The Third Sunday of EasterorThird Sunday of Eastertide is the third Sunday of the Easter season, being the day that occurs two weeks after the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday. It is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday.[1]
In the traditionalRoman Rite of the Catholic Church, this day is officially the Second Sunday after Easter, also known as Misericordia Sunday and Good Shepherd Sunday. "Misericordia Sunday" is due to the incipit ("Misericórdia Dómini") of the introit assigned to this day's liturgy.[2] The full text of the introit in Latin is: "Misericórdia Dómini plena est terra, allelúia: verbo Dómini caeli firmáti sunt, allelúia, allelúia. Exsultáte, iusti, in Dómino: rectos decet collaudátio."[3] This introit is based on verses 5, 6, and 1 of Psalm 33. "Good Shepherd Sunday" is due to the Gospel reading assigned to it (John 10:11–16).
In the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal, this day was designated the "Third Sunday of Easter." The『Misericórdia Dómini』introit for this Sunday was swapped with that of the following Sunday,[4] and the "Good Shepherd" Gospel reading was likewise moved forward one week.
In the Lutheran Churches, the Second Sunday of Easter, according to The Lutheran Missal, is known as Good Shepherd Sunday and "gives us Jesus’ description of Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep."[1]
On some local liturgical calendars (such as that of the Capuchins and that of the Archdiocese of Seville), this Sunday was formerly known as the Feast of Our Lady, Mother of the Good Shepherd.[2] (The Archdiocese of Seville now celebrates this feast as a memorial on the following Saturday.[5])
Holweck, Frederick (1913). "Paschal Tide". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
