ordinary Time begins on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday and continues to the First Sunday of Advent.   Ordinary Time and the Proper Seasons are the liturgical seasons of The Church, each with a special meaning and colour as does Ordinary Time.

 

Catholic Culture "What is Ordinary Time"   https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/seasons/ordinary_time/ordinary1.cfm 

 

An in depth look at the liturgical seasons of The Church https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/articles.cfm?id=33