Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
As a liturgical living enthusiast since college (there are no experts), I feel like part of my vocation is to help my family and yours remember that Easter is more important than any other feast and to find little ways for us to live out what the Catechism calls the "Solemnity of Solemnities," not only through the Octave but the entire 50 day season.
In my last post on celebrating Easter Day at Home I mentioned our traditions of decorating; feasting; festive music; using bells, Alleluias, the Paschal Greeting as much as possible; and related prayerful devotions. And these can all be done throughout the Octave and the whole liturgical season as well. But, I also promised to share some more ideas to keep the solemnity of Paschaltide day to day. So if you've been scratching your head as to how your family will keep this 50 day party of a season going, I'm here for you, sister! We'll look at our family traditions for the days within the Octave then those devotions that can carry us through the remainder of the season.
If you've never heard the liturgical term "Octave," it is just a lengthening of a feast's celebration through 8 days total. Many feast days used to have them, but only Christmas and Easter do now. Additionally, Easter's octave is the last specially privileged octave on the new calendar. This means that all 8 days of the octave are solemnities instead of just feasts or memorials.
Wet Monday or Dyngus Day
In Poland there is a medieval tradition going back to at least the 13th century called Smigus Dyngus, Wet Monday in Polish. Some historians think it began in relation to the unification of Poland as a Christian nation in the 10th century when the the Mieszko I, the Duke of Polans, was baptized. And possibly baptizing an originally pagan tradition. It became a country-wide day for water games and trying to drench your neighbor.
Though our family is unfortunately not Polish, as soon an my boys found out about this custom years ago they adopted it as our Easter Monday tradition, along with pie breakfast. Because what little boys don’t love water balloons, a slip n slide, or a water gun war? And my medievalist heart had to oblige. At times Dyngus Day, the shortened the Polish-Americans name, involved an early morning wake up call with a bucket of water, but we keep all our festivities outside unless it is cold that day. Then we opt for a warm bubble bath as our commemoration instead of bump our festivities for a day. Because Easter is the biggest day for baptisms we look at it as a cousin to the Eastern European tradition to taking a frigid polar bear swim in January for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord.
Pie Breakfast, Etc...
I'm not sure if any other family does this, but during the Easter Octave we have our leftover Easter pie for breakfast as many days as it lasts. The number of days changes from year to year with the size of the slices and number of family members, but it is a fun treat that we save strictly for the Easter Octave. We're not huge candy eaters, however having a piece of candy with breakfast or another form of dessert leftovers could be a simple substitute.
Throughout the year as a general rule, we save desserts for solemnities and some Sunday Suppers. We're not striving for a habit of gluttony and lack of self control here, but for a once a year grand celebration. Similarly, to this goal, a few weeks into the season we make a dessert, usually cookies, and let the kids have them before supper. This is something the kids never get to do, so it may happen twice during Paschaltide just as a reminder that it is indeed still Easter. And it makes a HUGE impression, kids don't forget things like having dessert before the meal!
Easter Friday = Meat Friday
Because all the days of a the Easter Octave are solemnities, the Friday of Easter is a Meat Friday. Under the most recent Canon Law, only a Solemnity can cancel out Catholics' required Friday penance. And that makes Easter Friday one of two guaranteed Meat Fridays each year. The other sure Meat Friday every year is the moveable, but always Friday, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Abstaining from meat is the recommended penance in Canon 1251, however another sacrifice may be substituted. During the year we go meatless on Fridays as me meal planning is *usually* the surest way to be certain that our Family gets our Friday penance done. Sometimes we're scraping the bottom of the barrel or I haven't planned as well as I should and a Friday meat meal happens. {hides face behind hands}. In these situations, if it's one meal we say an penitential prayer like St. Clare's Litany of 5 Wounds or the 7 Sorrows Rosary. If it's the whole day we typically substitute that Saturday as the week's day of abstinence. But back to Easter Friday...
Being universally allowed to have meat (or your usual Friday penance lifted) on Easter Friday is a relatively new thing! It did not come into existence until the Johanno-Pauline Code of Canon Law was put into effect in 1983. So, in our family, that means that come hell or high water, meat will be on the menu that day. Now what form may vary. I prefer a cast iron, spice encrusted steak made outside by my husband on a Coleman camping stove... But that's not always in the budget. Whatever we do end up rustling up, we talk it up with the kids and make sure they know what's up - that it's a big honkin' deal!
