Yesterday, St Joseph’s Church in Troy, New York, which is served by Carmelites of the Ancient Observance, celebrated the feast of the Ascension with the traditional stational procession before the Mass, as prescribed in the order’s ancient rite. (Similar processions are done on Candlemas, Palm Sunday and the Assumption.) The four stations of the procession are accompanied by the singing of responsories at the first and third station, and their verses at the second and fourth; on entering the church, the antiphon of Vespers O Rex gloriae is sung, and on entering the sanctuary, the versicle of Lauds, and the Collect of the feast. Here are a few photos, with our thanks to Genevieve Holmes for sharing them with us; the texts sung at the stations are given below from the 1935 edition of the Carmelite Missal.
R. O ye men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? alleluia.* As ye saw Him going to heaven, so shall He come, alleluja, alleluja.
V. And while they were looking at Him going to heaven, behold two men stood nigh to them in white garments.
who also said: As ye saw Him going to heaven, so shall He come, alleluja, alleluja.
R. Father, while I was with them, I kept them, whom Thou gavest to me; but now I come to Thee. * I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil.
V. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; I pray not...
Aña O King of glory, Lord of hosts, Who in triumph hast ascended this day above all the heavens: leave us not as orphans, but send the Promise of the Father unto us, even the Spirit of truth, alleluia.
V. God hath ascended with rejoicing.
R. And the Lord with the sound of trumpet, alleluia.
(In the Carmelite Use, alleluja is not said with the verse, but only with the response.)
Let us pray. Grant, we ask, almighty God, that we who believe that Thy Only-Begotten Son, our Redeemer, hath on this day ascended into the heavens, may also in mind dwell with Him in heaven. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Extinguishing the Paschal candle after the Gospel.
V. And while they were looking at Him going to heaven, behold two men stood nigh to them in white garments.
R. Father, while I was with them, I kept them, whom Thou gavest to me; but now I come to Thee. * I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil.
V. Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou has given me; I pray not...
Aña O King of glory, Lord of hosts, Who in triumph hast ascended this day above all the heavens: leave us not as orphans, but send the Promise of the Father unto us, even the Spirit of truth, alleluia.
V. God hath ascended with rejoicing.
R. And the Lord with the sound of trumpet, alleluia.
(In the Carmelite Use, alleluja is not said with the verse, but only with the response.)
Let us pray. Grant, we ask, almighty God, that we who believe that Thy Only-Begotten Son, our Redeemer, hath on this day ascended into the heavens, may also in mind dwell with Him in heaven. Through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
