Pope Leo Restores An Ancient Tradition (From 42 Years Ago)

At the end of this month, our Holy Father Leo XIV will celebrate the feast of Ss Peter and Paul as Pope for the first time. Our readers have perhaps read that the custom will be restored by which during the celebration of Mass in St Peter’s basilica, the pope blesses the pallia which are to be given to those who have lately been made metropolitan archbishops, and personally imposes it on them. In 2015, this custom was changed so that the pope blessed the pallia, but they were imposed on the archbishops back home by the local nuncio. It is difficult to think why this was thought to be necessary, or some kind of improvement, and I think it is a good thing that Pope Leo has undone it. The pallium Mass had become quite a festive occasion in Rome, and many of the new archbishops would be accompanied by large pilgrim groups from their dioceses. It will be nice if these kinds of pilgrimages flourish again.

Pope Leo wearing the pallium during his inaugural Mass last month.

However, it bears remembering that the custom is itself very new, instituted by Pope St John Paul II in 1983. During the homily which he preached at the Mass on June 29 of that year, the pope himself referred to it as a new custom, saying, “During this celebration, this year there will take place the blessing and imposition of the pallia on some recently named archbishops.” I point this out because I have seen a few reports which refer to this as if it were an ancient custom, which it is not; and perhaps this will be useful as a reminder that all customs begin as novelties, and we should not shy away from the new simply because it is new.

As the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, the pallium was for a long time not conferred by the pope in person at all, unless the man to receive it was already a cardinal; much less was there any such special ceremony for it in Rome on the feast of Ss Peter and Paul, or any other feast. “The pallium is conferred in Rome by a cardinal-deacon, and outside of Rome by a bishop; in both cases the ceremony takes place after the celebration of Mass and the administration of the oath of allegiance.” Any archbishop, and some bishops who had the privilege of the pallium, could ask to receive their pallium during a private consistory in Rome, but they were not required to do so. And indeed, the Pontificale of Clement VIII has a special section on the pallium, (right after the consecration of a bishop), the rubrics of which presume that the ceremony is not taking place in Rome, but in the new archbishop’s cathedral. However, where it is more convenient, it may be done in some other church of his diocese, or even one outside his diocese, within the metropolitan province.

The ceremony in the Pontificale for the imposition of the pallium goes as follows. No blessing for it is given, since it is blessed by the pope who sends it. A solemn Mass is celebrated, and after the celebrant’s Communion, the pallium is laid on the altar, wrapped in a silk cloth. After the Mass, the bishop who is to impose it sits before the altar on a faldstool, with cope and miter, and in the name of the Apostolic See, receives the oath of fidelity from the new archbishop, who kneels before him vested as if for Mass, but without miter. (The text of the oath is quite long, and was clearly designed with the memory in mind of the less-than-edifying conduct of some archbishops of old...)

When the oath has been given, the bishop rises and lays it on the new archbishop’s shoulders, saying, “Unto the honor of almighty God, and of the blessed Virgin Mary, and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, of our lord the Pope N., and of the Holy Roman Church, and also of the church of N. entrusted to thee, we hand over to thee the pallium taken from the body of the blessed Peter, in which (pallium) is the fullness of the pontifical office, together with the title of patriarch or archbishop; that thou may use it within thy church on certain days, which are set out in the privileges granted by the Apostolic See. In the name of the Fa✠ther, and of the ✠ Son, and of the Holy ✠ Spirit.” The bishop then withdraws to the epistle side of the altar, and the new archbishop gives the pontifical blessing.

The words “taken from the body of the blessed Peter” refer to the custom, which is indeed VERY ancient, that a pallium is a relic-by-contact from the tomb of St Peter. Within the wall right in front of the Apostle’s tomb is a niche with a silver casket in it, where they are kept until they are sent out. When St John Paul II instituted the custom of imposing them during the Mass of Ss Peter and Paul, it became customary to place the pallia in this casket the evening before, after First Vespers of the feast.

The niche of the pallium within the confessio of St Peter’s Basilica, photographed from upstairs. (Image from Wikimedia Commons by Tieum512, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

From an article published in 2017, the pallium of St Caesarius, archbishop of Arles (470-542; elected 502), sent to him by Pope Symmachus.

