Trinity Sunday

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Trinity Sunday
Observed by Western Christianity
Type Christianity
Date Sunday after Pentecost
Celebrations The Trinity
Related to Pentecost
Advent

Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, the three persons of God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday in the second period of Ordinary Time, a period which continues until Advent and is characterised by the use of green as the predominant liturgical colour; however, the colour for Trinity Sunday itself is white.

Trinity Sunday is celebrated in all the Western liturgical churches: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Methodist.

In the Eastern Churches, Pentecost itself is considered the feast of the Trinity.

Contents

[edit] Roman Catholic practice

In the Roman Catholic Church it is officially known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, it marked the end of a three-week period when church weddings were forbidden. The period began on Rogation Sunday, the sixth Sunday in Easter (five weeks after Easter). Trinity Sunday was established as a double of the second class by Pope John XXII to celebrate the Trinity. It was raised to the dignity of a primary of the first class by Pope Pius X on 24 July 1911.

The Thursday after Trinity Sunday is observed as the Feast of Corpus Christi, except in the United States and Spain, when it falls on the following Sunday instead. After Corpus Christi, Ordinary Time resumes, and green vestments are worn by the priest and celebrants for the rest of the liturgical year, except on certain special days, including those designated as a holy day of obligation. The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the new liturgical year.

Other times when church weddings were forbidden included:

[edit] Anglican practice

The Creed of Saint Athanasius (quicunque vult), part of the Book of Common Prayer, although not often said, is said in certain Church of England churches only on Trinity Sunday.

Traditionally, the Book of Common Prayer counts the remaining Sundays of the liturgical year until Advent as "Sundays after Trinity". Some Anglican churches still reckon Sundays this way, while others, such as the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) now refer to them as "Sundays after Pentecost".

Trinity Sunday is considered one of ECUSA's seven principal feast days.

[edit] Dates for Trinity Sunday

Trinity Sunday is the Sunday following Pentecost, and eight weeks after Easter Sunday.

The earliest possible date is May 17 as in 1818 and 2285. The latest possible date is June 20 as in 1943 and 2038.

[edit] See also

[edit] Famous composers celebrate the Trinity

Johann Sebastian Bach composed a number of chorales relating to the Second Sunday of the Great Trinity.

BWV 1 - "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern"

  • Category: Cantatas
  • Subcategory: Church
  • Movements:
    • Chorus: Wie Schön leuchet der Morgenstern
    • Recitative (tenor): Due wahrer Gottes und Marien Sohn
    • Aria (soprano): Erfüllet, ihr limmlischen göttlichen Flammen
    • Recitative (bass): Ein irdscher Glanz, ein leiblich Licht
    • Aria (tenor): Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten
    • Choral: Wie bin ich doch so herzlich froh
  • Instrumentation: choir (soprano, tenor, bass), orchestra (horn, oboe da caccia, violin, viola, cello, continuo)
  • Year: 1725
  • Occasion: Annunciation
  • Text adapted from the hymn by Philipp Nicolai
  • English Text: Complete Vocal Works - Z. Philip Ambrose
  • German Text: Bach Cantatas - Walter F. Bischof

BWV 2 - "Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein"

  • Category: Cantatas
  • Subcategory: Church
  • Movements:
    • Chorus: Ach, Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein
    • Recitative (tenor): Sie lehren eitel falsche List
    • Aria (alto): Tilg, o Gott, die Lehren
    • Recitative (bass): Die Armen sind verstort
    • Aria (tenor): Durchs Feuer wird das Silber rein
    • Choral: Das wollst du, Gott, bewahren rein
  • Instrumentation: choir (alto, tenor, bass), orchestra (trombone, oboe, violin, cello, continuo)
  • Year: 1724
  • Occasion: Second Sunday after Trinity
  • Text adapted from hymn by Martin Luther (adaptation of 12th psalm)
  • English Text: Complete Vocal Works - Z. Philip Ambrose
  • German Text: Bach Cantatas - Walter F. Bischof
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