MARIA STEIN — On Tuesday, Feb. 13, the Maria Stein Shrine hosted a pancake dinner followed by the ceremonial burying of the Alleluia. The Rev. John Tonkin, Shrine rector and pastor of St. Christopher Church in Vandalia, led the ceremony.
During the season of Lent the church does not use the word Alleluia – a joyful cry of praise to God. The omission of alleluia during Lent goes back at least to the fifth century in the western church. The association of alleluia with Easter led to the custom of intentionally omitting it from the liturgy during the season of Lent, a kind of verbal fast which has the effect of creating a sense of anticipation and even greater joy when the familiar word of praise returns.
“We do not use it at church. We do not use it at home. We let it rest, as it were, during Lent, so that when it reappears on Easter, we may hear it anew. In fact, once it returns on Easter, we give it no rest at all, repeating it again and again, in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. The custom of actually bidding it farewell developed in the Middle Ages in Babylon. Many churches embrace the practice of physically ‘burying’ the alleluia as a symbol of this solemn Lenten change,” said the press release.
The Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics provides faith nourishment and spiritual renewal through opportunities for prayer and pilgrimage and inspiration from the lives of the saints. People from around the world visit the shrine to explore and enjoy this environment rich in holiness and history.
The Shrine is located at 2291 St. John’s Road in Maria Stein. For more event information, visit www.mariasteinshrine.org.
