Passion Sunday

Passion Sunday (Dominica de Passione)[1] is a name that the Roman Rite liturgy gives to the sixth Sunday of Lent, but that in the pre-1960 form of that liturgy was given to the fifth Sunday. In that year, Pope John XXIII's Code of Rubrics changed the name of the fifth Sunday of Lent to "First Sunday of the Passion" (Dominica I Passionis),[2] This brought the name into harmony with that given by Pope Pius XII to Palm Sunday, which in the Code of Rubrics and the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal continued to be called the "Second Sunday of the Passion or Palm Sunday" (Dominica II Passionis seu in palmis).[3] Pius XII's change had thus given to the names of two Sundays, instead of one alone, a reference to the Passion.

In 1969, Pope Paul VI removed a distinction that existed (although with overlap)[4] between Lent and Passiontide, which began with the fifth Sunday, a distinction that predated the 1960 Code of Rubrics.[5] He gave Palm Sunday the official full name of "Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord" (Dominica in Palmis de Passione Domini), removing entirely from the fifth Sunday in Lent the reference to the Passion of Christ and transferring it exclusively to the following Sunday.

Those who continue to observe earlier forms of the Roman Rite or of liturgies modelled on it refer to the fifth Sunday in Lent by one or other of its previous names.

The entrance antiphon of the Mass begins with the word "Iudica" (older spelling, "Judica"). This provides another name for the Sunday: "Iudica Sunday" or "Judica Sunday" , in line with the name "Laetare Sunday" for the fourth Sunday in Lent.

Passion Sunday was called Black Sunday in Germany, because of the practice of veiling the crucifixes and statues in the church before Mass on that day, which was done locally in black, although violet veils are more common. This practice is not obligatory but may be observed if the episcopal conference decides; crosses remain covered until the end of the Good Friday celebration of the Lord's Passion, images remain covered until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.[6]

Anglican uses

In those Anglican churches which follow the Sarum Use, crimson vestments and hangings are pressed into service on the fifth Sunday of Lent – replacing the Lenten array (unbleached muslin cloth) – and vestments are crimson until (and including) Holy Saturday. Reflecting the recent playing down of Passiontide, the Church of England's Common Worship liturgical resources suggest red for Holy Week only (with the exception of the Maundy Thursday Eucharist).

The historical readings for this day are Genesis 12:1-3, Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59, and Psalm 43. I Corinthians 1:21-31 and Matthew 26:17-29 are alternate readings.[7]

The three-year lectionary appoints the following readings for this day[8]:

References

  1. ^ Missale Romanum, 1920 typical edition, p. 156
  2. ^ Missale Romanum 1962, p. 118
  3. ^ Missale Romanum 1962, p. 130
  4. ^ The Code of Rubrics speaks of Lent (tempus quadragesimale) as comprising Passiontide (tempus Passionis) but at the same time distinguishes Lent in a narrower sense (tempus Quadragesimae) from Passiontide.
  5. ^ The distinction is found repeatedly in, for instance, the pre-1960 Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, which speaks of Passiontide as following Lent (without suggesting that Lenten observances should end at that point), but which also speaks of Lent as extending at least to Wednesday of Holy Week, as in: "In Quadragesima autem a Feria IV Cinerum usque ad Feriam IV Majoris Hebdomadae ..." (Ritus servandus in celebratione Missae, XI, 2).
  6. ^ See note in the Roman Missal at the end of the Mass of Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent.
  7. ^ Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary. St. Louis: MorningStar Music Publishers, 1996. 202
  8. ^ ibid. 200-201