The Pontificale also contains several restrictions and requirements regarding the use of the pallium. An archbishop was not allowed to be called by the title Patriarch, Primate or Archbishop before receiving it, nor to consecrate another bishop, hold a synod, make chrism, dedicate a church, or perform ordinations. However, he could entrust these functions to another bishop, as long as he was not deliberately delaying the obtaining of his pallium. If a man were moved from one archbishopric to another, he was required to obtain a new pallium, and could not use his old one to perform these functions. An archbishop without a pallium was free to celebrate Mass, but the archiepiscopal cross could not be carried before him. The pallium was not to be used outside the archbishop’s own province, nor in processions, nor at Masses for the dead, but only on certain feasts, (as stated above in the words said when it was imposed), and it was mandatory that he be buried with it.

The following are the feast days when the pallium was to be used, listed in the Pontificale.

• Christmas
• St Stephen
• St John the Evangelist
• The Circumcision
• Epiphany
• Palm Sunday
• Holy Thursday
• Easter Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
• Low Sunday
• The Ascension
• Pentecost
• Corpus Christi
• The five major feasts of the Virgin Mary: the Purification, Annunciation, Assumption, Nativity and Immaculate Conception
• The Birth of St John the Baptist
• St Joseph
• All Saints
• The feasts of all the Apostles
• The principal feasts of the archbishop’s own church.
• At the dedications of churches, ordinations of the clergy, consecrations of bishops, abbots and virgins.
• The anniversary of the dedication of a church
• The anniversary of his own consecration.

“Fearless Heralds of the Truth” - The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical, Third Day

This is the final part of the order of a synod according to the 1595 Pontifical of Pope Clement VIII; here are the links to part 1 and part 2. We are posting this series for the Synod on Synodality; let us pray that the bishops of the current assembly may indeed be “fearless heralds of the truth.”

The third day of the synod begins as the first two. After Mass, a faldstool is placed before the altar, and the bishop, in cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon, kneels before the altar, and intones the same antiphon as on the first day: “Exaudi nos, Dómine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua: secundum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum réspice nos, Domine. – Hear us, o Lord, for kindly is Thy mercy; according to the multitude of Thy mercies look upon us, o Lord.” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 68, “Save me o God, for the waters have entered unto my soul”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated.

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

Let us pray. Crying out to Thee, o Lord, with the cry of our heart, we ask as one, that, strengthened by the regard of Thy grace, we may become fearless heralds of the truth, and be able to speak Thy word with all confidence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who in the sacred prophecy of Thy word, did promise that where two or three would gather in Thy name, Thou wouldst be in their midst, in Thy mercy be present in our assembly, and enlighten our hearts, that we may in no way wander from the good of Thy mercy, but rather hold to the righteous path of Thy justice in all matters. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The bishop now sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

O God, who take heed to Thy people with forgiveness, and rule over them with love, grant the spirit of wisdom to those to whom Thou hast given to rule over discipline; that the shepherds may take eternal joy from the good progress of holy sheep. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, Matthew 18, 15-22, with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: Jesus said to His disciples: If thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by My Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter unto Him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.

The First Vatican Council

As on the previous two days, the bishop now kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir, after which he sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. A brief model for his address is given, accompanied by a rubric that he himself, or a “learned and suitable man” appointed by him to this task, may address the synod with words more appropriate to the circumstances for which it was called.

Venerable and most beloved brethren, it is fitting that all things which have not been done properly, or as fully as they ought, in regard to the duties of ecclesiastics, and the priestly ministries, and canonical sanctions, because of various distractions, or (which we cannot deny) our own and others’ idleness, should be sought out by the unanimous consent and will of us all, and humbly recited before your charity; and thus, whatever is in need of correction may be brought to a better estate by the help of the Lord. And if anyone be displeased by what is said, let him not hesitate to bring the matter before your charity with kindliness and gentility, so that all which is established or renewed by this our assembly, may be kept and held in the harmony of holy peace by all together, without contradiction, to the increase of all our eternal blessedness.

