The Septuagesima Season

Gregory DiPippo at the New Liturgical Movement has a post about the abandonment of the traditional season of Septuagesia with a link to an excellent article on the arguments for having such a period before Lent and a criticism of the way in which it was abolished in the Western Rite. It can be viewed at Some Notes on the Suppression of Septuagesima, by Amy Welborn

As is pointed out in these posts other Christian traditions  - Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran  - retain it, and it has returned to the Roman calendar with its violet vestments and suppression of the Alleluia in the Ordinariate Use. At Sunday Vespers at the Oxford Oratory, when the Office is that of the gesimas, although the church is hung in green ready for the novus ordo Mass that will follow it, we have had this year the welcome sight of the Officiant vested in a violet cope for Vespers to accompany the traditional form and propers of the Office.

My previous posts on related themes can be viewed at Septuagesima, at Septuagesima,Sexagesima, Quinquagesima, at The Season of Septuagesima, at Septuagesima, at Burying the Alleluia and, linking to a post by Fr Blake, at Shrovetide.