At mass on Sunday for the Feast of Epiphany, Father Jeff asked us to remain standing after the gospel reading for the ancient Proclamation of the Date of Easter

The Proclamation of the Date of Easter on Epiphany dates from a time when calendars were not readily available. It was necessary to make known the date of Easter in advance, since many celebrations of the liturgical year depend on its date. The number of Sundays that follow Epiphany, the date of Ash Wednesday, and the number of Sundays that follow Pentecost are all computed in relation to Easter. Although calendars now give the date of Easter and the other feasts in the liturgical year for many years in advance, the Epiphany proclamation still has value. It is a reminder of the centrality of the resurrection of the Lord in the liturgical year and the importance of the great mysteries of faith which are celebrated each year. (From Sacramentary Supplement.)

On the solemnity of the Epiphany, the proclamation takes place after the Gospel, the homily or after the Prayer after Communion. The proclamation should be sung from the ambo by a deacon, cantor or a reader. In their absence, the celebrant or concelebrant or another priest  may sing or proclaim it according to the following text:

Dear brothers and sisters, the glory of the Lord has shone upon us, and shall ever be manifest among us, until the day of his return. Through the rhythms of times and seasons  let us celebrate the mysteries of salvation. Let us recall the year’s culmination, the Easter Triduum of the Lord:  his last supper, his crucifixion, his burial, and his rising celebrated  between the evening of the 9th of April and the evening of the 12th of April. Each Easter – as on each Sunday –  the Holy Church makes present the great and saving deed by which Christ has for ever conquered sin and death. From Easter are reckoned all the days we keep holy./ Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, will occur on the 25th of February.  The Ascension of the Lord will be commemorated on the 21st [or 24th] of May.  Pentecost, the joyful conclusion of the season of Easter, will be celebrated on the 31st of May.  And this year the First Sunday of Advent will be on the 29th of November.   Likewise the pilgrim Church proclaims the Passover of Christ  in the feasts of the holy Mother of God, in the feasts of the Apostles and Saints,  and in the commemoration of the faithful departed. To Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come, Lord of time and history, be endless praise, for ever and ever.  Amen.

I had not heard of the Epiphany proclamation before but it was for me the perfect capstone to the lessons I have been pondering this Advent and Christmas season.  In trying as a family to put Advent and Christmas in their proper sequence we are becoming more attuned to the Pilgrim Church.  Each year, as we journey around the sun we also repeat the journey of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world.  It is my hope that each time I follow this journey with just a little deeper understanding and faith.

Through the Catholic New Media Advent Calendar I have also grown a deeper understanding of what it means to be a part of a universal church and a participant of a world-wide faith community.  Over the past 37 days, we have brought you 44 posts contributed by over 50 people from 3 different continents.  Our  thanks go out to our contributors, the webmasters who posted our badge or advent calendar, and everyone who has dropped in to enjoy the great Advent content.    You can see the blogs, podcasts, or music of our contributors at their own websites listed below.

And a heartfelt thanks to my loving wife, Nancy and our daughter Sarah who have been my compatriots in life and in this project. I am overwhelmed by the number of people who were involved in making the Catholic New Media Advent Calendar a success.  If I neglected to list your name, please accept my apology for the oversight and let me know so that I can add you to the list. It is my sincere hope that through our blog and podcast we can help our own family and others grow closer to Christ through Mary. That’s a wrap for the Catholic New Media Advent Calendar, but please continue to join us at the Catholic New Media Roundup as we shine a spotlight on the great ways Catholics are spreading the Good News using new media.

  1. Send me your feedback on the blog at http://cc.ductapeguy.net by email at (catholicroundup@gmail.com) catholicroundup (at) gmail (dot) com or by calling 206-337-0611.

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