notes: Lent

Notes for the Liturgy during Lent

1. February 25th: Ash Wednesday. Ashes are blessed and distributed before Mass. The Mass which follows begins with the Introit, the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar being omitted. Ash Wednesday is a day of fast and abstinence (see previous post).

2. Ferias of Lent are of the third class and take precedence over third class feasts.

3. Commemorations of the feria in Lent are privileged and must be made on feasts at all Masses, as well as at Lauds and Vespers.

4. On Sundays and ferial days during the entire season of Lent, the Altar is not ornamented with flowers, and the organ is silent except to sustain the choir.

5. On the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Lætare Sunday), violet vestments may be worn but rose vestments are preferred. Organ and flowers are permitted.

6. Fourth class votive Masses and fourth class Masses for the Dead are not allowed on ferial days during Lent.

7. In Churches where the faithful are accustomed to stand for the Collects and Postcommunion prayers at Mass, they should be instructed to kneel for these prayers on the ferias of Lent and Passiontide (not, however, on Sundays nor on feast days).

8. On each of the Fridays of Lent, a plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, after Communion, recite the "Prayer Before a Crucifix" ("En Ego, o bone et dulcíssime Iesu...").

(excerpted/adapted from the 2009 Liturgical Ordo, Priestly Fraternity of St Peter)