First off, I apologize for my lack of responses over the last week. I have been busy typing up a 28 page document and needed some time to pray and write! Soli Deo Gloria! It is accomplished, so I can now get back to Blog-fest: Lenten Style!
I want to start hitting on some unique practices and customs during the Lenten Season. One of my favorites is the "Lenten Array" found in some Anglican and Episcopal Churches. This custom finds its origins in the ancient Sarum Rite, the ancient liturgy found in England as early as the 11th Century. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, all images are covered until Easter Day. To cover everything during that time would have been costly to use the Roman Violet, so a form of unbleached linen was used to cover crosses, images, and even the reredos itself as seen above. Images of the passion are roughly painted or sometimes sown into the linen. It really brings us back to the use of sackcloth which was a sign of penance and mourning. During Lent, we are mourning our sins and turning back to the Lord. Crosses and Images are covered for various reasons: 1) Crosses are covered because during the passion Christ "hid" his Divinity to bear our sins and redeem us in great humility, 2) We are mourning our sins and clothing ourselves in the garments of penance, 3) Even the Church building itself "fasts" from the glory of images during this season, and 4) We put everything aside during these 40 days to focus on the Love of God shown to us during the Passion and Death of our Lord. Fasting like this makes Easter all the more glorious when the whole Church erupts in joy and clothes herself in the bright Spring garments of Our Lord's Resurrection!
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