Traditional Liturgical Notes for Lent

“…per the traditional rubrics:

“Lent begins this year on March 5, Ash Wednesday. The liturgical color is violet. In Masses of the season, the Gloria is omitted; the Te Deum is not said at Matins in the Office except on feasts. Schema II is used at Lauds in all Offices of the season, with the displaced psalm recited as the fourth psalm at Prime under the 1954 rubrics; under the 1962 rubrics, the displaced psalm is omitted entirely. “Flowers may not be on the altar, and the organ is played only to support the chanting if necessary, except on major feasts (St. Joseph, Annunciation) and on Laetare Sunday. Each ferial day has its own proper Mass and station church, a remnant of the ancient initiation practice for new Christians. “Under the 1954 rubrics, in Mass of the season, folded chasubles are worn by deacon/subdeacon at solemn Mass, except on Laetare Sunday. The seasonal orations are A cunctis for the intercession of the saints and Omnipotens for the living and the dead. Under the 1962 rubrics, deacon and subdeacon wear dalmatic/tunicle at Masses of the season, as folded chasubles were suppressed entirely in 1961. No additional (seasonal) prayers are said at Mass under the 1962 rubrics. The rubrics, along with clarifications issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites (cf. O'Connell, 1964), suggest that the alb should be unadorned and without lace during penitential seasons, unless a major feast is celebrated. “The Preface of Lent is used at all Masses, including festal Masses, that do not have a proper preface. The Tract is sung/said only in Masses that contain it in their propers. “Under the 1954 rubrics, on days of semi-double, doubles, and double major rite, the Office is of the feast with commemoration of the Lenten feria at Lauds and at Vespers. At private (low) Masses in parish churches, either the Mass of the feast or of the feria may be said with commemoration of the other. At conventual Masses in cathedrals, monasteries, etc., on the feasts above the Mass of the feast is sung after Terce without commemoration of the feria, while the Mass of the feria is sung after None without commemoration of the feast. On doubles of the I and II class, the Mass and Office of the feast are obligatory, with the feria commemorated at all Masses (with Last Gospel of the feria) and at Lauds and Vespers. “Under the 1962 rubrics, the Lenten ferias (both Mass and Office; III class) are elevated above all feasts of the III class. Commemoration is made of occurring feasts at Lauds and at conventual/low Mass only. At conventual Masses under the 1962 rubrics, the Mass of the feria only is sung on the days above after Terce, with commemoration of any occurring feasts of the III class. The custom codified in the Tridentine Missal of singing conventual Mass after certain Office hours is suppressed. If a feria of Lent is outranked by a feast of the I or II class under the 1962 rubrics, the feria is a privileged commemoration and is commemorated at all Masses, at Lauds, and at Vespers. “As a general rule, votive Masses/daily Requiems (private [low] and sung) are not permitted during Lent under either set of rubrics. Exceptions are made for First Thursday, First Friday, and First Saturday, as well as certain other circumstances. “As a relic of an old custom where Lent did not begin until its first Sunday, the proper Office ordinary for Lent is not used until Vespers on the Saturday before the 1st Sunday. “Under the discipline in place in the U.S. in 1962, all days of Lent (except Sundays) are days of fast. One meal with two small snacks that together do not equal a full meal may be taken. Meat may not be eaten at all on Ash Wednesday, Fridays, and Holy Saturday (until noon). All other days of Lent not mentioned above are days of partial abstinence. Meat may taken at the principal meal. (For a history of the relaxation of the Latin Church's fasting discipline, see the work of

@acatholiclife

on Twitter/X.)

“Under the present discipline (binding under pain of sin), fasting is only obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Meat may not be eaten on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. The fast for all other days has been suppressed.”

(Source: LB236 on Twitter/X.)