There are then read out the constitutions put forth for the approval of the synod (presumably those which were voted upon the previous day), which are confirmed by those assembled. The bishop sits, and commends himself to the prayers of all present; the names of all those who are supposed to be present are read out, and each answers “Adsum – Present.” Notice is taken of those who are not present, so that they may be fined by the bishop.

In the Pontifical, there follows an immensely long model sermon, over 1000 words in Latin, in which the bishop reminds the priests of their many duties, both spiritual (“Receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with all reverence and fear.”) and temporal (“Let your churches be well decorated and clean.”) The bishop then says another prayer.

O Lord, the human conscience hath not such strength that it can endure the judgments of Thy will without offense; and therefore, because Thy eyes see our imperfection, deem as perfect that which we desire to conclude, merciful God, with the end of perfect justice. We have asked for Thee to come to us in the beginning, we hope in this end to have Thee forgive what we have judged wrongly; to wit, that Thou spare our ignorance, forgive our error, and grant, though the prayers now completed, perfect efficacy to the work. And since we grow faint from the sting of conscience, lest ignorance draw us into error, or hasty willfulness steer justice wrong, we ask this, we beseech Thee, that if we have brought upon ourselves any offense in the celebration of this synod, that we may know we are forgiven by Thy mercy. And since we are about to dismiss this synod, let us be first released from every bond of our sins, as forgiveness followeth transgressors, and eternal rewards follow those that confess Thee. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The bishop gives the Pontifical blessing and proclaims an indulgence. The archdeacon then sings “Let us depart in peace”, and all answer “In the name of Christ.” All rise and accompany the bishop back to his residence.

St Charles Celebrating a Provincial Synod, by Gian Battista della Rovere, known as “il Fiamminghino.”

The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical - Second Day

For the current Synod on Synodality, we are sharing the traditional order for holding a synod according to the 1595 Pontifical of Clement VIII, both as a matter of general interest, and as something which will perhaps serve to inspire prayers for the good outcome of the current assembly. It is divided into three days, and seems to presume that much of the Synod’s business will be determined by the bishop and his assistants beforehand. The rubrics are given here in summary, omitting several of the less pertinent details, such as the places where the bishop removes his miter etc.

The second day of the synod begins with the same ceremony as the first, although it is not specifically stated in the rubrics that the Mass of the day is to be the Mass of the Holy Spirit. When this is over, a faldstool is placed before the altar, and the bishop, in red cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon also in red, kneels before the altar, and intones the following antiphon. “Propitius esto * peccátis nostris, Dómine, propter nomen tuum: nequando dicant gentes: Ubi est Deus eórum? – Forgive us our sins, o Lord, for Thy name’s sake: lest ever the gentiles should say: Where is their God?” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 78, “O God, the heathen are come into Thy inheritance”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated. (These are different from the psalm and antiphon said the day before.)

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

Bending the knee of our hearts before Thee, o Lord, we ask that we may accomplish the good which Thou seekest of us; namely, that we may walk with Thee, ready in solicitude, and do judgment with most careful discretion; and with love of mercy, shine forth in our zeal for all that pleaseth Thee. Through Christ our Lord.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Kindly pour forth upon our minds, we beseech Thee, o Lord, the Holy Spirit; so that we, gathered in Thy name, may in all things hold to justice, ruled by piety, in such wise that here our will agree with Thee entirely; and ever pondering on reasonable things, we may accomplish what is pleasing to Thee in word and deed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

This prayer is a cento of the first collect of the Ember Saturday of Pentecost, the first prayer of the preceding day of the synod, and the collect of the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.

The previous day the Litany of the Saints was said at this point; it is not repeated today. The bishop now sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

O God, who command that we speak justice, and judge what it right; grant that no iniquity be found in our mouth, no wickedness in our mind; so that purer speech may agree with pure heart, justice be shown in our work, no guile appear in our speech, and truth come forth from our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, Luke 10, 1-9, the common Gospel of Evangelists (and some Confessors), with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: The Lord appointed also other seventy-two: and He sent them two and two before His face into every city and place whither He himself was to come. And He said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send laborers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no man by the way. Into whatsoever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

As on the previous day, the bishop kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir, after which he sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. At the corresponding point the previous day, a brief model for his address is given; the rubric of this days specifies that he speaks “his verbis – with these words,” but also says that he may omit them.

