02-22-2023, 08:14 AM
Ash Wednesday: Antiphona - Immutemur habitu in cinere
Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration. The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him. Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus on Christ’s life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.
For fifteenth-century Christians, frequent meditation was necessary to condition and re-form the soul.In general, the goal of contemplation was to bring peace to the soul and direct it towards salvation. Devotional aids provided material for reconstructing one’s soul for the purpose of attaining Heaven instead of damnation.
This chant was performed by Chœur Saint-Michel
Chant text in Latin:
Immutemur habitu, in cinere et cilicio,
ieiunemus, et ploremus ante Dominum,
quia multum misericors est dimittere peccata nostra Deus noster.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre