Fr. Z's Blog | Formerly entitled: "What Does The Prayer Really Say?" – Clear, straight commentary on Catholic issues, liturgy and life by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf o{]:¬)

Good Friday 3 April AD 33? – Eclipses as Christ died on the Cross

Posted on 29 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

This is definitely worth reposting.

The fellow who made the video about the Star of Bethlehem (a compelling argument, I might add), also did some research about what happened in the heavens on Good Friday.

Let’s break it down.

Passover begins on the 14th day of the Jewish lunar month of Nisan. Moreover, Passover begins at twilight, dividing 14 Nisan and 15 Nissan. The Gospels say the Lord was crucified on Preparation Day, a Friday. 14 Nisan 14 fell on a Friday Preparation Day, twice: 7 April AD 30 and 3 April AD 33. Daniel in 444 BC prophesied (Daniel 9:21–26) that the Anointed one would be cut off in 476 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem: AD 33.

The Bible records that, at the time of the crucifixion and death of the Lord, there were signs, including a “blood moon” or lunar eclipse.

Only one Passover lunar eclipse was visible from Jerusalem while Pilate was in office. It occurred on 3 April 33.

On 3 April the Moon rose already in eclipse. It rose the color of blood. That means that the eclipse began before it rose, in the constellation of the Virgin (at the time of Christ’s birth there was a New Moon, in the constellation of the Virgin).

The eclipse started at 3 pm when Christ was breathing His last.

But remember that a lunar eclipse is a syzygy!

If there is an eclipse in one direction there is an eclipse in the other direction too.

If you were standing on the Moon during that syzygy of 3 April 33, you would see a total eclipse of the Sun.

The blotted Sun would be in the heart of the constellation of the Ram (cf. “the Lamb who was slain”).

You can try this out for yourselves. Go to the online astronomy aid Starry Night. HERE

Move your location to Jerusalem and then plug in the time of about 7 pm and date 3 April 33 and adjust your view to ESE. You will see the Moon has just risen and there is a label for your Earth’s shadow. The Moon had risen at about 6:30 pm in the totality of the eclipse. HERE

Click

With the daylight turned off, and the horizon removed, and then looking at an angle down through the Earth below the horizon, at 3 pm, you see the Moon and Earth’s shadow converging in Virgo.

Then you can switch to the view from the Moon!

You must adjust your view a little and turn yourself right with a few clicks. But you will find it. In the screenshot, below, you can see where Earth and Sun are in Aries. Since the Earth would be larger in the Moon’s sky than in this screenshot, the Sun would be in total eclipse. Adjust for UTC + 3 hours to the right time in Jerusalem from 1500 to 1800. HERE

Click

In reading around the question a little more, I find that, using different date calculators, there are some problems of the day of the week. Also, there are arguments for dating the Crucifixion to 1 April 33. If that is the case, then the phenomena described above occur on Easter Sunday. Much hinges on which calendar the Lord and His disciples were using for their own Passover meal, if the last Supper was a Passover meal (Joseph Ratzinger argued that it was a related sacrificial meal but not a seder.)

[Subsequently, I’ve found more and convincing arguments about calendar debate. This debate revolves around a seeming contradiction between John and the synoptics. Some say that Christ anticipated a meal so that He would die at the same time as the paschal lambs. That is attractive. But it is also not true. His Last Supper was indeed the supper of the Passover, with the paschal lamb. The argument hinges on the fact that it was not only Passover time (and all the days that followed were also called “Passover”, as we say “Happy Easter” for days after Easter), it was going to be the sabbath, and so, in the time of Passover, was the “day of Preparation of the Passover” was really preparation for SABBATH that fell in that Passover “umbra”, if you will permit the pun.]

Definitive? Not quite. But it is not to be discounted that God, from all Eternity knowing exactly what would happen, set the heaven’s in motion in so precise a way that its signs would help us to understand the mysteries taking place, which were in other ways foreshadowed. In the sacraments (a term interchangeable with “mystery” in many contexts), visible signs help us to understand that insensible graces and transformations are taking place. If in the signs of the sacraments, why not too signs in the heavens?

