Luciana:
While it would seem that a question like the one you posed
should have, at least in part, a simple answer, such is not the case.
The critical factor rests in determining how that 25th day was
calculated.
In the 4th and 5th cc the manner of reckoning the forty days
( Canon 5, Nicaea I) varied, not only between Rome and
Constantinople, but also between the Sees of Jerusalmem, Alexandria
and Constantinople. If we adopt the computation of the fast as used
in Constantinople : 1) Holy Week, beginning with Matins for the
Saturday of Lazarus [Saturday before the Sunday of Palms], the Sunday
of Palms and Holy Week itself, were NOT included in the counting. 2)
Saturdays, with the exception of Holy Saturday, while not considered
days of fasting, were INCLUDED and counted continuously, including
both Saturdays and Sundays, the 25th day of the Great Fast would be
commemorated as follows:
In the various cycles of services overlapping and
intertwining within the ordo of the Lenten Triodion (the book
containing the ordines for the periond of the Great Lenten Fast) for
the Eastern Church, the 25th day of the Lenten fast falls on the
fourth day after the Third Sunday in Lent. This particular Sunday
commemorates the Cross__'the Sunday of the Precious and Life-Giving
Cross", and its festal stikhera resemble, with some modulations
toward the period of fasting and the passion of Christ soon to come,
the great themes of cosmic reconciliation contained in the stikhera
of the parallel Feasts of the Cross ( the Elevation, Sept. 14 and the
Procession of the Cross, Aug 1)
A typical example of the 'tone' and 'content' of these hymns ( the
Exaspostilarion of Matins for the day):
"Today, the cross is lifted up and all the world celebrates
in its saving power. For You, who are enthroned with the Father and
the Holy Spirit have spread Your arms upon and drawn the world to
know You.'....
It would be at Vespers for the the 25th day of the Fast that the
festal stkhera to the Cross would be sung for the last time. (
Actually they would be sung at the Vesperal(processional) portion of
the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts)
This may well account for the association with "Jesus the Mediator of
men and the New Law" which you cite, but not account for the fact
that this day seems to have no special significance in the liturgical
commemorations codified in the Triodion.
On the other hand if we are to adopt the Roman model for
computation, by which, I am assuming but have not the sources at
hand to authorize, that Hilary computed the fast :
1) Holy week included in the forty days. 2)Saturday was regarded as a
day of fasting. 3) All Sundays were excluded from the reckoning. With
that computation,
4) 4 day addition to the beginning of the fast to compensate, the
25th day of the fast would still be the day for the leave-taking of
the Sunday of the Cross stikhera. But what Roman model did he use?
The earliest clear testimony to the Roman addition of the four days
at the beginning of the fast, hence beginning on a Wednesday, not a
Monday, is the Gelasian Sacramentary ( early 8thc), While there are
some suggestions of the additions going back to the 5thc, I can not
attest to Hilary's model for computation.The number of variants from
which Hilary might have chosen his calculation___ the community in
Palestine and Jerusalem calculated only five days of fasting in each
week, while Alexandria followed a variant of this Palestinian
model___ add to the confusion. If Hilary did not compute the four day
addition at the beginning, and still uses points 1, 2, and 3 listed
above,( the later standard Roman model), then the 25th day falls on
the Monday following the Fourth Sunday of the Fast, which likewise
caries no special significance in the commemorations of the fast for
the Christian East.
A bibliography on the development of the Eastern Lenten cycle and its
transmisson , and the compilation of the Triodion , as well as the
rivaling computations of the fast will follow in a day or so... but
the most complete studies on the subject ( the Eastern materials)
still remain:
I. A. Karabinov, <Postnaia Triod> St. Petersburg, 1910.
I will dig a bit in sources at hand.
Wishing this would be a bit more helpful,
Josef Gulka
>A query:
>-- My old pre-Vatican II missal states in the introduction to the Mass
>for Tuesday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent (no author given, and I
>don't see a publisher, either) that in the Eastern churches the 25th day
>of Lent celebrated solemnly Jesus, Mediator of men and the New Law. Can
>anyone tell me why the 25th day was chosen (any significance to the
>number 25, that is), and in general anything about the feast and how it
>spread in the West? The missal only says that Pope Hilary introduced
>this feast in Rome. Bibliographical references will be warmly
>appreciated.
>As ever, thanks a heap. Luciana
>*
Josef Gulka
[log in to unmask]
Tel: 215- 732-8420
Fax (215) 732-8420
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|