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Celebration Begins the Night Before

Question:

In "Shorter Christian Prayer," why do Sundays start with an evening prayer? When is that prayer prayed?

Answer:

Both the shorter Christian Prayer and the four-volume version begin Sundays and solemnities on the night before. The whole liturgical year begins with the Easter Vigil on the night before Easter Sunday. The reason to begin a celebration in such a way is to amplify its importance.

So we begin celebrating Sunday with Evening Prayer the night before—or, as we have called it for centuries, First Vespers.

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