Ember Days

Today is the second of the three Lenten Ember Days which survive in the Traditional Mass and in the Ordinariate Rite, but which disappeared together with the other three sets of such days from the 1970 Novus Ordo. For an introduction as to how and why that happened see Fr Hunwick’s articles infra.

Wikipedia gives a good introduction to the  history of these centuries-old four seasonal fasting days at Ember days

I have posted about them myself in previous posts at September Ember Days, at More on Ember Days and in Ember Days

This week Fr Hunwicke, with his typical erudition, has commented on the origins in particular of the Lenten Ember Days and why they were added to the other three sets, as well as the post Vatican II removal of them from the Calendar at Ember Days? (1), at Ember Weeks (2), at So where have this week's Ember Masses disappeared to? and at Ember Sacerdotalism

Their very antiquity should have preserved  these days of fasting and discipline, as well as their customary use as the time for Ordinations. However in the 1960s the pursuit of simplicity and the desire to get away from ideas of fasting and discipline paid little or no heed to antiquity, nor to asking much of congregations in the way of penitential discipline.