March-April; fourth Sunday in Lent
It was the custom in 17th-century England for Christians to pay their respects on the fourth Sunday in Lent to the "Mother Church" where they had been baptized. Also known as Misers, or Mid-Lent, Sunday, this day usually included a visit to one's parents—to "go a-mothering," as it was called back then. It was common practice to bring a cake or trinket for the mother of the family. In England the favorite gift was the simnel cake, a saffron-flavored fruitcake topped with almond paste.
In the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion, the fourth Sunday in Lent is known as Laetare Sunday . The Introit of the Mass begins with the word "Rejoice" (laetare in Latin), marking a slight respite in the solemn Lenten season, hence the terms Mid-Lent Sunday and Refreshment Sunday . Priests may wear rose-colored vestments to mass, instead of the usual purple for Lent, so the day is also called Rose Sunday . Also on this day the pope blesses the Golden Rose, an ornament resembling a spray of roses, symbolizing spiritual joy.
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