by Mark Scott, Music Minister
The Lenten season extends over a forty-six day period beginning Ash Wednesday and ending on Saturday evening prior to Easter Day. However, the six Sundays in Lent are not actually a part of Lent (thus they are styled Sundays IN Lent rather than Sundays OF Lent) making the actual number of days in Lent 40. The date of Ash Wednesday is determined by the date of Easter. This year, Ash Wednesday is February 22.
Lent developed from two primary sources. The first was a period of fasting which preceded Easter in the early Church. At first, this period of fasting was held only on the Saturday before Easter Day lasting until 3:00 a.m. Easter morning when the Pascha, followed by the Eucharist was celebrated. Later this fast was extended to six days and eventually became separated into the events of Holy Week. Holy Week is an older season than the entire Lenten season.
The second source for this season was the Baptism of candidates into the faith on the eve of Easter. Since the early Church was an underground movement, candidates were carefully screened and there was a long period of preparation. The strictest part of this period came just before the time of Baptism. A fasting period of forty days was required, the length of which was suggested by Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness, Moses’ fasting at Mt. Sinai and Elijah’s fasting on the way to the Mount of God — each forty days. Eventually, this period of preparation for Baptism evolved into a general period of preparation for Easter to be observed by all Christians. The word “Lent” possibly comes from the Anglo-Saxon “lencten,” meaning Spring, and the German “Lenz,” meaning the time when the days lengthen.
Lent is a period of penitence in preparation for the highest and most important festival of the Christian Year, Easter. Sundays are not part of Lent. They are always celebrations of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is true however, that during these six Sundays, the lections are more introspective than during other seasons but the basic character of Sunday worship remains celebrative.
Passion/Palm Sunday begins the final week of Lent, a week referred to as Holy Week. The dual name for Passion/Palm Sunday is reminder of both the celebration of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and his impending crucifixion. Passion/Palm Sunday begins in great triumph but as the service progresses there is an increasing sense of foreboding about the events that will happen later that week. Passion/Palm Sunday occurs on April 1st this year.
Maundy Thursday, (Thursday of Holy Week) is a service commemorating the last supper of our Lord. The word Maundy comes from the Latin, mandatum, meaning “mandate.” It was observed by giving Maundy Money to the poor and by a commemoration of the last supper. Maundy Thursday occurs on April 5th this year.
The color used during most of this season is purple (violet, sometimes blue) indicative of the penitential character of the season. This is also the color of royalty and power. Black is used on Good Friday representing the horror of the crucifixion. This year Good Friday occurs on April 6th .
There are many symbols of the Lenten season. The Crown of Thorns and Nails (sanctuary tower window), the Crowing Cock (sanctuary tower window), the empty Latin Cross with scroll and sun and inscription INRI, first letters of the Latin phrase, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”(sanctuary tower window), the “Pelican-in-her-Piety” and the cross itself in its many forms.