The rejoicing of Laetare Sunday is done with. The rose vestments from last week give way to violet. We resume and even augment our Lenten austerities. There is no organ. There are no flowers on the altar. The statues are draped and hidden to commemorate our Lord’s having had to hide from those who pursued Him. The Alleluia and the Gloria in Excelsis have long since been banished, but now, we also eliminate the joyful Psalm 42 from the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar.The Gloria Patri is also banished from the Liturgy. You will observe that it is conspicuous in its absence from the Asperges, the Introit, and the Lavaboat this day’s Mass. There is a Tractin lieu of the Alleluia. Father sings the Preface of the Holy Cross. We continue with Mass XVII as the priest is in violet. Thus begins Passiontide, the last two weeks of Lent.
The prayer, Adoramus Te, Christe, most closely associated with Good Friday, is commonly recited during Passiontide. The choir sang this prayer at the Offertory after singing what is now our customary Stella Coeli Extirpavit.
At the Communion, we sang the hymn most closely associated with Passiontide, the Vexilla Regis. This hymn was written by a man who was one of the greatest composers, writers and poets of the 6th Century, Venantius Fortunatus. He was also a Bishop and is a Saint. He composed the Pange Lingua of Good Friday, and the incomparably beautiful Easter hymn, Salve Festa Dies, which you will certainly hear after all these austerities are done with!