4/28/21
Jungmann, Josef A., S.J. "Chapter Twenty: The Easter Cycle." The Early Liturgy to the Time of Gregory the Great. (translated by Francis A. Brunner, C.S.S. R., Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 1959, pp. 253-265.
The festivals surrounding Easter day have developed ove rthe years, creating a progressively longer and more complex series of liturgical services. Jungmann identifies the central observances in series of three days, originally as the Friday to Sunday period, but then including Maundy Thursday through Saturday, then Sunday through Tuesday (Jungmann 1959, 253). The original triduum is probably most significant as it shaped Lenten observances.
Jungmann observes that a period of Lent lasting forty days was already present by the time of Athanasius (Jungmann 1959, 254). Forty days before Good Friday gives us Sunday of Quadragesima. by the sixth century, Sundays were excluded from the fast. The end was then moved to the start of Easter Sunday. Out of a desire to restore the forty days, the start moved back to Ash Wednesday (Jungmann 1959, 255).
Lent also became a period for special observances. From the start, fasting was considered appropriate. However, additional services of the Mass began to be offered (Jungmann 1959, 256). Jungmann describes some of the variations in Lenten service practices especially in Rome, where some of the daily services were at different churches around the city. It becomes apparent from Jungmann's summary that the period contained an emphasis on catechesis and baptism.
Holy Week itself looks forward to Easter. Jungmann notes that in Jerusalem this took the form of services which were very conscious of the day and hour they celebrated. Romen, however, considers the Passion as a whole (Jungmann 1959, 261). Holy week was, above all, a time of quiet sorrow.
The weeks following Easter Sunday were early recognized as a time of celebration, lasting seven weeks. Only the first week developed prominence, with special celebration of the conversion which had resulted in baptisms (Jungmann 1959, 264). The remainder of the Easter season was not characterized by particular special celebrations.