When Does Lent End?

[Vincent Vega]

When does Lent end?
Tonight at midnight?
Tomorrow at Sundown/start of the Vigil mass?
Sunday morning?
Or does it vary, like when one is in or through with whatever Mass they choose to attend?

[puellapaschalis]

I always considered the "point" of the "changeover" between Lent and Easter as the Easter Vigil. So before the Vigil it's Lent, and afterwards it's Easter. If you asked me what liturgical season it was half way through, I'm not sure I'd be able to tell you - it's like a punctual moment in time extended into two and a half hours!

[manockster]

I thought it was at sundown tomorrow.

[Theologian in Training]

Officially, it ended last night which is why we sang the "Gloria"

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Theologian in Training' post='1831053' date='Apr 10 2009, 05:31 PM']Officially, it ended last night which is why we sang the "Gloria"[/quote]
I was right... Oooh yeah... booyah...

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='Theologian in Training' post='1831053' date='Apr 10 2009, 11:31 PM']Officially, it ended last night which is why we sang the "Gloria"[/quote]

Ching ching! I knew that...somewhere...ok I'd actually forgotten

[dauntingknight]

[quote name='Theologian in Training' post='1831053' date='Apr 10 2009, 05:31 PM']Officially, it ended last night which is why we sang the "Gloria"[/quote]
What a second.......














































Oh wait your right.

Booyah!!!!

[MissyP89]

Does that mean we can break our Lenten fasts? It seems improper to me to suddenly start eating sweets during the Triduum (though not today, of course).

[Jaime]

[quote name='MissyP89' post='1831074' date='Apr 10 2009, 06:08 PM']Does that mean we can break our Lenten fasts? It seems improper to me to suddenly start eating sweets during the Triduum (though not today, of course).[/quote]

While Lent is over, we are called to fast through until Easter Vigil. Its not a lenten fast.

[MissyP89]

Thought so. Thanks, J.

[Apotheoun]

In the Byzantine Churches that use the Gregorian calendar the forty days of Great Fast began on the 23rd of February, which is called [i]Pure[/i] or [i]Clean Monday[/i], and ended on Friday the 3rd of April.

Great and Holy Week began on the 4th of April, i.e., on the feast which is called [i]Lazarus Saturday[/i].

[icelandic_iceskater]

I never really understood the whole 40 days thing... no matter how you slice & dish it it doesn't add up. Unless they just say it's 40 days because that's how long Jesus spent in the desert?

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='icelandic_iceskater' post='1831211' date='Apr 10 2009, 07:22 PM']I never really understood the whole 40 days thing... no matter how you slice & dish it it doesn't add up. Unless they just say it's 40 days because that's how long Jesus spent in the desert? [/quote]
The forty days of Great Lent are symbolic re-enactments of Christ's forty days of fasting in the desert, and of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness by the Hebrews before they entered into the Promised Land.

Edited April 11, 2009 by Apotheoun

[Christie_M]

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='icelandic_iceskater' post='1831211' date='Apr 10 2009, 10:22 PM']I never really understood the whole 40 days thing... no matter how you slice & dish it it doesn't add up. Unless they just say it's 40 days because that's how long Jesus spent in the desert? [/quote]

It is 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, minus Sundays to celebrate the Resurrection, but the Church (like the authors of Scripture) isn't concerned about literal accuracy in these things. What's more important is the symbolism and story behind the numbers.

Does anyone use get the Little Black Book in their parishes for Lenten reflections (or Little Red Book for Advent)? The entry for Holy Wednesday says "Lent proper" ends when the Triduum beings on Holy Thursday evening, when we begin what's called the Paschal Fast. It says this is traditionally a much more extreme fast than what we practice for Lent because the other food and drink were the Eucharistic bread and wine. While I recall a healthy person will normally live only three days without water, perhaps a bread and water fast would be an especially devout way to enter into the spirit of Triduum next year.

By the way, did anyone else here that the Pope celebrated Mass on Good Friday for the earthquake victims in Italy? A good reminder to always keep in mind the purpose of our devotions and disciplines, so that we don't let our religious actions blind us from the needs of those near us.

Edited April 11, 2009 by LouisvilleFan