Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Basilica Bewilderment Part II: a Clue




In yesterday's post I wondered aloud why the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica will take precedence this Sunday over the 32nd Sunday in ordinary time.   I'd noted that this was not a solemnity, but a feast.  All the relevant Church documents I checked only allowed for feasts of Our Lord (Transfiguration, Triumph of the Cross, etc.) to take the place of the regular Sunday liturgy.

Late last night, I checked the index of celebrations to find all the feasts of Our Lord, and guess what was listed under that category?

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica!!!

That's weird. How is that  feast of Our Lord?

Then, this morning I saw this from alert reader M.J. Chait:

"The Archbasilica was dedicated to "the most holy Savior" (Sanctissimi Salvatoris) by Pope Clement XII. By extension, therefore, the feast of its dedication is a feast of the Lord."


So there we are.  Thank you, M.J. Chait and also to Mike Demers who pondered along with me.