Quinquagesima

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Quinquagesima
Illustration of Jesus healing the blind near Jericho for Quinquagesima
Liturgical color	Violet
Significance	Preparation for Lent
Date	Last Sunday before Ash Wednesday (49 calendar days before Easter Sunday)
2023 date	February 19
2024 date	February 11
2025 date	March 2
2026 date	February 15
Related to	Pre-Lent, Shrovetide

Quinquagesima (/ˌkwɪŋkwəˈdʒɛsɪmə/), in the Western Christian Churches, is the last pre-Lenten Sunday, being the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, and the first day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide). It is also called Quinquagesima Sunday, Quinquagesimae, Estomihi, Shrove Sunday, Pork Sunday, or the Sunday next before Lent.^[1]

Being the Lord's Day before the start of the Lenten season, it is known for meat consumption as people feast before starting their fast on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.^[1] Historically Lutheran countries such as Denmark mark Quinquagesima Sunday as the peak of the Fastelavn.^[1] After attending the Divine Service on Shrove Sunday, congregants enjoy Shrovetide buns (fastelavnsboller).^[1] Children often dress up and collect money from people while singing.^[1] Christians in these nations carry Shrovetide rods (fastelavnsris), which "branches decorated with sweets, little presents, etc., that are used to decorate the home or give to children."^[1]

In the Revised Common Lectionary the Sunday before Lent is designated "Transfiguration Sunday", and the gospel reading is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus from Matthew, Mark, or Luke. Some churches whose lectionaries derive from the RCL, e.g. the Church of England, use these readings but do not designate the Sunday "Transfiguration Sunday".