Tuesday 2 June 2009

Vale alleluia

I always find the return of the Alleluia at the Easter vigil a moving moment. Like the leaven removed during the Passover season, we expunge it from our liturgy, to have it return full and glorious at Easter.
But then, I have to say, I am only too glad to have it cut back to size at the end of Eastertide; I worked out that in today's office (EF), Tuesday in the octave of Pentecost, one says Alleluia 162 times!
Matins, 37; Lauds, 21; Prime, 13; Terce, 13; Sext, 15; None. 17; Vespers, 21 and Compline, 25.
If I had celebrated the EF Mass (which I didn't), I would have added on another 13 alleluias making 175 in all.
And yes, I'm aware that the pic shows a Christmas alleluia, not an Easter one.