Sunday 10 February 2008

The First Sunday of Lent

Advent has the wreath, Easter the Paschal Candle, and Christmas the crib. Lent, by contrast, is marked more by the absence of things normally present: there are no flowers in the church, the Gloria is not used at Mass, nor is the word 'Alleluia' heard at any point between Ash Wednesday and the Easter Vigil. Music is also much more low-key throughout the season. The Cathedral looks much plainer than usual today, the first Sunday of Lent.

The one addition is this banner - one of a series which are now familiar to regulars - giving a little background information about Lent for those who visit the Cathedral during these 40 days.