Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!apple!usc!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mls@attunix.att.com (Mike Siemon) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: sunday vs. saturday -- the reckoning of days Message-ID: Date: 17 Nov 89 09:22:54 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 33 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , firth@sei.cmu.edu writes: > Before this thread goes too far, let me just say that the original > claim is flat wrong. In the Anglican Catholic church, the liturgical > day runs from midnight to midnight... > However, some days have what is called the privilege of first > evensong, ie the evening service of the eve is considered to > belong to the day. This is true of most Sundays and major feasts; I am perfectly willing to believe this to be a correct statement of canon law (I haven't checked, but will inquire.) However, my point is not a legal one, but historical. *Why* is this privelege given to Sundays and major feasts? My contention is that it's not simply an arbitary convention, nor some sort of odd concession to people's wanting to "rush" a feast (though it is notable that Mardi Gras is not dropped early to rush into Ash Wednesday :-)) but is a connection with Jewish practice -- as indeed are elements of the eucharistic service parallel to, and possibly taken from, synagogue practice. Recently, the Great Vigil sevice for Easter has become very popular, where earlier one found it mostly at cathedrals and (high-church) seminaries. Within the last few years, most of the seminarians at GTS in New York have commitments to Vigil services in the parishes they are associated with -- and GTS has been constrained to move up the time of its venerable Vigil to an indecently (to my taste :-)) early 8 p.m. -- Michael L. Siemon "I cannot grow; ...!cucard!dasys1!mls I have no shadow ...!att!sfbat!mls To run away from, standard disclaimer I only play"