That's an excellent question. Lent is a time of penance and introspection. It is based on Jesus' 40 days in the desert overcoming temptation. Becau It is the custom of the Catholic Church that flowers are not used during Lent. It is celebrated in the evening because the Passover began at sundown. December is the only time when all my relatives are around due to the school holiday My parish priest rejected my request, saying church policy forbids any weddings during Advent. 305: During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers. During Lent, "the altar is not to be decorated with flowers, and the use of musical instruments is allowed only to support the singing" (Ceremonial of Bishops, 252). The bride, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents may wear or carry flowers during Lent. Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), solemnities and feasts are exceptions. Flower removal schedules are posted at the cemetery entrances and are also available in the cemetery office. First of all, the Gloria is a hymn that celebrates the coming of the Lord using words from the angels at Christs birth. We Christians today are on a spiritual journey as well, toward the Second Coming of Christ and our future life in Heaven. Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts are exceptions to this rule. on April 25, 2011 at 8:57 AM. The Episcopal Churchs most important liturgical season is the one that starts on Shrove Tuesday and ends on Easter Sunday filled with liturgical music, altar flowers (or lack thereof), vestments and altar cloths that reflect the passion, suffering, mystery and, ultimately, the ecstasy of the Christ [] FLOWERS, CANDLES, DECOR2 - Prince of Peace Catholic Community are not allowed during the season of Lent. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christs sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. A fair number of parishes choose not to do Lenten baptisms. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts. Answer: . All Fridays through the year, especially during Lent, are penitential days. It's not a rule, per say, that you can't get married on Easter Sunday, but it is regarded as one of the holiest days in the church. One of the ways the Trinity Worship Commission has decided to observe Lent is by not having flowers on the altar during this season of austerity and simple reflection. I heard that they cannot celebrate the Sacrament of Matrimony during those seasons. The Order of Christian Funerals says: Fresh flowers, used in moderation, can enhance the setting of the funeral rites. But flowers during Lent are not permitted, as stated in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal No. At this time too, the corpus is removed or veiled on the crucifix. On February 20, 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship published a circular Letter concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts. In the season of Advent, due moderation should be given in the decoration of the altar so that it does not overshadow the proper solemnity given to it during the solemn Christmas season. Going to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days; 2. This is also why there are no weddings or baptisms during the Lenten period. Meat and all other items were allowed on the Sundays in Lent, because Sundays, in honor of the Resurrection of our Lord, can never be days of fasting. Meat and all other items were allowed on the Sundays in Lent, because Sundays, in honor of the Resurrection of our Lord, can never be days of fasting. Feb 22, 2021 - Explore Myra Myers's board "Lent decorations for church" on Pinterest. However, if a marriage does take place, there should be a marked moderation in festivity. Lent is a time of penance and introspection. First, there are the formal rules for fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. Exceptions to the removal schedule are made to accommodate Advent (Christmas) and Lent (Easter). Our diocese has been celebrating confirmation Masses during Lent this year, and we use a Gloria every time (as long as the Mass is not on a Lenten Sunday, when a Ritual Mass is not allowed). Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts. Exceptions to the removal schedule are made to accommodate Advent (Christmas) and Lent (Easter). The holy water fonts should only be emptied during the sacred triduum, in preparation for the new blessing of holy water on the Easter Vigil. Dried owers, ferns and sprays Related Catholic Articles. The colors are coordinated to the liturgical season (white during Easter, green and/or red for Christmas, purple and pink for Lent, lots of greenery during the summer). Yes, and No, there are guidelines in place for what you must give up, you must abstain from meat every Friday (actually, you must abstain from meat No Fasting on Sundays. During Lent it is forbidden for the altar to be decorated with flowers. Click to see full answer. Flowers are specifically banned as decorations around the altar for nearly all of Lent . Today, many of these colors are still used to celebrate the Easter season. Flowers are paid for individually in honor of specific memorial events. The number of flowers are either 3 or 7 (both Biblical numbers). It depends on the diocese and on the parish. A modest display of flowers during Lent is possible on Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday, the fourth Sunday in the season, when the liturgical vestments change from purple to rose. Lenten Mass Schedule: Daily Masses during Lent are so scheduled so as to facilitate the attendance and spiritual growth of the faithful. Roman Catholicism. 305. In fact the Catholic Church has a real altar call. This altar call is very different from the the Born Again view, because in the communion part th Finding a genuine faith is a lifelong pursuit, so please get in touch if you have a query, story or any comment to share. Liturgical dress is the simplest possible. Answer: Hey Maureen, There isnt an official church teaching on this, so you get to go with your gut on this one. Fasting. PEW DECORATIONS u2014 Main Church only: Pews must not be scratched. The Lenten disciplines like fasting are alleviated on Sundays. As the Lords Day, Sunday is always a feast day not a fast day. Liturgically, Sunday Lent is a more solemn season of preparation for the Easter Triduum. There is no universal rule that would prohibit celebrating the sacrament of matrimony during Lent. If that is a rule of the Catholic Church, its a rule that should be broken by every priest. 