Sexagesima Sunday and being preserved from the chastisement

In previous articles on the season of Septuagesima (or “Gesimatide”), we considered the purpose of this pre-Lent period, as well as its meaning.>Several liturgical commentators suggest that Septuagesima (rather than Advent) marks the beginning of the new liturgical year.1 The liturgical texts mark a sharp contrast with the Sundays after Epiphany – turning from a sense of having entered into the eternal Kingdom of God, to being lost in the wilderness of sin. When this is set in light of the Church beginning to read the Book of Genesis at Matins, Septuagesima evokes the state of fallen man prior to the Redemption of Christ.

Originally published in The WM Review. Read original article