Posted in Classic Posts, Just Too Cool, Linking Back, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Look! Up in the sky! |
7 Comments

CRISIS: Trad “recovery” conference!

Posted on 29 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

All eyes are turning to S. Montana – a beautiful area to be sure – where tens of people might attend a special conference for those recovering from being traditional. The Trad Recovery conference is for people who had bad experiences and therefore need some… I dunno… bucking up and a place to vent. There is on the slate at least one kooky speaker. The others I haven’t heard of. I’m sure they are nice.

At Crisis Dr. Janet Smith reposts with another conference proposal: for people disillusioned by the Church since the 1960s.

Of course such a conference would, as she observes, need a large sports stadium (or two) instead of a miniscule church in the middle of nowhere although a beautiful area to be sure.

Dr. Smith’s piece is funny. She really takes the mickey out of the other thing. She lists here own topics and break out sessions for those hurt by the modernist Church.

UPDATE:

As I think about this… only because comments prompt me, otherwise it is sort of forgettable… wouldn’t it be great if several hundred “glad-trads” signed up and attended? Just to add some cordial balance to the proceedings?

UPDATE:

From college students…

Posted in Lighter fare, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged Janet Smith
18 Comments

ROME 24/3– Day 8: Holy Thursday

Posted on 28 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Rome expected the sun to rise. This won’t always be the case. However, it did today at 05:57. Similar expectations await its setting at 19:34.

The cycle of the Ave Maria bell changes today to 19:00. It hops by quarter hours. However, sadly, no Ave Maria bell will sound where it is supposed to sound. It does at The Parish™.

The Roman Station for the Chrism Mass and for the Mass of the Last Supper is St John Lateran. But, that’s not gonna happen, is it. As I write this, the Chrism Mass is going on in San Pietro. I tuned in for a moment. The camera panned over the concelebrating priests in their infinite variety of street clothes sticking out over their chasubles and velcro closure albs with myriad meaningful stoles. The Mass vestments for the upper crust are 70’s Pedestrian Modern. Think big, random chunks of colored glass in church windows, only without a lot of color. They say: Nothing special here. I understand that Francis read a sermon of over 2000 words.

That said, here is what the Ave Regina caelorum sounded like at the end of Palm Sunday’s Mass.

Last night before Tenebrae began, we had a good attendance, which increased as it went on.

Getting read for the Mandatum on Thursday evening in the sacristy. Members of the Archconfraternity will have their feet washed. There is a custom of drawing a coin from a bag. The one who draws the different coin is cheerfully designated as “Judas” for the coming year.

The altar of repose reposes, awaiting its duties after the Mass of the Last Supper.

Something I saw on the way to lunch with priests for Holy Thursday.

Across the way is this madonella with St. Cajetan, founder of the Theatines. The once mighty Theatines are now, alas, no longer heavy on the earth.

The magnificent lantern of Sant’Ivo.

Please remember me when shopping online and use my affiliate links. US HERE – UK HERE WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.

Meanwhile, white to move and mate in 2. C’mon. Everyone can get this one.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com.

In chessy news, there is a tournament going on in Karlsruhe, Germany, the GRENKE Classic, which has been on hold for several years. Richard Rapport is atop the standingswith a 1-point lead over Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren and Vincent Keymer. Yesterday Ding held with black against Magnus.

This is fun. On chess.com’s “Bullet Brawl” 10-year-old FM Faustino Oro beat Magnus Carlsen. This prompted waggish Anish Giri to tweet: “What’s all the hype, Carlsen would still probably beat him in a long classical chess match, especially if it’s 14 or 16 games.”

3:16 isn’t just in John.

UPDATE:

For lunch I was out to a nice place to eat with several priests, which itself was the main pleasure. Had we gone to stand around and eat slices of pizza, that would have been enough. It is such a pleasure to share their company.

I made lamb choices, due to the day.

Tagliolini with a ragu of lamb.

Then, more lamb with roasted potatoes.

Very nice.

Apartment flowers.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
2 Comments

WDTPRS – Spy Wednesday: The final prayers

Posted on 27 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The term “Spy” Wednesday is probably an allusion to Christ’s betrayal by Judas.

