A question for Catholics re: Lent

[Art 1]

Every google I saw said for the CATHOLIC church lent ends tonight, then it is Holy Week, then Easter season. The rest of the Christian churches Lent ends at the Easter Vigil. I don't even know, do the rest of the Christian churches have services tonight with the washing of the feet, etc?

My wife was one of the people who had her feet washed tonight. It meant a lot to her.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

Every google I saw said for the CATHOLIC church lent ends tonight, then it is Holy Week, then Easter season. The rest of the Christian churches Lent ends at the Easter Vigil. I don't even know, do the rest of the Christian churches have services tonight with the washing of the feet, etc?

I am Baptist, and we had a Maundy Thursday service tonight with communion. I don't know what other churches do, though.

 

[*Fantasia*]

My DH has been a parish director of liturgy for 30yrs. Lent ends tonight as the Triduum begins.

Here is a link to Catholic. org and its FAQ section on Lent.

http://www.catholic.org/clife/lent/faq.php#end

Peace.
Colleen

I go to this site too once in a blue moon.. This is a very good site.

 

[MariDisney]

Every google I saw said for the CATHOLIC church lent ends tonight, then it is Holy Week, then Easter season. The rest of the Christian churches Lent ends at the Easter Vigil. I don't even know, do the rest of the Christian churches have services tonight with the washing of the feet, etc?

We belong to the United Church of Christ. We don't always have washing of the feet on Maundy (Holy) Thursday. There are a variety of rituals we can choose from. Our church tonight had a beautiful and moving tenebrae service.

 

[flit]

I just had this conversation with my mom regarding when you can go back to eating/doing whatever you gave up. She was not sure so she called her priest and asked. Her priest told her Lent ends tonight with the beginning of the Triduum. He also specifically stated that any Lenten penance a person may be doing also ends tonight.

 

[candykisses]

Just back from mass. I asked our priest about when Lent ends and he smiled and said that question comes up often. This is what he had to say:

Roman Catholicism has many traditions and one of those is that Lent lasts for 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday, not counting Sundays. Holy Thursday being the first day of the Triduum, but in our parish in the Pittsburgh Diocese the faithful are asked to continue our prayer and fasting which is the meaning of Lent until Holy Saturday.

Is there a right or a wrong? I don't think so. As Christians, let us all rejoice on Easter morning in the risen Christ.

 

[Took]

I'm not a Catholic but I am a medievalist, so I know a bit about church tradition. Certainly, the lenten fast in medieval times did not end until Easter Sunday.


I did find one priest who explains the issue of when Lent ends thus:

"One could make the argument, therefore, that Lent ends with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Triduum; however, one would also be left with a less than 40-day Lent, which contradicts long-standing tradition.

So where does that leave us? Perhaps, here is where tradition carries the greatest weight. As stated above, the Second Vatican Council reminded us to keep the paschal fast throughout Lent until the Easter Vigil, the first Mass of Easter. Nevertheless, we must also celebrate the Triduum really as one saving event which allows us to live in the ever-present reality of our Lord’s Last Supper, Ppassion, death and Resurrection. The Triduum is an even more intensive time of preparation for Easter and brings Lent to its climax."
The link to the full discussion from him is here.