The Sunday Formerly Known as Quasimodo
The Second Sunday of Easter has many common names. Low Sunday, Thomas Sunday as taken from the Gospel reading where Thomas doubts Christ's resurrection, White Sunday to signify the white garments of those recently baptized. The newest edition to this Sunday's litany of titles is Divine Mercy Sunday, established by Pope St. John Paul II in 2000.
On this day the Church has given us the beautiful opportunity of a Plenary Indulgence, an occasion to remit the temporal punishment of our already forgiven sins with the right heart and a pious act. To obtain this Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions, we need only participate in the prayers and devotions held in honor of the Divine Mercy or while before the Blessed Sacrament, exposed in a monstrance or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the our Father, and the Creed adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus like: "Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!" The first option can still be done while in quarantine and the usual conditions of receiving a Plenary Indulgence are to be:
• In a state of grace (not excommunicated)
• Detached from all sin (have a hatred for even habitual sin)
• Go to confession 20 days before or after (now when available again)
• Receive Communion 20 days before or after (now when available again)
• Pray for the Pope’s intentions (usually an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be)
This indulgence may be applied to yourself or the Poor Souls in Purgatory.
Traditionally this day is also known as Quasimodo Sunday. The name is derived from the introit (Mass entrance antiphon) for this Sunday that begins, “Quasi modo geniti infantes...” or in its English entirety, “As newborn babes, alleluia, long for pure spiritual milk, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice in honor of God our helper; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.” Taken from 1 Peter 2:2, the introit recalls the new members of the Church from Easter. eThe protagonist of Victor Hugo’s novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, also bears the name of Quasimodo because he was found on this Sunday.
Paschaltide Observances for the Day to Day
Alleluias, Bells, and the Paschal Greeting
Like I shared about in our Easter day post, our family vocabulary changes to reflect the Easter season. Alleluias or G. F. Handel's "Hallelujah" chorus punctuate almost all sentences accidentally mirroring its addition to the end of all the Liturgy of the Hour's antiphons and responses, and almost all the versicles.
The Paschal Greeting of "Christ is risen" likewise becomes everything from the phrase "good morning" to "good night." Also if the required response of "The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!" is not said in reply fast enough, the little kids get their feelings hurt for half a second.
The Paschal Greeting becomes the preamble leading up to our grace before meals as well. One parent says the salutation: "Christ is risen!" The everyone else chimes in with the reply "The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!" ringing their bells during the "Alleluia!"
Individual bells turn into a mealtime fixture for us during the Easter season. As I said before, we have an elementary music bell choir set from a few Christmases back. And these same bells that the children get to put at their bedside for Easter Eve are what we use at Easter meals. Because each bell is a different note of a scale they are all a different color so they can be told apart from one another. This has worked out so well as each child can have their own color for the duration of the season without fights or misunderstandings over someone having a sibling's bell.
Ringing the Regina Caeli
After our mealtime Paschal Greeting we ring the Regina Caeli in the same way we would the Angelus during the remainder of the year. The Regina Caeli is a seasonal Marian antiphon, the sung closing of the Divine Office of Compline. Compline is the last occasion of group prayer in a monastery or convent. In the 6th century, the Regina Caeli was given to St. Gregory by the singing of angles in a vision, during the a barefoot procession through Rome to end the plague.
There are four seasonal Marian antiphons but the Regina Caeli is the only one that ever replaces the Angelus. Ringing the Regina Caeli is very similar to ringing the Angelus with a ding before every versicle (V.) and then 9 dings during the closing prayer that begins with, "Let us pray," or "Oremus," in the Latin.
Regina Caeli
V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
or
Regina caeli
V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia. V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.
Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
This is the chant version we use:
Using this same recording, during Paschaltide we also sing and listen to the Regina Caeli as the last part of our children's bedtime routine. If you'd like to learn more about adding this monastic practice to you home, see our post on living liturgically with Marian antiphons here.
When in Doubt Add Fire
The lighting of our Family Paschal candle is another mealtime inclusion for the Easter season. Children are so fascinated with fire and having a Family Paschal candle is a beautiful way to make the Light of Christ given at the Easter Vigil more tangible to them. Fire is also a great motivator. The child with the best manners is chosen to blow it out at the end of the meal. You can make your own Family Paschal candle with 3 things you probably already have at home and our Super Simple 3 Step Guide here.
No Good Deed Jelly Beans Here...
Since it is assumed by many that this is something we do, I'll just briefly touch on our philosophy to make our family's position more clear...
