Easter falls late this year because of the vagaries of the Moon. But Easter will come, and before it our serious penitential “Fortieth” season, Quadragesima, Lent. From time immemorial we have, traditionally, observed the pre-Lent Sundays. They begin this week, in the traditional calendar, with “Seventieth” Sunday, Septuagesima.
On the Saturday before, we sing “Alleluia” for the last time. There was even a custom of having a funereal rite, the burying of a scroll with the joyous Hebrew word. On the pre-Lent Sundays, we use purple vestments in anticipation of the penitential season to come. There are Roman “station” churches assigned to Sundays of pre-Lent, as there will be every day from Ash Wednesday through the Easter Octave.
Speaking of “seventieth”, we are roughly 70 days out from Easter. But how does that work, you might wonder, given that a quick count of days doesn’t add up. These Sundays of Septuagesima, Sexagesima and Quinquagesima, before Lent or Quadragemisa begins, are rough estimates but within certain parameters. For example, Septuagesima is the 63rd day before Easter. Therefore, it is in the 7th (septimus) decade or 10-day period before Easter (61st to 70th days); Sexagesima Sunday is the 56th before Easter, in the 6th (sextus) decade (51st to 60th); Quinquagesima is the 49th day, 5th (quintus) decade (41st to 50th) days before Easter. So, the titles really do add up.
The prayers and readings for the Masses of these pre-Lenten Sundays were compiled by St Gregory the Great (d 604), pope in a time of great turmoil and suffering. The tone of the Church’s liturgical worship becomes more solemn. It is as if Holy Mother Church wanted to get the prospective convert thinking: what am I getting myself into? Not a bad attitude, given the monumental importance of the choice to be a real Christian, a choice we must make every day.
On Septuagesima we hear between the readings a Tract, a chant which substitutes the Gradual and Alleluia with Psalm 130 (129), the De Profundis: “Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice.” St Augustine comments on this universally pertinent hymn of supplication. “We are taking it for granted that you are fully alert, not only with your bodily eyes open, but also with vigilant hearts … If we all understand how deep we are, we cry out, groan and sigh, until we are rescued.”
Go to Confession.
