Saturday, April 11, 2009

The Triduum According to the Sarum Use

I know that some of you will be interested in Fr. Sean Finnegan's posts on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday in the use of Salisbury, or "Sarum".

Here they are, from his blog, Valle Adurni.

Sarum Maundy Thursday

Sarum Good Friday

Sarum Holy Saturday

Here is a short excerpt from the Holy Saturday piece, to give you a sense:

"Now follows the ‘sevenfold litany’ (septiformis letania), sung by seven boys in seven surplices. The celebrant takes off the chasuble and puts on a red silk cope, standing before the altar to the end of the litany. A bishop stands at the throne. The litany has all the normal saints one would expect, plus a few others; Maurice and his companions, Aldhelm, Germanus, Romanus, Brigid.

Then follows the ‘fivefold litany’, (quinquepartita letania, or letania ad fontes) sung by five deacons in five surplices, with a slightly different selection of saints, during which a procession moves off to the font in order to bless it. The acolyte leads it, vested in tunicle and carrying a processional cross, and two deacons carry the oils to pour into the font."

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