Yes, it is STILL Christmastide! The Season of Christmas lasts until Candlemas - which is February 2nd. This is the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord and is also the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (not that she needed purification - but she needed to fulfill the law). It is 40 days after the birth of our Lord.
So. let me get it in at least one more time this season:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Something else is observed on this day... it has to do with a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil. The Pennsylvania Dutch legend has it - if Phil sees his shadow there will be 6 more weeks of Winter; if he does not see his shadow - it will be an early Spring (weather-wise).
Christmastide ends with Candlemas, February 2nd - but the whole season of Epiphany is, in essence, part of Christmastide too. The traditional practice of the Rosary is to pray the Glorious Mysteries on Sundays, except during Advent AND from Epiphany until Lent begins and for those Sundays we pray the Joyful Mysteries.
ReplyDeleteThis is not any sort of "law," but is the tradition. Certainly one can pray any of the Mysteries on any given Sunday if they feel compelled to do so.
If you get to Mass a bit early and they are praying the Rosary, most likely during the Sundays which follow Epiphany and until the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, you will be praying the Joyful Mysteries with the congregation. During Lent, the Sorrowful Mysteries are meditated upon throughout the week, including Sundays.