Roman Text is taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.
Italic Text, Illustrations and Captions, are taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia,
unless otherwise stated.
Wide-angle view of the Altar inside Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome.
Photo: 2008-09-24 (original upload date).(Original text : August 2008).
Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Sfan00_IMG using CommonsHelper.(Original text : I created this work entirely by myself
using my en:Olympus E-510 and en:Autopano Pro).
Permission: CC-BY-SA-3.0; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Lent comprises two parts, the first of which commences on Ash Wednesday, which is called in the Liturgy "the beginning of the Holy Forty Days", and ends on Passion Sunday.
The second part consists of the "Great Fortnight" known as Passiontide.
Reckoning four Sundays in Lent, together with Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday, we find thirty-six Fasting Days, to which have been added the four days immediately preceding the First Sunday, in order to reach the number forty, "which originated with the Law and the Prophets and was hallowed by Christ Himself. (Hymn at Matins. Moses, representing the Law, and Elias, the Prophets, only approached Almighty God on Sinai and Horeb (respectively) after purifying themselves by a Fast of forty days.)
The Mass for Ash Wednesday, although under a different name, existed already in the Gregorian Sacramentary.
Each Mass in Lent has its own Station.
The term "Station" has been borrowed from the Roman Army, because the Christians, enrolled in the Army of Christ, were accustomed to meet at the same hours that the Roman soldiers changed guard at their "Stations".
This is the origin of the terms Terce, Sext and None, given to the Divine Office and said at the third, sixth and ninth hours. In Lent, Mass was celebrated after None, which was said about three o'clock. Vespers were then sung, after which the Fast was broken. From this, came the present custom in Churches where the Divine Office is sung, of saying Vespers before Lunch (before noon), during Lent. [This copy of The Saint Andrew Daily Missal is dated 1945.]
As a matter of history, in the course of the year the Pope used to celebrate Solemn Mass in one after another of the great Basilicas, the twenty-five Parish Churches of Rome, and in certain other Sanctuaries, surrounded by all his Clergy and by his people. This was called: "Making The Station". This name, which we still find in the Missal, reminds us that Rome is the centre of Christian worship and stands to us for a Liturgy more than 1,200 years old and formerly carried out with the greatest solemnity.
The second part consists of the "Great Fortnight" known as Passiontide.
The Mass for Ash Wednesday, although under a different name, existed already in the Gregorian Sacramentary.
Photo: 2005.
Source: Taken by Ricardo André Frantz.
Author: Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys).
(Wikimedia Commons)
The term "Station" has been borrowed from the Roman Army, because the Christians, enrolled in the Army of Christ, were accustomed to meet at the same hours that the Roman soldiers changed guard at their "Stations".
English: A 5 x 6 segment panoramic image taken by myself
with a Canon 5D and 70-200mm f/2.8L lens from the dome of Saint Peter's in Rome.
Français: Image panoramique composée de 5 x 6 photos prises par David Iliff à l'aide d'un appareil Canon 5D et une lentille 70-200mm f/2.8L à partir du dôme de la Basilique Saint-Pierre au Vatican.
Photo: April 2007.
Source: Own work.
Author: Diliff
License: CC-BY-SA 3.0".
(Wikimedia Commons)
Français : Façade de la Basilique Saint-Pierre au Vatican.
English: Façade of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Deutsch: Fassade des Peterskirche im Vatikan.
Español: Fachada de la Basílica de San Pedro en el Vaticano.
Italiano: Facciata del Basilica di San Pietro in Città del Vaticano.
Photo: September 2011.
Source: Own work.
Author: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT.
(Wikimedia Commons)
As a matter of history, in the course of the year the Pope used to celebrate Solemn Mass in one after another of the great Basilicas, the twenty-five Parish Churches of Rome, and in certain other Sanctuaries, surrounded by all his Clergy and by his people. This was called: "Making The Station". This name, which we still find in the Missal, reminds us that Rome is the centre of Christian worship and stands to us for a Liturgy more than 1,200 years old and formerly carried out with the greatest solemnity.
The twenty-five Parish Churches of Rome, which already existed in the 5th-Century, were called "Titles" (Tituli) and the Parish Priests of Rome, who served them, bore the name of "Cardinals" (incardinati), which means "attached to these Churches". It is for this reason, that in our time each Cardinal is still "Titular" of one of these Sanctuaries.
Français : Nef de la Basilique Saint-Pierre au Vatican.
English: Nave of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.
Español: Nave de la basílica Basílica de San Pedro en la Ciudad del Vaticano.
Italiano: Navata della basilica Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano. Dentro da cúpula do Basílica de São Pedro em Vaticano.
Photo: September 2011.
Source: Own work.
Author: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Temporal Cycle, which is devoted to the contemplation of the Mysteries of Christ, is brought to bear daily upon the Faithful, while at other Seasons it is more frequently the Feasts of Saints which are kept on the days of the week. And, since the whole Christian life is summed up in the imitation of Christ, this Season, when the Sanctoral Cycle is least in evidence, is particularly fruitful to our Souls. It is only because of their special importance, that the Church gave a place in the Lenten Liturgy, to the Feasts of the Annunciation (25 March) and of Saint Matthias (24 February).
If, as time went on, there were added to these, other Masses in honour of the Saints, it is, nonetheless, precisely in the spirit of this Season to choose by preference to say or hear the Mass of the Feria; for during Lent, the principal Mass of the Day, be it sung or said, ought to be of the Feria on Feasts of the Greater Double or any lesser rite.
Further, on Feasts of superior rite, i.e., of the First Class or Second Class, such as the Annunciation, Saint Joseph, and Saint Matthias, one Mass of the Feria is said, in addition to the Mass of the Day, in Cathedrals, Collegiate Churches, and Monasteries, in order not to interrupt the preparation for Easter.
Consequently, if we wish to make a good Lent, it is important that we should try to assist daily at that Mass in which our Mother the Church dictates to us the thoughts which should occupy our minds during this holy Season.
Français : La Pietà de Michel-Ange située dans la Basilique Saint-Pierre, au Vatican.
Photo: 2008.
Source: Edited version of (cloned object out of background)
Author: Stanislav Traykov
(Wikimedia Commons)
Angels Bridge and Basilica di San Pietro (view at night).
Photo: May 2004.
Source: Own work.
Author: Andreas Tille
(Wikimedia Commons)
"Behold, now is the acceptable time: Behold, now is the day of salvation. Let us commend ourselves in much patience, in frequent Fastings, by the armour of justice of the power of God. Let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in many Fastings" (Response at Matins for the First Sunday of Lent).