In the ancient Roman Church at the time of St. Pope Leo I, “the Great” (+461), there was no Mass during the day. Instead, many of the feria days were without Mass. There would be gatherings at “station” churches, however, where there would be vigils with preaching. We have sermons of Leo the Great preached on several of these Wednesdays of the 6th Week, the day before the Triduum. Mass would be offered at St. Mary Major in the evening, as if to entrust all that had been brought from Lent as well as everything upcoming to the Mother of God for its perfection.

This prayer was the Collect for this same day in the 1962 Missale Romanum. It was also in the ancient Gregorian Sacramentary in both the Hadrianum and Paduense manuscripts.

This is the final Collect before the Triduum. It serves as a summation and a starting point.

COLLECT

Deus, qui pro nobis Filium tuum crucis patibulum subire voluisti, ut inimici a nobis expelleres potestatem, concede nobis famulis tuis, ut resurrectionis gratiam consequamur.

This is an austere prayer, a razor, cutting to the heart of the matter.

The impressive and informative Lewis & Short Dictionary informs us that patibulum (deriving from pateo, “to open, stretch out, extend”) is “a fork-shaped yoke, placed on the necks of criminals, and to which their hands were tied; also, a fork-shaped gibbet”. In turn, English “gibbet” means “an upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of executed criminals as a warning”.

The patibulum is “the stretcher”, and not in the carrying sense.

The verb subeo in its basic meaning is “to come or go under any thing” and by logical extension “to subject one’s self to, take upon one’s self an evil; to undergo, submit to, sustain, endure, suffer”. The L&S explains that “The figure taken from stooping under a load, under blows, etc.)” There are other shades of meaning, including “to come on secretly, to advance or approach stealthily, to steal upon, steal into”. Keep this one in mind.

Consequor is interesting. It signifies “to follow, follow up, press upon, go after, attend, accompany, pursue any person or thing” and then it extends to concepts like “to follow a model, copy, an authority, example, opinion, etc.; to imitate, adopt, obey, etc.” and “to reach, overtake, obtain”. Going beyond even these definitions, there is this: “to become like or equal to a person or thing in any property or quality, to attain, come up to, to equal (cf. adsequor).” I know, I know – mentio non fit expositio. Still it is helpful to make connections in the words, which often have subtle overlaps.

Remember that meaning of subeo, above? There are shades of “pursuit” and “imitation” in the prayer’s vocabulary.

Finally, a gratia is a “favor” or “reward”, but we Christians hear in it God’s freely given gift to us which we don’t on our own merits deserve.

WDTPRS LITERAL TRANSLATION:

O God, who desired Your Son to undergo on our behalf the yoke of the Cross so that You might drive away from us the power of the enemy, grant to us Your servants, that we may attain the grace of the resurrection.

CURRENT ICEL:

O God, who willed your Son to submit for our sake
to the yoke of the Cross,
so that you might drive from us the power of the enemy,
grant us, your servants, to attain the grace of the resurrection.

By our sins we are in the clutches of the enemy, who mercilessly attacks us.

Christ freed us from dire consequences of slavery to sin by His Passion.

The ancient Romans forced their conquered foes pass under a yoke (iugum), to show that they were now subjugated.

Their juridical status changed by that “going under”.

Christ went under the Cross in its carrying and then underwent the Cross in its hideous torments.

In his liberating act of salvation, we passed from the servitude of the enemy to the service of the Lord, not as slaves, but as members of a family.

We are not merely household servants (famuli), we are accorded the status of children of the master of the house, able to inherit what He already has.

So, there’s that Collect.

However, at the end of the ferial Masses during Lent and Passiontide we have also had a final final Collect in the guise of the Oratio super populum, the Prayer over the People. This is the last oration of the Mass before the Triduum begins. It lines up well with the Collect we looked at, above.

