The Vatican in Rome is the head of the Catholic Church and governs the worldwide operations of this religious sect. It is a physical representation of God, here on earth. Religious festivals are extremely important in Rome because it is the center of the Catholic Church, and home their leader: The Pope. When studying religious festivals, especially Catholic, it is important to focus on Rome, but also important to focus on the most important period of time for the Church: Lent. Lent is the period of time in the Liturgical calendar, a 46 day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, where three main disciplines are observed: giving alms, praying, and fasting. While there are many festivals during Lent, two of the most important, and therefore related celebrations are Ash Wednesday and the Stations of the Cross. While these traditions are traced back to the time of Jesus, and are referenced in the Bible’s Old Testament, it is significant that they are still alive and celebrated today. These festivals are celebrated worldwide, and are notably significant in Rome because of the influence by The Vatican.
Lent is the period of time leading up to when Jesus died from crucifixion on the cross to forgive the sins of His followers. It is the most important time in the Liturgical calendar because it calls Catholics to avoid distractions and focus on asking for forgiveness for sins. Catholics also recognize the sacrifice that Jesus made on earth to forgive their sins. Lent begins the day after Fat Tuesday, on Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is a day in preparation for Lent. Because lent is filled with fasting, the Tuesday before is recognized as the last time for indulgences. Ash Wednesday is a day of repentance, and a time where Catholics decide how they are going to spend their Lent fasting, praying, and giving alms, while asking for forgiveness.
Ash Wednesday has very ancient origins. The use of ashes is described in the Bible as a sign for seeking forgiveness and giving repentance. Some quotations from the Old Testament describe this use in ancient times, “Oh daughter of my people, grid on sackcloth, roll in the ashes.” (New International Version, Jer 6:26) "And all the Israelite men, women and children who lived in Jerusalem prostrated themselves in front of the temple building, with ashes strewn on their heads, displaying their sackcloth covering before the Lord." (New International Version, Jdt 4:11) Ashes were also used in medieval times for Ash Wednesday, which was a required day of confession within the church. At this point in history, however, this tradition was not named Ash Wednesday. It was not until the Vatican and Popes got involved that it became an official celebration during Lent. In the 11th century, Pope Urban II required the use of ashes on the first day of Lent, which always landed on a Wednesday.
The meanings of Ash Wednesday and Lent have also changed over history. Originally, Lent was a time where Catholic people would work to renew their baptismal vows. It was known that everyone was inherently a sinner; therefore they had to spend Lent giving penance. For serious sinners, they were required to enter into the Order of the Penitents. This act was for people who confessed their sins to the Bishop or a priest, and were therefore assigned a penance that would be carried out over an extended period of time. (Americancatholic) These people seeking to renew their baptismal vows, and enter into the Order of the Penitents, were historically required to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday.
With the evolvement of the church, after the first millennium, the traditions of Ash Wednesday shifted. Lent now became the period of time to focus on the Passion of Christ, which was the period in time leading up to His death. Lent was still a time where Catholics would acknowledge the sins that they had committed, which led to Christ’s death. The ashes now represented a theme of morality. In these times, a death-sentence for public worship of religion, or simply from religious martyrdom was imminent. The ashes reminded people to take their repentance seriously. In ancient times, the blessing when receiving the ashes also had to do with mortality, “Remember, oh man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.” (New International Version, Genesis 3:19) The ashes were not necessarily a threat, but a sign of the seriousness the church expressed to recognize sins, and give penance and reconciliation during Lent. However, in modern times, some ambiguity lies within the meaning of the ashes. In the Gospel, people are called to wash their faces, so as not to ask for recognition for performing these religious acts. However, the ashes are not meant for recognition, and therefore should not be washed off. Catholics wear the ashes as a way to acknowledge that they are sinners, and are in need of repentance. Ash Wednesday continues to be widely celebrated, but as anything changes over time, the traditions have continued to shift.
In modern times, the reason for celebrating Ash Wednesday is very similar, but certain formalities have changed. In ancient times, women were given the sign of the cross with ashes on their forehead, where men and Clerics had ashes sprinkled on their heads. Today, the ashes are mostly always given on the forehead. The blessing has also changed to guide people away from sin, towards the good word of God, which will lead them to salvation, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” (New International Version, Mark 1:15) Interestingly enough, when The Vatican decided to renew their traditional celebration of Ash Wednesday, after several years of hiatus, the Church reverted back to ancient practices. For 2010, Ash Wednesday mass was given by Pope Benedict XVI at the Basilica of Saint Santa Sabina. The ancient blessing, as mentioned before, was used and ashes were sprinkled the on the heads of everyone attending, rather than on the forehead. The renewal of this tradition within The Vatican further enforced the importance of Lent within the church, and therefore Rome.
