Alma Redemptoris Mater to Ave Regina Caelorum
  • SkirpRSkirpR
    Posts: 854
    We all know that the Alma Redemptoris is the Marian antiphon that runs from the First Sunday of Advent until February 2nd, in both the EF and OF calendars.

    Or is it?

    The OF Liturgy of the Hours does not prescribe a particular Marian antiphon to conclude Night Prayer (Compline), but rather allows one to choose from a listing which includes most of the traditional Marian antiphons (some in Latin), their translations, and the Hail Mary.

    More interesting, however, in the Solesmes 2006 Antiphonale Monasticum Vol. 2, at the end of the Ordinarium, following Compline, there appear the Antiphonae Mariales. The dates are given for two of these as follows:

    -for the Alma Redemptoris: "A Dominica I Adventus usque ad festum Baptismatis Domini inclusive"
    (From the First Sunday of Advent to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, inclusive)

    -and for the Ave Regina Caelorum: "A feria II hebdomadae I per annum usque ad feriam IV Hebdomadae Sanctae"
    (From Monday of the First Week of Ordinary Time to Wednesday of Holy Week)

    So, Solesmes seems to give a lot of credence here to the OF calendar saying that Christmas ends - completely - after the Baptism of the Lord.

    Any thoughts on this???
  • Maureen
    Posts: 678
    Well, that's when Carnival season begins, isn't it?

    The Catholic Encyclopedia gets very severe and tries to set Carnival as only as long as Shrovetide, but pretty much all the German and southern sources I've seen don't agree. Maria Von Trapp's book on Catholic customs says that Fasching runs from January 6 till midnight brings Ash Wednesday. Of course, she also assumes that you don't do much in the way of worldly funsies and dancing from St. Catherine's Day (Nov. 25) until Yuletide's done.

    I don't know why they'd change stuff around, if it's not traditional. If Europe's always followed a different reckoning from English-speaking countries, I could see them harmonizing the schedules, though. But I don't know enough about it to say.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,017
    Shrovetide, the English usage, was more like the Venetian Carnivale than German Fasching or New Orleans Mardi Gras. If you think about the roots in the Lupercalia (a festive, wanton episode connected to a longer chapter of late-winter purification), this makes a certain sense.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,017
    What's interesting is that the OF usage did not prescribe the Salve Regina for OT between Christmastide and Lent, though frankly that would seem to make the most sense from the logic of the OF usage, and would seem to be permitted unless one's rule is somehow bound to the monastic antiphonale.
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