Réspice, quaésumus, Dómine, super hanc famíliam tuam, pro qua Dóminus noster Iesus Christus non dubitávit mánibus tradi nocéntium, et Crucis subíre torméntum:

Even more than the 2nd Collect from the Spy Wednesday Mass, above, this oration serves as a summing up of all of Passiontide as well as the stepping off point for the whole of the Triduum. This oration will be repeated throughout the Triduum at the end of Tenebrae and in other moments such as in the much abbreviated, austere prayers at table for meals during the Triduum.

You already have the vocabulary notes for subeo, above.

Bl. Ildefonso Schuster writes of this terse prayer…

The Blessing over the people is so beautiful that the Church uses this collect during the three following days at the conclusion of each hour of the divine office: “Look down, we beseech thee, upon this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ hesitated not to be delivered up into the hands of wicked men and to undergo the torment of the cross.” There is no better way of moving our heavenly Father to pity for us than by reminding him of the Passion of his only-begotten Son, and more especially of the immense love with which he loved us.

Posted in ADVENT, LENT |
2 Comments

ROME 24/3– Day 7: Oooops!

Posted on 27 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Sunrise: 05:59. Sunset: 19:33.

Ave Maria… still 18:45. The 15 minute shift is coming up.

The Roman Station is Santa Maria Maggiore.

Welcome registrant:
Michael Joseph

Last night, the full Moon over the Campo de’ Fiori. This is the full Moon after the Vernal Equinox.

A midday meal. Bread, butter, anchovies.

Last night ossobuco at humble but reliably good place which hasn’t ever disappointed except when they are closed and I want to go there.

The altar of repose is ready.

Mass was celebrated for my monthly benefactors for whom I am so grateful. I ask your prayers as well.

There are slots available for the TLM pilgrimage in September if God wills (and few more sign ups).

Meanwhile, black to move and mate in 4.

1… Ng4+ 2. fxg4 Rf8+ 3. Ke3 Qf4+ 4. Kd3 Qd4#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com.

In chessy news, there is a tournament going on in Karlsruhe, Germany, the GRENKE Classic, which has been on hold for several years. It’s a double round-robin, with two rounds per day. Games are “fast-classical” time control, 45 minutes with a 10-second increment. Yesterday, Magnus blundered against Richard Rapport, who then drew with Ding Liren. Rapport is on top so far.

The oooops.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
3 Comments

ROME 24/3– Day 6: Quiet Day

Posted on 26 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today sunrise was at 6:01. Sunset will occur at 19:32. Ave Maria 18:45 for a few more days.

The Roman Station is Santa Prisca on the Aventine Hill. Today in the Vetus Ordo we read the Passion according to Mark.

I’ve had a rather quiet day. I’ve been mostly at home, writing something for my weekly contribution at One Peter Five. Better to do it now than in the midst of the busy Triduum. Also, my right knee is killing me. This often happens in my first few days in Rome. So, supper with friend tonight at a nearby solid place.

IVY REPORT: A couple days back I posted a shot of the ivy on the wall of the (pretty good) restaurant on the P.za della Quercia. It’s coming in.

Not ivy at all, here’s a delightful little 1963 Fiat 500 Giannini. The 1962 Missal was in force and things hadn’t gone totally nuts yet, but they were getting there.

Yesterday at the parish new members were inducted into the Archconfraternity of the Most Holy Trinity and the Pilgrims, including this time the first priest member in who know how many years who isn’t a member ex officio. In the sacristy of the parish there are four large paintings showing the activities of the members, especially with St. Philip Neri the founder. In this detail you see well the habit of the archconfraternity for lay members (right) and priests (left) which is a portrait of St. Joseph Calasanz, Universal Patron of all Christian popular schools in the world.

Membership in the Archconfraternity is open to practicing Catholics, lay men and women, who are 18 years old, and in communion with the Roman Church. Residency in Rome is not required. Sponsorship by a current member is required. Members enjoy also the indulgences granted to the Archconfraternity. Requests for aggregation of a confraternity can be sent to the “mothership”. Drop me a line. NB: This is for already existing confraternities dedicated to the Trinity, the Blessed Sacrament, and works of mercy, not for individual membership. That’s another thing.

Next…

“I know I can! I know I can!”. On the way to the market for set up.