While culture is now different, and most treat Lent a little less seriously, the reason behind the holiday is the same. In modern times, Catholics are called to “give something up” for Lent in order to become closer to God. The origins behind this tradition are that Catholics are called to live simply during Lent, without luxuries or distractions, therefore becoming closer to God. Lent is about recognizing that Jesus was sent down to earth to forgive the sins of all His followers. The Stations of the Cross is a tradition during Lent that is closely related to Ash Wednesday, and is another way for followers to become closer to God, by walking the path that Jesus walked on the way to His death.
The Stations of the Cross are celebrated on Good Friday every Lent, which is the day that Jesus walked the path to Calvary hill, then was crucified and died on the cross. The stations, also called the Way of the Cross, represent the passion of Christ. This is similar to what is celebrated and recognized on Ash Wednesday, but the stations are a physical representation of what Jesus went through. The festival originates from the actual occurrence, and from the Bible, where it states that Mary the mother of God visited each site every day after Jesus died. Pilgrims also came to Jerusalem to visit the sites, and throughout the years the tradition was re-created around the world, as not everyone could travel to Jerusalem to partake in the event. (Alston) The actual celebration in Rome, also called Via Crucis, is traced back to the historic martyrs during the sixth century, who gave their lives for their faith in God and the church. (Steves)
The majority of the martyrs who gave their lives during this time period were killed in the Colosseum, as it was the location in Rome where these deaths mainly took place. Because of this, when Sixtus V threatened to demolish the building in order to carry out his city planning in Rome, Pope Benedict XIV declared the Colosseum a sacred monument, dedicated to the Passion of the Christ. He placed a cross inside the Colosseum, as a sign of recognition for the lives lost by the Christian martyrs. This saved the building from demolition, and is one of the main reasons the Via Crucis is celebrated every year at the Colosseum, the festival still continuing today. (Italyguides)
Relating to how the Vatican and the Pope lead one of the biggest festivals of the Way of the Cross each year, it was the Popes that made this festival an important symbol for the church and during the celebration of Lent. In 1686, Pope Innocent XI granted the Franciscans permission to put up symbols of the stations in their churches. From 1726 to 1731, Popes Benedict XII and Clement XII officially extended the celebration to all the faithful and all the Churches, therefore naming it an official religious festival. (Italyguides) This celebration in Rome at the Colosseum connects the ancient times to modern times, with the recognition of the Passion of Christ, the recognition of Christian martyrs, but also the modern rendition of the stations still continuing. Catholics continue to celebrate and remember the suffering of Christ’s body, while remembering the suffering of Christ’s people.
The Way of the Cross, much like Ash Wednesday, is a festival that connects to very ancient origins, but also have a modern importance. It is a way that Catholics all over the world can celebrate the passion of Christ, and re-create their own stations. The origins of having specifically 14 stations are somewhat unknown, but in history have become the standard. The festival is in the form of a procession, with one stop at each of the 14 stations. At each station, there is a symbol or picture of the specific act, such as Jesus’ first fall, or when He is stripped of His garments. A prayer or blessing is also said at each station.
Both Ash Wednesday and the Stations of the Cross are ancient traditions that originate from the Bible, but continue to be celebrated today. Lenten festivals are some of the most important in the Catholic Church because it is the most holy time of the Liturgical year, but also because it is the time to focus on how Jesus died to forgive people’s sins. Both of these festivals focus on the importance of this time, and with The Vatican’s celebration of these festivals, the traditions continue to be alive today, and still influential in the lives of the followers of the Catholic Church.
Alston, George Cyprian. "Way of the Cross." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 9 Mar. 2010.
Americancatholic.org. “Ash Wednesday Our Shifting Understanding of Lent.” Catholic Update. February 2004. Mar. 2010. <http://www.americancatholic.org/newsletters/cu/ac0204.asp>
Italyguides.it. “The Roman Colosseum.” ComPart Multimedia. Mar. 2010. <http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/colosseum.htm>
Steves, Rick. “Easter in Rome.” Rick Steves’ Europe. Mar 2010.<http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/easter.htm>
No comments:
Post a Comment