Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Arrival and Greeting of a Prelate: Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos arrives at Ss. Trinita

As we wait for the official images of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the FSSP to be released, I wanted to share with you this other video made of the events surrounding the Pontifical Mass of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. (Also taken by John Sonnen of Orbis Catholicus.)

Often the videos you see pertain to some part of the liturgy, be it the incensation of the altar, the consecration and so on. But what one often does not see are some of the protocol involved in the welcoming of a prelate into one's church, nor the ceremonial of the sacristy as particularly expressed in the usus antiquior with the various vesting prayers of a prelate and so on.

This particular video doesn't show the vesting itself unfortunately, but it does show the welcoming of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos to the parish of Ss. Trinita yesterday morning, and then his arrival in the sacristy to wait to vest.

I think some of you will find it of interest, particularly if you have not witnessed such things before. I hope to be able to bring you more about the vesting prayers at some point in the near future, so this is timely.

What you will note is that the protocol and the ceremonial of these prelatial occasions begins not just with the beginning of Mass, but also within the sacristy and in the very arrival of the prelate himself -- bespeaking very much the traditional dignity given to the prelates of the Church and their place as successors of the apostles; and in the case of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos as well, a prince of the Church.

As one who has been able to witness such events on more than one occasion, I can personally testify that it is something quite striking, prayerful and spiritually profound to behold and be a part of.

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