# Quadragesima Sunday

Quadragesima Sunday (Latin: Dominica in Quadragesima, "Sunday in the Fortieth"), also known as Invocabit Sunday, is the traditional name for the First Sunday of Lent in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. Observed approximately forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays), after Ash Wednesday, it marks the beginning of the penitential season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Quadragesima Sunday may occur as early as February 8 or as late as March 14.

## Nomenclature

The term Quadragesima is derived from the Latin word for "fortieth", as there are exactly forty days from Quadragesima Sunday until Good Friday. However, like Quinquagesima, Sexagesima and Septuagesima, the numeral is more likely an approximation of how many days there are until Easter Sunday, in this case 42. While Quadragesima includes both Sundays and weekdays, the beginning of Lent was later changed to the preceding Wednesday, "Ash Wednesday", to get in forty weekdays.
'Invocabit' is the opening word of the introit for the day.
In both the ordinary form of the Roman rite and common English parlance it is known as the First Sunday of Lent.
In the Eastern Churches, the first Sunday of Lent is referred to as the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

## History
### Start of Lent since Antiquity

The designation of Quadragesima Sunday dates back to the early centuries of Christianity, when Lent evolved as a formalized period of preparation for Easter. By the 4th century, influenced by the Council of Nicaea (325 CE) and subsequent liturgical standardization, a 40-day fast emerged in imitation of Christ’s 40 days in the desert, Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai, and the 40 years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness.

### Sunday of Orthodoxy

The name of Feast of Orthodoxy commemorates, after 120 years of iconoclasm, the definitive restoration of the holy icons on Sunday, March 11, 843.

### Sunday of Quadregesima

The term "Quadragesima" appears in medieval liturgical texts, such as the Missale Romanum, reflecting its prominence in the Roman Rite before the 20th-century reforms. Prior to the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), Quadragesima Sunday was universally recognized as the First Sunday of Lent in Western Christianity. The Tridentine Mass, codified in 1570 by Pope Pius V, preserved its traditional structure, including the Introit "Invocabit me" (from Psalm 90:15–16) and the tract "Qui habitat." The penitential character of the day was further emphasized by the omission of the Gloria and the use of violet vestments.

### Post-Vatican II Usage

Following the liturgical reforms of Vatican II and the introduction of the Novus Ordo Missae in 1970, the term "Quadragesima Sunday" fell out of common use in favor of "First Sunday of Lent." The revised Roman Missal simplified the nomenclature of Sundays during Lent, aligning with a broader shift toward accessibility and vernacular worship. However, the day’s core themes—penance, temptation, and divine protection—remained intact, with the Gospel of Christ’s temptation still central to the liturgy.
In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (the Tridentine Mass), celebrated by traditionalist Catholic communities, Quadragesima Sunday retains its historical name and structure. The day continues to feature the Gregorian chant repertoire and other pre-Vatican II elements, distinguishing it from the Ordinary Form’s more flexible options, which may include vernacular hymns or alternative readings.

## Liturgy

The Liturgy for Quadragesima Sunday features distinctive liturgical elements tied to the season’s somber tone. Quadragesima Sunday, the First Sunday of Lent in the traditional Roman Rite, features specific Gregorian chant propers from the Graduale Romanum or Liber Usualis, centered on Psalm 90 (Vulgate), emphasizing God’s protection. The Alleluia is omitted, replaced by the tract "Qui habitat," a Gregorian chant drawn from Psalm 90 (91 in Hebrew numbering), which underscores themes of divine protection and trust in God. The Gospel reading, typically Matthew 4:1–11, recounts Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, aligning with Lent’s focus on resisting sin and relying on God’s strength. These propers:
* Introit: Invocabit me (Psalm 90:15-16, Mode VIII) – A hopeful call to God, with gentle melismas, sung at the Mass’s start.
* Gradual: Angelus Domini (Psalm 90:11-12, Mode V) – Ornate and melismatic, it reflects angelic guardianship after the Epistle.
* Tract: Qui habitat (Psalm 90:1-7, 11-12, Mode II) – A lengthy, somber meditation replacing the Alleluia, preparing for the Gospel (Matthew 4:1-11).
* Offertory: Scapulis suis (Psalm 90:4-5, Mode I) – Richly melismatic, evoking divine shelter during the offering.
* Communion: Scapulis suis (Psalm 90:4, Mode I) – Simpler, reinforcing trust in God during Communion.
Unified by Psalm 90, these Mode I, II, V, and VIII chants create a penitential yet trusting tone, aligning with Lent’s themes and Christ’s temptation narrative.