3. 2. Feb 25, 2015 - Explore Catholic Women's League of Eng's board "Lenten Floral Displays" on Pinterest. In the Roman Rite since 1970, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday Evening (before the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper). Number 856 of the Code of Canon Law states: "Though baptism may be celebrated on any day, it is recommended that normally it be celebrated on a Sunday or, if possible, on the vigil of Easter." Ash Wednesday, as well as all Fridays during Lent are also days of abstinence. Basically because, after throwing out every traditional or beautiful tradition, self-proclaimed or bishop-appointed "liutgist" glammed onto Lent an The exceptions, though, are Good Friday and Holy Saturday (the Friday and Saturday before Easter). Lenten regulations for Catholics: Lent begins on February 14 with Ash Wednesday. The Lenten season in the liturgical year is designated as a time of repentance, sacrifice and self-denial. The wedding is still considered sacramental and follows the requisite forms of marriage within the Catholic church, liturgically speaking. Flowers placed on gravesites, crypts, and niches will be removed every Thursday to allow for the maintenance of the cemetery. As silli moo says, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches tend not to have flowers in the church during the penitential seasons of Lent and Advent but many make exceptions for weddings. For instance, they might want you to have minimal or almost no flower arrangements. Because the celebration of Marriage could be compared to the celebration of a Feast, flowers are permitted. In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on the decorations are purple or blue, royal colors to prepare for the King. Typically not for the whole of Lent, at least after the Mass of the Lords Supper along with the stripping of the altar. As early as the 300s AD, a handful of people in the Church (such as St Athanasius) were asking people to observe a fast for the forty days before Easter, but there was no real agreement on when a fast should be held, for how long, how strict, 1. See more ideas about church flowers, church flower arrangements, church decor. During Lent, it is not permitted to decorate the altar with flowers, and the use of musical instruments is allowed only so as to support the singing. This is the minimum that the Church asks of us: Affiliate Advertising Disclaimer. Abstaining from meat on all Fridays of the year unless a valid exception occurs. Many Catholic churches require you to be a parishioner in order to get married there, so while you can ask around, expect that to be another road block. Indeed, we should be encouraged to make greater use of these during Lent. That is the minimal penitential requirement for Lent. Lent is a more solemn season of preparation for the Easter Triduum. Liturgically Speaking: Decorating the Church for Lent. 306. If you donate just $10.00, or whatever you can, Catholic Online School could keep thriving for years. There are two aspects to fasting during Lent. It's not a rule, per say, that you can't get married on Easter Sunday, but it is regarded as one of the holiest days in the church. During Lent, the physical appearance of the church needs to change to emphasize these aspects of the Lenten season. Catholics commonly believe that death is the passing from the physical world to the afterlife, where the deceaseds soul will live in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities and Feasts (GIRM 305). Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast. All questions are subject to editing. First of all, the Gloria is a hymn that celebrates the coming of the Lord using words from the angels at Christs birth. The faithful are urged to attend Mass on weekdays. Flowers also remind us of the spiritual life and the virtues we should acquire within our hearts. Catholic Funeral Traditions. Flowers are specifically banned as decorations around the altar for nearly all of Lent. Most people donate because Catholic Online School is useful. As this is the time signifying Christ's journey in the desert the church removes flowers and decorations. The General Instruction states: 305. Duri In general it says that flowers should be used sparingly and never on top of the altar itself. But that is the only specific thing this document has to say about seasonal decorations. Answer: Candles can be on the altar. The church will allow you to get married during Lent. Even if you know that you can get married during Lent at your church, its always best to still ask about the ceremony because your church might have some unique rules surrounding the ceremony. Flowers are paid for individually in honor of specific memorial events. A big difference (at least for our wedding) is the play-up of modesty. The Gloria is not sung at Mass during Lent except for a few possible feasts and solemnities. During the evening of Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord's Supper is celebrated. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (117) states the candlesticks can be placed on or next to the altar.. During Lent, absolutely no altar flower arrangements or decorations or picture/video taking or limousine will be allowed in reverence to the liturgical season. 2. That's one thing to keep in mind. Exceptions, however, are Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), Solemnities, and Feasts. You may make arrangements with the parish Music Minister to provide music for the celebration for an additional fee of Catholics & Bible is a Catholic answers blog & forum run by a married couple in Chicago answering questions about Bible, Christ, Catholic life & more. So, we live a Catholic liturgical life in part by: 1. It is now usual in the West to count them continuously to the end of Holy Week (not including Sundays), so beginning Lent on the sixth Wednesday before Easter, Ash Wednesday. However, theres no particular law that mentions matrimony as a do-not during lent. 12. (That is why there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday; the Sundays in Lent are not included in the 40 days of Lent. St. Mary Catholic Church, Pensacola - Extended hours for confession on all Saturdays of Lent starting at 2:30 p.m. Holy Spirit, Perdido - Confessions on Fridays at 9 a.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., during all Sunday Masses on weekends of the 1st Sunday of Lent through the 5th Sunday of Lent.