The Sacred Triduum: The Blessing of the Font, the Litanies, and the Vesperal Mass

Continuing from the previous post:   The Blessing of the Font Towards the end of the final, Twelfth Prophecy, the acolytes light their candles. One of them, perhaps the thurifer, takes the Paschal Candle from the column, and another takes the processional cross. After the final Prophecy is concluded, the sacred ministers remove their maniples,…

Advertisement

The Sacred Triduum: The New Fire and Prophecies of Holy Saturday

The Tenebrae of Holy Saturday is a service of sorrow, similar to the Lamentations Service of the Orthodox I briefly examined in the previous blog post. The antiphons of both Matins and Lauds refer to death, burial, and mourning. The Canticle at Lauds is the Song of Hezekiah, normally sung on Tuesdays, the opening verse…

The Sacred Triduum: The Veneration of the Cross and the Rite of the Presanctified

Continuing from the previous entry on the Lessons and the Solemn Collects of the Mass of Good Friday, here I will examine the rest of the unique rituals of Good Friday. The Veneration of the Cross Having returned to the altar after removing their chasubles, the deacon approaches the altar and takes the veiled altar…

The Sacred Triduum: The Good Friday Lessons and Solemn Collects

The special rites of Good Friday, excepting what is done for Tenebrae and the other Hours as I mentioned in a previous entry, are all performed together as one seamless whole. There is no interruption between the parts, and it can be understood as one complex Mass. The traditional Good Friday Mass is sometimes referred…

The Sacred Triduum: Introduction

Of all the wealth I have discovered in my (rather casual "layman") studies of the liturgy over the years, nothing has inspired more awe than the Sacred Triduum, which are the collection of unique ritual and ceremonials for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and the Easter Vigil. The rites of the Sacred Triduum are…

In Nature Indifferent and Alterable: The Prayer Book, Missals, and Uniformity

"XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, and utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversities of countries, times, and men's manners, so that nothing be ordained against God's Word. Whosoever through…