Being Ash Wednesday, it seemed like a good opportunity to feature one of the unique traditions of the Lyonese rite (ritus Lugdunensis), the so-called "ashen" vestments used in the same for the ferial days of the Lenten season, from Ash Wednesday up until Holy Thursday.
While many of us understandably think of Lent almost exclusively in terms of violet as the liturgical colour of the time, this particular custom is one which is a pertinent reminder of the rich diversity of the historical liturgical traditions of the Latin rite.
The following photos come from the FSSP parish in Lyon, showing such vestments.
Incidentally, the form of the cross shown on the back of this chasuble is one that is also associated to Lyon.
While we are on this subject, traditionally Lyonese altar frontals during the Lenten period were made of white wool with a violet cross in the centre. One interesting exception to this is that, on Laetare Sunday (one of the rose Sundays), in the primatial cathedral of St. Jean and other 'large churches', the antependium was actually green in colour.