Thanks to readers, I have flowers. A special shout to long-time reader Zephyrinus.

Meanwhile, black to move and mate in 3. Not all that hard. However, for bonus points, name the winning technique.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com.

In chessy news, Magnus said in a podcast that he thinks that either Fabiano Caruana or Hikaru Nakamura will win the upcoming Candidates tournament to challenge reigning Ding Liren for the title of World Champion. Magnus is not playing. He also said, “I don’t particularly hope for anybody. I feel like anybody who is going to be classical world champion who is not me, is always going to be a bit weird.”

Sure will be.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
4 Comments

ROME 24/3– Day 5: Getting stoffa

Posted on 25 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Today sunrise, with crystal clear skies and low temp of 42F, was at 6:02. Sunset will come at 18:30, 15 minutes before the Ave Maria Bell should ring to signal the end of the day’s business.

It is Monday in Holy Week. The Feast of the Annunciation is postponed to after the Easter Octave. It is the Feast of St. Dismas the Good Thief. As I write the clouds have moved in and it is 60F.

Today The World’s Best Sacristan™ and I marched over, first, to the Campo de’ Fiori. I had promised my fruttarola – vegetable vendor – a palm from the Sunday procession. I brought one of the small woven decorative crosses. She was, of course, quite pleased. I was also pleased to see that there were FAVE! I was on a mission from God, so I couldn’t get any at the moment. Tomorrow. She’s been there at that stand for over 60 years. Hard times. Good times. Weather in. Weather out.

Through the little passage way to the Largo del Pallaro.

I understand that the old proprietor of the Pallaro restaurant passed away. I think some American seminarians went there. They almost always tended to focus on the wrong places because other seminarians had gone there. I digress. The food wasn’t great, rather basic, but he was devout. R.I.P.

Palazzo Massimo, where St. Philip Neri raised the son of the Principe from the death.

Largo Argentina. Yes, there are still cats, including the tail-less black critter limping along in the foreground.

At Gammarelli, TWGS™ and I looked into the fabric for a possible set of black vestments for the parish.

Last year, a few of you incredible, dear readers, stepped up and got 7 sets of matching red Roman sets for the priests who would come and say their daily Masses. HERE

There were quite a few people who pledged donations for the red, but their pledges weren’t needed right away.

At the time I mentioned that there would be a couple more projects. The parish is also in need of BLACK VESTMENTS. In fact, in the mornings, quite a few priests need to use black, because they – as earthly life goes on for us and not for others – have Requiem Masses to say. The parish’s black vestments are also in disarray.

Whaddya say? Ready for another round? SEE UPDATE BELOW

Don’t send money yet. This is pledge time. Directions will follow.

Here’s the stoffa, the fabric.

UPDATE:

I have enough pledges already! If something comes up, I’ll open it up again. THANK YOU to

BB, SK, TP x2, TK, TS, AG

If you are still anxious to participate in a vestment project for the parish in Rome, let me know. They have in the works a white solemn set which will probably be rather costly because of the very fine fabric.

Heading to the other side of the Largo Argentina, we made the terrible mistake of stopping in at what used to be a good bar. Tre Effe – FFF. The gal at the cash register’s rudeness was matched only by her excessive and poorly conceived make-up. The cornetto was inedible and the cappuccino diminutive, due to the cups. Don’t ever stop at Tre Effe on the edge of the Largo Argentina.

Speaking of get stuff, today a box arrived with something I had ordered. The only thing that rivals my annoyance for cheap styrofoam or glitter in Christmas cards has to be this.

Meanwhile, black to move and mate in … 5?

1. … Qh3+ 2. Kh1 Qf3+ 3. Kg1 Rg8+ 4. Rg6 Rxg6+ 5. Kf1 Bh6#
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

CLICK!

I am now a chess.com affiliate. So, click and join! Maybe we can build a fun and active Catholic Chess Club within Chess.com.

Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE Interested in learning? Try THIS.

And speaking of “fruttarola”, my favorite of the old Roman singers, Claudio Villa.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged noad, Roman vestments
6 Comments

25 March 1991- Archbp. Marcel Lefebvre – Requiescat in pace

Posted on 25 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

On this day in 1991 Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre died.