Though it’s by no means new, in the last couple years the practice of sacrifice beans turning into good deed jelly beans has gained popularity. Our concern here is not the sacrifice beans portion, we give alms and pull out thorns from Christ’s crown to mark our penances too. Rather, the addition of seeking compensation or reward for our works after a habit of penance has been nurtured dung Lent has us questioning the idea. Presently just like the coins of their alms are multiplied into dollars on Easter Day, our children's joy from giving is multiplied by getting to choose the food their alms buy for our cloistered discalsed Carmelites. The kiddos feel good about what they have done because of the act's nature as a corporal work of mercy. Meanwhile, the jelly beans seem like a contrived system acting as a placeholder when meanwhile better pay it forward options are out there that keep the momentum and joy of giving going.
Young children are smart and the character they form as a child will be carried into adulthood. Further we don’t want them to start the habit of seeking out an earthly incentive for their sacrifices instead of storing up their treasure in heaven. This corresponds directly to when they are adults, we want them to serve God out of love and not out of fear and the expectation of his favor and blessings. That is the prosperity gospel and it is not in line with the Catholic belief that the followers of Christ are called to emulate Him in all things, even suffering.
By the same token we want our children to have an accurate understanding of penance and the economy of grace. The primary purpose of our penance and sacrifices is reparation to God for our sins. The secondary effect is our growth in virtue and strength against temptation in the future. Our hope is that our children end up seeing that as reward enough in and of itself. That like St. Zelie Martin reminds us, our greatest earthly prize is, "another pearl in our heavenly crown."
Not having a ginormous dental bill after 50 days of perpetual candy consumption is also a much appreciated bonus. Maybe our way of doing this is just not as well known and therefore not the common thing to do yet? These are merely our thoughts on the matter. Feel free to disagree or enlighten me in the comments. I've got a thick hide so you won't hurt my feelings.
Music Helps Make the Mood
It wouldn't be a stretch to say most of us know almost a hundred Christmas carols or popular holiday songs, but how many Easter hymns do we have written on heart and the hearts of our children? Each week we are taking on one Easter hymn to sing a couple times a day. After a week you will have at least the first verse down. And each subsequent year can be both a review and chance to add new Easter hymns. Some favorites we will be singing are:
O Filii et Filiae
Jesus Christ is Risen Today
He is Risen. He is Risen.
The Strife is O'er
The Donut Man also has a few Easter Bible Songs that my children love and a Resurrection Celebration episode all for free.
The Resurrection Celebration
Celebrate Jesus
Run Peter Run
God's Not Dead
All the prayers below can also be incorporated as a sound track for work or play during the day.
Paschaltide Prayers that Pack a Punch
In addition to the Regina Caeli above and the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, there are there are five prayers that are characteristic of the Easter Season. One or all may be added during the day or even memorized by the end of Paschaltide. They are:
- The Exultet - perhaps the most gorgeous of all prayers, this hallmark of the Easter Vigil can be prayed or listened to in English or Latin again and again throughout the whole season.
- The Gloria - after being absent from the Sacrifice of the Mass and the daily office. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here.
- The Te Deum - in the same way as the Gloria, the Te Deum is also added as a daily prayer. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here.
- The Vidit Aquam - throughout Paschaltide the Vidi Aquam replaces the Asperges at the beginning of traditional Masses during the blessing of the congregation with holy water. You can pray it here or listen to one of the many musical settings here.
- The Litany of the Resurrection - This litany was penned by St. John Henry Newman, our 4th living son's namesake. Our family loves litanies as they allow for even the youngest of children that can't read to still participate by joining in on the repeated responses. You can pray this litany here.
Bring Back the Major Rogation
If you've gotten this far into this novel, bless your heart! We've only one more suggestion to go....
The Rogation Days were days of penance and fasting in reparation for sin, for protection from natural disasters, plague, and famine, as well as to pray for a fruitful harvest. Major Rogation is on April 24th, St. Mark's feast, which typically falls in Paschaltide. Similar to the story of St Gregory the Great and the Regina Caeli above these Rogation Days were commemorated with processions with the praying of the Great Litany and penitential psalms around the churches and parishioners' property lines. This act was called "beating the bounds." The whole order of the procession can be read in the Roman Ritual here.
Like the seasonal Ember Days, the scheduling of these days were left up to the bishops in 1966. But given the current state of things in the world, it would probably behove us to bring them back in our own homes.
Happy Easter, Y'all!
Genie