Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: The Double Alleluia
ROME, APRIL 22, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
After our column on the double Alleluia (see April 8) another question came to mind on the use of Alleluia during Lent.
A reader from the Philippines wrote: "On the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the sister in charge of the liturgy led us in singing the Alleluia for the Gospel acclamation. She explained that the said feast was an exception to the rule of not singing the Alleluia during Lent. Is this correct? If there are indeed exceptions, what are these occasions?"
I fear that the good sister was misinformed. The Alleluia is never used during Lent, not even on solemnities such as the Annunciation and St. Joseph, which often fall during this season.
Perhaps she was confused with the practice of the Gloria which, unlike the Alleluia, is used on solemnities and feasts even during Lent.
The Alleluia (which means "Praise the Lord") also came to be understood as a foretaste of the elect's eternal joy and not just as an expression of God's praise.
This joy is above all a fruit of Christ's resurrection, and indeed there is some historical evidence that the Alleluia was originally an exclusively Easter piece which was sung from Easter to Pentecost.
Although it later came to be used in other periods of the year, its prominently Easter character led to its never being sung during the Lenten preparation for Easter.
After our column on the double Alleluia (see April 8) another question came to mind on the use of Alleluia during Lent.
A reader from the Philippines wrote: "On the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, the sister in charge of the liturgy led us in singing the Alleluia for the Gospel acclamation. She explained that the said feast was an exception to the rule of not singing the Alleluia during Lent. Is this correct? If there are indeed exceptions, what are these occasions?"
I fear that the good sister was misinformed. The Alleluia is never used during Lent, not even on solemnities such as the Annunciation and St. Joseph, which often fall during this season.
Perhaps she was confused with the practice of the Gloria which, unlike the Alleluia, is used on solemnities and feasts even during Lent.
The Alleluia (which means "Praise the Lord") also came to be understood as a foretaste of the elect's eternal joy and not just as an expression of God's praise.
This joy is above all a fruit of Christ's resurrection, and indeed there is some historical evidence that the Alleluia was originally an exclusively Easter piece which was sung from Easter to Pentecost.
Although it later came to be used in other periods of the year, its prominently Easter character led to its never being sung during the Lenten preparation for Easter.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
10:27 AM
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