Evening journal., 1913-02-05
PENITENTIAL
SEASON OPENS
Easter Comes This Year
Nearly as Early as
Possible
ASH WEDNESDAY
OBSERVANCE TODAY
Lent begins today

Lent begins To-Day.
For the next 46 days with the ex-
ception Of Sundays-fasting abstin-
ence and penance will be practiced in
preparation for Easter. the Feast of
the Resurrection. which VIII fan this
year ON March %.
In considering Lent as period OF 4
40 DAYS many persons lose sight Of
the fact that Only the fast days are 4
to be considered Thus 40 weekdays I
and 6 Sunday, must elapse before !
Easter
The rule for determining the day on /
which Easter falls, as set forth In the I
Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, is !
as follows:
Easter "a always the first Sunday |
after the full moon. which happens T,
upon or next after the twenty-hrst day
of March. and If the full moon hap |
pens upon a Sunday. Easter Day is the
Sunday after.
But note. that the full moon
Is the fourteenth day of a lunar
month. reckoned according TO an
ancient ecclesiastical computation and
not the real or astronomical full
moon"
Incidentally. the astronomical full
moon in March this year falls upon
the 22d
Only once within the last 1876 years
has Easter fallen earlier than on
March 90 In 1918 IL was on March
%. In that period II has come on
March % only three times, in 1888,
1845 and 1856. Generally Easter
comes In April. Last year IL was
April z. and In 1891 it established a
record for lateness by falling on April
"a.
Among the churches today-Ash
Wednesday-ashes from palms bless
ed last Palm Sunday we're blessed at
the first mass and then distributed
The priests moved along the sanctu-
airy rail, placing n small quantity Of
the ash on the foreheads of those
kneeling. In the afternoon and at
night in practically all OF the churches
the ashes again will be distributed.
Following are the regulations for
Lent as promulgated by the Right
Rev. Bishop John J. Monaghan for
the diocese OF Wilmington.
Ash Wednesday, the first day Of
Lent, falls on the 5th day of Febru-
airy.
All the faithful who have COM
pleted their twenty-hrst year, unless
exempt by dispensation or some other
legitimate cause. are bound to OBJ
serve the fast Of Lent
2-They are TO make one meal only
a day except on Sundays.
3.-Thc meal permitted on fast
days is not TO be taken till about
nOun
"A small rofreshmont. commonly
called collation., is permitted in the
evening.
5.-The following persons are eX-
cmpt from the obligation OF fasting:
Persons under twenty-one years of
age. the sick. nursing women, those
who are Obliged 10 do hard labor. and
those who. through weakness, cannot
fast, without great prejudice to their
health
6.-The faithful arc reminded that
besides the obligation of fasting im-
posed by the church. this holy season
OF -.ent should be. in an especial
manner. a time of earnest prayer, Of
sorrow for sin, Of seclusion from the
world and its amusements, and Of
generous aims giving.
III.
BY virtue OF an indult to the United
States. dated May 25. 1907 the fol-
lowing special dispensations are
granted;
1.-The use Of flesh meat is permit
ted at all the meals on Sundays, and
once a day on Mondays. Tuesdays.
Thursdays and Saturdays, with the
exception Of the second and last Sat
urdays of Lent. But flesh meat and
fish are not 10 he used at the same
meal during Lent, even on Sundays.
2-The use OF butter cheese, milk
and eggs os also permitted every day
in Lent.
at Is allowed to take in the
morning some warm liquid as tea,
coffee or thin chocolate, made with
water. and with this liquid a mouth
+ full Of bread
4-Those for whom the hour OF
noon may be az inconvenient time
+ for dinner. may invert the order and
I take their collation. I'm the morning
l and their dinner in the evening.
4 5.-The use of hogs lard, or drip
ping, instead of butter Is authorized
q in preparing permitted food.
"a 6.-Persons exempt from the obi
a cation Of fasting are free TO take meai
more than once on those days wher
3 its use is granted by dispensation.
III
IN BY virtue of an indult granted {,
us by the Holy See. March Is, 1905
we permit TO all working men an,
r their families the use of flesh mea
once a day on all fast days and alb
stinence days throughout the year
81 with the exception Of Fridays Ash
Wednesday the Wednesday and Sat
urday of Holy Week and the Eve o
Christmas
ts Those who are exempt from tn
obligation OF fasting are free to TAX
i. meat more than once on the day
~ mentioned.
s. Those who avail themselves of thi
indult are not allowed to use 1esl
b meat and fish at the same meal; an,
they are earnestly eXhorted to per
q form some other act Of modification