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Alright, let’s dig into Laetare Sunday. It’s kind of like the Advent counterpart, Gaudete Sunday, but it happens during Lent. In 2025, Laetare Sunday will fall on March 30th. The name comes from the Latin word Laetare, meaning “rejoice”, and it’s taken from the opening words of the traditional introit for the Mass on that day: “Laetare Jerusalem” (“Rejoice, O Jerusalem” from Isaiah 66:10). Lent is typically a pretty serious time. It’s all about penance, fasting, and preparing for Easter. But Laetare Sunday is like a little oasis of joy in the middle of the desert. It’s a day to take a breather, to step back from the intensity of Lent, and to remember that Easter—the ultimate celebration—is coming. That’s why the priest wears rose (pink) vestments, and sometimes the decorations lighten up a bit. Rose is a color of joy, sitting between the penitent purple of Lent and the pure white of Easter. Historically, it was also a time when fasting rules were relaxed, and people might enjoy a bit of a feast. In Rome, Laetare Sunday was known as “Refreshment Sunday”. It’s also called “Mothering Sunday” in some traditions, where folks would visit their “mother church” or even give gifts to their own mothers. The rose-colored vestments and a more joyful tone in the liturgy all point to this sense of refreshment and hope—a reminder that the joy of Easter is not too far off.