Lefebvre was a great churchman, an astoundingly effective missionary. Much of the Church in French speaking Africa even today owes a great deal to his work. I find it not unusual at all that the African Church reveals strong fidelity to certain moral teachings which are lately under attack.

I learned of Lefebvre’s death in an interesting way. That morning I was opening up our office (the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei“) because I was the first to arrive. As I was switching on lights and machines, the doorbell rang. Thinking it was our secretary, who might not have the key handy, I opened the door to find… then-Card. Ratzinger. He gave me the news that Lefebvre had died. He had just received a phone call about his death and stopped at our office on his way in to the Congregation. I got on the phone to our own Cardinal right away.

Here are shots of Lefebvre’s memorial card, which I have kept these years.

In your charity, you might say a prayer for him.

Posted in SESSIUNCULA | Tagged noad
6 Comments

25 March: Feast of St Dismas – So good a thief that he “stole heaven”

Posted on 25 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

If it were not Monday of Holy Week, today would be Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation, the instant of the Incarnation.

However, 25 March is also the Feast of the Good Thief, St. Dismas!

Fulton Sheen famously quipped of this thief-saint that he “stole heaven”. A good thief indeed!

Many saints have their feast days assigned to the day when they were born into heaven (read: died). There is a tradition that that first Good Friday was on the same day as the Annunciation, 25 March.

Luke 23:39-43:

And one of those robbers who were hanged, [Gesmas] blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other [Dismas] answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

It makes the heart ache, to read these words addressed to that penitent sinner. Would that they were address to each one of us.

But wait! They can be.

Holy Church has the Lord’s own authority to forgive sins, to loose and to bind! It is exercised by His bishops and priests!

GO TO CONFESSION!

There is, by the way, a legend that, during the Holy Family’s flight from Herod to Egypt, they ran into Dismas, who was exercising his trade of thievery.

Dismas was going to rob them, but seeing the Infant Jesus, he instead gave them shelter in his lair and let them go on their way without harming them. Dismas would continue to be a nefarious ne’er-do-well. His intellect still darkened by sin on Calvary kept him from recognizing Christ’s Mother.

This is another proof that sin makes you stupid.

Finally, Fathers, mark on your calendar that in the back of your traditional Missale Romanum there is a Mass formulary for the 2nd Sunday of October in honor of the Good Thief for use in prisons and in houses of reform of mores and of the discipline of amendment.

Posted in Saints: Stories & Symbols |
3 Comments

25 March is Dantedì… Dante Day.

Posted on 24 March 2024 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I would be remiss were I not to mention in Italy , today, 25 March is Dantedì… Dante Day. A national holiday. 25 March, is when Dante started his journey in The Divine Comedy, Holy Thursday night, before Good Friday, to the Wednesday after Easter in the spring of 1300.

It nigh on impossible to convey the importance of Dante’s work the tri-partite La Divina Commedia.

What I can do here, and you who know not Dante or know little will thank me, is point you to a good translation and some fun music.

For good translations, try the late, great Inkling Dorothy Sayers’ translation. She died while working on the Paradiso, but her assistant did an admirable job in completing the Part 1, Inferno, US HERE – UK HERE).

Another good translation is by Anthony Esolen. Part 1, Inferno- US HERE – UK HERE).

Do NOT make the mistake of reading only the Inferno. The really good stuff comes later in the Purgatorio and Paradiso.

Be smart in your approach to Dante. Read straight through a canto to get the line of thought and story and then go back over it looking at the notes in your edition. Sayers has good notes. Esolen has great notes. Dante was, I think, the last guy who knew everything. Hence, every Canto is dense with references. You will need notes to help with the history, philosophy, cosmology, poetic theory, politics, theology, etc. Really.

You. Will. Need. Help. Take it.

There are many online sites. For example HERE.

For some good music to play while reading your Dante.

The Dante Troubadours

Lo Mio Servente Core: Music at the Time of Dante

Dante and the Troubadours

There are volumes of commentaries by Charles S. Singleton. Not cheap but good for advanced work.