Definition

Noun: - A specific Sunday in the Christian liturgical calendar: Septuagesima Sunday is the third Sunday before the beginning of Lent, which is also the ninth Sunday before Easter Sunday. It marks the start of a preparatory period for Lent.

Usage

• Liturgical Context: The term is used primarily in historical and liturgical Christian contexts, particularly within traditional calendars of Western Christianity (e.g., Roman Catholic, Anglican).
  • The readings for Septuagesima Sunday introduce themes of penitence.
  • Septuagesima Sunday falls roughly seventy days before Easter, which is the origin of its name.

Advanced Usage

• Liturgical Season: The Sunday begins the "Septuagesima" season, a pre-Lenten period of preparation.
  • With Septuagesima Sunday, the liturgical color changes to violet, signaling a shift in focus.

Variants and Related Words

• Septuagesima (noun): The name of the liturgical period beginning on this Sunday.
  • The season of Septuagesima is a time of gradual preparation for the austerity of Lent.
• Sexagesima Sunday (noun): The Sunday following Septuagesima Sunday (the second Sunday before Lent).
• Quinquagesima Sunday (noun): The Sunday following Sexagesima Sunday (the Sunday immediately before Lent).

Synonyms

• None commonly used: This is a specific proper noun for a particular day in the liturgical calendar. General synonyms like "Sunday" or "church day" do not convey its specific meaning.

Related Phrases

• Pre-Lenten season: The period initiated by Septuagesima Sunday.
  • The pre-Lenten season, starting with Septuagesima Sunday, was a more prominent feature of older liturgical rites.

Noun

1. the 3rd Sunday before Lent (or the 9th before Easter)