Passiontide

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The statues and cross on this altar are veiled for the two weeks of Passiontide.

In western Christian liturgical practice, the last two weeks before Easter were commonly known as “Passiontide.” The statues and crosses would be veiled. Some think this dates from a time when Lent was itself only two weeks long and that the images were therefore veiled for all of Lent. Some think that as Lent became longer–finally becoming the 40-day fast it is now–that the statues and crosses were veiled for all of Lent. Practices varied a great deal across western Europe. In some places the crosses were covered on Ash Wednesday; in others on the first Sunday of Lent. In England it was customary on the first Monday of Lent to cover up all the crucifixes, images of every kind, the reliquaries, and even the cup with the Blessed Sacrament. In other places, veils were still only used during the two weeks of Passiontide itself.

Why cover the cross and other images? Scholars suggest that at the time when veiling was introduced, the image of Christ on the Cross was still that of Christ Triumphant: his eyes are open, he is calm, and he is robed as a king or priest. He is ruling the world from the throne of the Cross, as many iturgical hymns say. The image of Christ on the Cross as the Man of Sorrows (his body twisted in agony, his eyes often closed in death, the pain and agony of Crucifixion on full display) did not become popular until much later. The veils were thus used to hide the triumphant images of Christ as the faithful were preparing to celebrate that triumph. (The saints are likewise images of Christ triumphant in the lives of believers and would therefore be covered as well during the time of preparing to celebrate Christ’s triumph over Death.) By the time the image of the Man of Sorrows on the Cross–which would be appropriate for veneration during the preparation for Easter–became popular, the veils had become too entrenched in popular custom and so the images of Christ on the Cross continue to be covered.

Even in the Orthodox world, the two weeks before Easter are distinct liturgical periods: the Week of Palms which leads up to Palm Sunday and the Passion Week which culminates in Good Friday-Holy Saturday-Pascha (Easter). But the images are not veiled in Orthodox churches.

A beautiful example of Christ Triumphant on the Cross from 13th century Pisa–currently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art–can be seen here.

St. Mary of Egypt

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St Jerome and St Mary of Egypt (first half of 16th century)

St. Mary of Egypt was among the most popular saints of the Middle Ages. She is still extremely well-known in the Orthodox Church although she is not as well known anymore among Western Christians. She is considered a model of repentance and commemorated on April 1 (the anniversary of her death) and the 5th Sunday of Lent (in the Orthodox liturgical tradition).

According to her life (written by Sophronius, 7th century patriarch of Jerusalem and available in the Golden Legend), Mary was a sexually active young girl who ran away from home in Egypt when she was 12. Her parents never heard from her again and never knew what befell their daughter. She made her way to Jerusalem, seducing men along the way. She had a conversion experience in Jerusalem and fled into the desert, where she lived as a hermit for several decades. A lone monk discovered her one spring and learned the story of her life. He brought her Holy Communion the next year. When he attempted to meet her a third time, he discovered her body and realized that she had died only hours after he had given her Holy Communion.

She was clearly a headstrong young woman. She used the resources available to her to make her way in the world. Coming from a poor, rural family, that meant her only resource was her body. But her conversion experience made her realize that relying on her sexuality to survive was a dead-end; she wanted more than a collection of sensual experiences and memories to give meaning to her life. So she embraced an extreme form of desert asceticism as a hermit. Just as her sexual behavior was extreme, her asceticism was as well. She was not given to half-measures.

There were many versions of her life available in medieval Europe, a testimony to her popularity. Many of them are still available, in translation. Her image was painted many times as well.

“Happy New Year 2019?!” Annunciation Day

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A Coptic icon of the Annunciation, showing the angel Gabriel presenting a lily as he announces the Incarnation to the Mother of God.

A Coptic icon of the Annunciation, showing the angel Gabriel presenting a lily as he announces the Incarnation to the Mother of God.

Lilies are often associated with the celebration of Annunciation. When Eve was driven from Paradise, lilies bloomed wherever her tears fell onto the earth and Gabriel presented lilies to the Virgin Mary when he announced that her Son would re-open Paradise to mankind. Other legends say that lilies blossomed from drops of milk from Hera’s breasts that fell upon the earth and that the lily was therefore the only flower with a soul. Lilies are traditionally considered to drive away ghosts and evil (esp. the Evil Eye) and can break love spells. The first lily of the season strengthens whoever finds it.

Roses are also associated with Annunciation and are used to cast love spells or in healing magic. If you plant roses in your garden, they are said to grow best if you have stolen the seeds from someone else and will then attract the faerie folk.

The Annunciation is celebrated on March 25 (the traditional date of the springtime equinox). Not only was Annunciation — and the equinox — vital to keeping track of time for secular purposes, many ancient and medieval authors claimed that the Annunciation/equinox date were vital at many points of salvation history: the birthday of Adam and the Crucifixion were said to have occurred on March 25 as well. Some also said that March 25 marked the fall of Lucifer, the parting of the Red Sea, as well as the day on which God said, “Let there be light!”

Sometimes called “Lady Day,” the Annunciation was kept as New Year’s Day in many places; the last to give up Annunciation as the New Year’s Day was England and its American colonies in 1752. The correct synchronization of the equinox with the Annunciation is a critical element in the calculation of the date of Easter and the medieval and Renaissance disconnect between the Annunciation and the equinox prompted Pope Gregory XIII to reform the calendar in 1582.