“Passiontide”

From the desk of the Tar Heel disciple:

March 30, 2026 (#88)

“Passiontide”

In the wake of the liturgical reforms triggered by Vatican Council II, many centuries-old traditions were set aside, at least for some time and in some places. Among them was “Passiontide” and various of its related customs. Until the reform of the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar in 1969, the last two weeks of Lent were called by this venerable title. Since then, only the last week of Lent, “Holy Week,” has a special designation, and the prior week is now simply known as the 5th Week of Lent. For many Catholics, Passiontide was immediately recognized by the widespread tradition of the covering of all crucifixes and images of the saints in churches and chapels during this two-week period.

After the calendar change in 1969, many priests thought it necessary to cease the custom of covering the sacred images for this last stage of the Lenten season. Parishes (and priests) that (who) continued the tradition were often derisively labeled “conservative” or “traditional.” Fortunately, the bishops of the United States, after many years, made it clear that statues may be covered beginning on the Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent. The traditional color for such coverings is purple. The crucifix is unveiled, of course, during the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, and the other statues and sacred images unveiled prior to the Easter Vigil.

A second calendar change in 1969 was the elimination of the commemoration of “The Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary” (also known as “Our Lady of Sorrows”) on the Friday after the First Sunday of the Passion (according to the 1962 Missal, now the Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent). It was determined by those charged with the reform of the calendar that this constituted an unnecessary duplication of the same commemoration observed on September 15. It might well be seen it as a great blessing that during the reform of the Roman Missal under Pope St. John Paul II (i.e., “third typical edition,” in 2002), an alternative collect (“opening prayer”) was added for the Mass on the Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent, in which the unique role of the Blessed Mother in the Lord's Passion is recalled.

The devotion of the Seven Sorrows (Dolors) of the Blessed Virgin Mary became popular in the Middle Ages, and are enumerated (with occasional variations) as follows: