Conversi ad Dominum: Ash Wednesday

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Lenten Fare (2008)

Wednesday of this week is Ash Wednesday, the day Catholics across the world attend Mass and begin the penitential season of Lent. And while Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation and the reception of the ashes is not a sacrament, the day and the act are important ones in the liturgical year.

To begin the season of Lent, Catholics fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday (and abstain from meat on Lenten Fridays) and often commit to a sacrifice or act that serves as a way of deepening their faith during Lent’s 40 days. The Catholic observance of Ash Wednesday is confusing to some of our Christian brothers and sisters. The church signs below explain the day–and the season of Lent–in their own way.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI's Ash Wednesday 2008

From the New Liturgical Movement:

More photos of Pope Benedict XVI's new lenten vestments

posted by Nicola De Grandi

Here are, exclusive for NLM's readers, a couple of closer photos of vestments used during His Holiness's Ash Wednesday Mass.

Vestments are insipired by similar ones once belonging to Pope Paul V.

(Of course, violet for Papal vestments is an innovation unknown at Paul V's times)

A couple of more images from today's papal Mass

posted by Shawn Tribe

Following up Gregor's images, I thought I would share a couple of more images from today's papal Mass with a little historical comparison.

The style of the chasuble seems to fit the guidelines issued by St. Charles Borromeo, with the sleeves not being as long as the full flowing form, but not as short as the more typical baroque form of the Roman chasuble. What the Pope was wearing today is very much akin to what we have seen St. Ignatius or Loyola or St. Philip Neri pictured in.

Other features of the Mass:

"Benedictine" altar arrangement.
7th candle.
Cardinal Deacons.

The Return of the Roman Chasuble to Papal Liturgies

posted by Gregor Kollmorgen

Here are a few first screen shots from the Ash Wednesday Procession from the Basilica of St. Anselm to the Basilica of St. Sabina, both on the Aventine Hill, and the beginnig of Holy Mass.