Septuagesima: The 'real' beginning of the liturgical year?
There is no greater break in tone than that between Epiphanytide and Septuagesima. What does this tell us about the liturgical year, and the spiritual life?
There is no greater break in tone than that between Epiphanytide and Septuagesima. What does this tell us about the liturgical year, and the spiritual life?
Troubled Beginnings
“The terrors of death surged round me, the cords of the nether world enmeshed me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; from His holy temple He heard my voice.”
These are the dramatic and foreboding words from the Introit which open the season of Septuagesima.
But what is this new season of the Church’s year, so unfamiliar to many today?
In its most basic reality, Septuagesima is seen as a sort of “pre-Lent.” Violet returns as the liturgical colour, we cease singing the Gloria, and swap the Alleluias for the Tracts (with their familiar penitential leitmotifs that run up until the Easter itself).
In some places, there may even be a ceremonial “Burial of the Alleluia”—in which a decorated parchment bearing the word Alleluia is buried until Easter. A thirteenth century breviary contained for following text for this ritual:
“Remain with us today, Alleluia, Alleluia! Only upon the morrow shalt thou depart, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! And when the day (of the resurrection ) shall dawn, thou shalt walk thy ways again, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!”
“The angel of the Lord go with thee, Alleluia, and see that all goes well with thee, and grant thee happy return unto us, Alleluia, Alleluia.”1
Some treat Septuagesima as a time to start thinking about Lent: a time to start hardening ourselves up, so that we “hit the ground running” on Ash Wednesday.
However, the season of Septuagesima is considerably richer and more interesting than a mere ante-chamber to Lent.
In fact, according to some writers, it is no less than the true beginning of the liturgical year.
But does this not go against many symbolic interpretations of the liturgical year?
Why on earth would anyone think this?
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