Passion Sunday

What is Passion Sunday?  
Prior to the 1970 Mass, often referred to as the Novus Ordo Missae, the liturgical year included Passion Sunday.  This was the day all the statues and holy images were veiled in purple.  The tradition is not prohibited today - but not nearly as widely practiced as it used to be.  The readings for Mass became more focused on the discord between Jesus and the Jews and upon the Passion of our Lord.

The Epistle:

Hebrews 9:11-15  Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

¹¹ But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation:

¹² Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption.

¹³ For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh:

¹⁴ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?

¹⁵ And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death, for the redemption of those transgressions, which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

 The Gospel:

John 8:46-59 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

⁴⁶ Which of you shall convince me of sin? If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me?

⁴⁷ He that is of God, heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God.

⁴⁸ The Jews therefore answered, and said to him: Do not we say well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

⁴⁹ Jesus answered: I have not a devil: but I honour my Father, and you have dishonoured me.

⁵⁰ But I seek not my own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

⁵¹ Amen, amen I say to you: If any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever.

⁵² The Jews therefore said: Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest: If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever.

⁵³ Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead. Whom dost thou make thyself?

⁵⁴ Jesus answered: If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifieth me, of whom you say that he is your God.

⁵⁵ And you have not known him, but I know him. And if I shall say that I know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know him, and do keep his word.

⁵⁶ Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day: he saw it, and was glad.

⁵⁷ The Jews therefore said to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.

⁵⁹ They took up stones therefore to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

In the Novus Ordo, or Ordinary Rite, Passion Sunday is combined with Palm Sunday.  In a way, this is a bit tragic, as Palm Sunday, though the start of Passion Week, is a day of celebration and praising the Messiah's entrance into Jerusalem.

As for me and my family, we adhere to the tradition of covering all statues and pictures of Jesus and the Saints on Passion Sunday - and they are removed after the First Mass of Easter Sunday (the removal of the veils is actually part of the Easter Vigil - which takes us into the First Mass of Easter).