Bury the Alleluiah

"In medieval times they used to "bury the Alleluia" solemnly in the cathedral and in the abbey churches. This custom was nearly forgotten, but we came across it again on the happy day when we were privileged to celebrate Holy Mass in the creative and inspired parish of our friend, Monsignor Martin Hellriegel. There, in a solemn procession, the school children carried a wooden tablet on which was engraved the word "Alleluia" through the main aisle of the church over to the altar of the Blessed Mother where they put it at her feet and covered it with a purple cloth. There it would remain until Easter, when, in a triumphant tone of voice, the priest would intone, for the first time after forty days, a three-fold Alleluia."
source: Around the Year with the Trapp Family
H/T to By Sun and Candlelight


Remembering his days at seminary the priest (Father Lambro) said, "At the stroke of midnight (Ash Wednesday morning) the youngest men in the community would blow the shofar and everything just stopped and there was total silence."

Into the room walked two seminary students carrying the scroll with the word "Alleluia" on it that was presented to the monastery's abbot. "All of us gathered around him," said Father Lambro. "The abbot sang the 'Alleluia' for the last time and then he rolled up the scroll and placed it in a small coffin."

Everyone was then given a lighted candle, which was used at the Easter vigil at the lighting of the Easter fire, according to Father Lambro, who said that "we then all processed out to the monastic graveyard where the small coffin bearing the 'Alleluia' scroll was buried in a small grave that had been dug.

"We then extinguished our candles and walked back in the darkness to our rooms. Lent had officially begun," he said. source: Patterson, NJ Diocese website

Last year we started this tradition at our house. We literally bury the Alleluia. Our son made a symbolic "Alleluia" in wood and we use that as our symbolic icon. Ash Wednesday is in one week. Remember, that is the day to bury the Alleluia!