Past Articles on Septuagesima

Tomorrow evening, the season of Septuagesima begins in the traditional rite with Vespers, which are celebrated in violet; two allelujas are added to “Benedicamus Deo” and “Deo gratias” at the end, after which, the word alleluja will not be heard in the liturgy again until Easter night. I thought I would take the opportunity to remind our readers of the excellent four-part series by Henri de Villiers which we ran last year, “The Antiquity and Universality of Forelent.” The original French version was published on the website of the Schola Sainte Cecile in 2014.

part 1: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/02/the-antiquity-and-universality-of-fore.html

part 2: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/02/the-antiquity-and-universality-of-fore_11.html

part 3: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/02/the-antiquity-and-universality-of-fore_14.html

part 4: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/02/the-antiquity-and-universality-of-fore_15.html

You may also the following of interest:
The Stations Church of Septuagesima

Septuagesima in the Ambrosian Rite

In 2015, we noted a good piece on the subject by the well-known Catholic blogger Amy Wellborn; our link to her piece also refers to an article on the subject by liturgical scholar Dr Lauren Pristas.

Finally, in 2016, we published some photos from the Fraternity of St Joseph the Guardian, who revived a medieval custom of writing the word Alleluia on a large piece of parchment, and then after Vespers burying it in the churchyard, so that it could be dug up again on Easter Sunday. If anyone else does this and has pictures, we will be very glad to share them with our readers; you can send them to photopost@newliturgicalmovement.org.