## Traditions

Historically, Quadragesima Sunday marked a significant moment in the Christian year. In medieval Europe, it signaled the intensification of fasting and abstinence, with the faithful refraining from meat, dairy, and other luxuries throughout Lent. Sermons often focused on Christ’s victory over temptation, encouraging believers to emulate His discipline. The day also held communal importance, as parishes gathered to begin the Lenten journey together.
In contemporary practice, Quadragesima Sunday (as the First Sunday of Lent) remains a key liturgical event. Many Catholics attend Mass, receive ashes if they missed Ash Wednesday, and commit to Lenten practices such as prayer, charity, or giving up personal indulgences.

### France: Brandons

In certain regions of France, Belgium and elsewhere, the tradition consisted, on this « dimanche des Brandons » also known as « dimanche des Bordes » or « dimanche brandounier » (i.e. Sunday of the Brandons), of lighting fires, dancing around them and roaming the streets and countryside carrying lit brands or embers. In Auvergne, anthropologist François Pommerol, who analysed this event in 1901, saw in it the remains of an ancient solar cult, linked to an invocation of the Celtic god Grannos. In Régny, in the Loire, the villagers of the town load fagots onto a cart to which they harnessed married men, then gathered these fagots in the square in a pyramid, before setting them on fire. In Berry, the brandons festival was also called the bordes festival. In Miribel, in Ain, on the Sunday of the brandons or the bordes, the last bride of the village lights a pyre. In Chambly (Oise), the Legendary Festival of Bois-Hourdy takes place every first Sunday of Lent, which has existed since 1248. In Offwiller (Bas-Rhin), the Schieweschlawe takes place every first Sunday of Lent in a clearing overlooking the village, where beech discs at the end of a stick are set alight on a pyre, before being thrown by making them spin and then hit on a flat stone.

### Luxembourg: Buergbrennen

The buergbrennen festivities centred on a large bonfire are celebrated in the towns and villages of Luxembourg on the first Sunday of Lent to herald the coming of spring.

### Macau: Bom Jesus dos Passos

The Feast of Bom Jesus dos Passos is an annual Roman Catholic celebration held in Macau on the first Sunday of Lent, forming a significant part of the region's religious and cultural heritage. This two-day event, known locally as the "Procession of the Great Jesus" in Chinese, begins with a novena at the Church of St. Augustine and includes a solemn procession honoring Jesus Christ's Passion. On the first day, the procession moves from St. Augustine’s to the Sé Cathedral, and on the second day, it returns, following a traditional Via Crucis with seven stations. Organized by the Brotherhood of Senhor Bom Jesus dos Passos, the feast features a statue of Jesus carrying the cross, symbolizing compassion and redemption, and attracts clergy, including the Bishop of Macau, and numerous faithful. Dating back to the arrival of Augustinian missionaries in 1586, this devotion reflects Macau's Portuguese colonial legacy and remains a vibrant expression of faith.

### Malta: People's Sunday

The People's Sunday celebrations are held annually on Quadragesima Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent at Żabbar, Malta, popularly known as Ħadd in-Nies, are living recollections of the centuries-old devotion to Our Lady of Graces (Il-Madonna tal-Grazzja). The Maltese name of Ħadd in-Nies, People's Sunday, is an indication of the large number of visitors who used to go to Żabbar to render thanks and pray at the feet of Our Lady.

### Switzerland: Failles

In the Swiss village of Cartigny, during the first Sunday of Lent, the Failles are celebrated, a tradition consisting of burning poles wrapped in straw, vine shoots and reeds in the evening when the first star appear. This festival is also observed in the hamlet of Certoux, in the commune of Perly-Certoux. The failles are the equivalent of the brandon festivals elsewhere in Switzerland. The town of Payerne organizes its carnival under the name of Brandons de Payerne with Moudon and its Brandons de Moudon.