My venerable and most beloved brethren, just as we reminded your kindness and gentility yesterday, concerning the divine offices, and the sacred grades of (service at) the altar, or even (our own) mores and the needs of the Church, it is necessary that the charity of all of you, whensoever it knoweth of any matter in need of correction, hesitate not to bring forth in our midst such matters for emendation or renewal; that by the zeal of your charity, and the gift of the Lord, all such matters may come to the best, to the praise and glory of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A photograph of an archdiocesan synod held in the Duomo of Milan during the episcopate of the Bl. Andrea Card. Ferrari, archbishop of Milan from 1894-1921. The cardinal is preaching from one of the two large pulpits on either side of the entrance to the main choir. At the lower left is seen the “scurolo”, the chapel in the crypt where the relics of St Charles are kept over the altar. This was formerly open in such wise that one could look down into it from the floor of the Duomo; it was, more unfortunately closed for the construction of the post-Conciliar versus populum altar. – In the post-Tridentine period, although the church of Milan maintained the use of the Ambrosian liturgy, it adopted the Roman Pontifical, and would therefore have followed the rite given above for the celebration of a synod.

As on the previous day, before or after the bishop’s address, a “learned and suitable man” delivers a sermon “on ecclesiastical discipline” and other matters “as the bishop may determine”. The archdeacon then reads any Apostolic Constitutions which may not have been promulgated hitherto in that place, and other such documents, as the bishop may decide. There are then read out the constitutions put forth for the approval of the synod, which are then voted upon. (One must assume that in accordance with local traditions, various other matters may also be dealt with.) The bishop then gives the Pontifical blessing, and all depart.

The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical - First Day

Tomorrow being the first day of the first part of the last phase of the Synod on Synodality (a title which, incredibly enough, does not come from The Babylon Bee), our readers might find interesting the traditional order for holding a synod, according to the 1595 Pontifical of Clement VIII. The attentive will have no trouble finding inspiration here for their own prayers for the good outcome of the current assembly. It is divided into three days, and seems to presume that much of the synod’s business will be determined by the bishop and his assistants beforehand. The rubrics are given here in summary, omitting several of the less pertinent details, such as the places where the bishop removes his miter etc.

On the first day, the bishop who has called the synod processes to the church, accompanied by the clergy who are called to the synod “by right or custom”, all in choir dress, and celebrates a Mass of the Holy Spirit. When this is over, a faldstool is placed before the altar in the middle, and the bishop, in red cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon also in red, kneels before the altar, and intones the following antiphon. “Exáudi nos, * Dómine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua: secundum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum réspice nos, Dómine. – Hear us, o Lord, for kindly is Thy mercy; according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies look upon us, o Lord.” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 68, “Save me o God, for the waters have entered unto my soul”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated.

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

We are here, o Lord, Holy Spirit, we are here, hindered by the enormity of sin, but gathered especially in Thy name; come to us, be here with us, deign to come down upon our hearts. Teach us what we ought to do; show us, where we ought to go; work Thou what we ought to accomplish. Be thou alone the one who prompts and effect our judgments, who alone with God the Father and His Son possess the name of glory. Permit us not to be disturbers of justice, Thou who love righteousness most mightily; that the evil of ignorance may not lead us, that favor may not sway us, that the receiving of gift or person may not corrupt us. But unite us to Thee effectually by the gift of Thy grace alone, that we may be one in Thee, and in no way depart from the truth. And thus, gathered in Thy name, in all things we may hold to justice, ruled by piety, in such wise that in this life our decree agree with Thee entirely, and in the future life, we may obtain eternal rewards, for the sake of what we have done well.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy mercy hast safely gathered us especially in this place, may the Comforter, who procedeth from Thee, enlighten our minds, we beseech Thee; and bring us unto all truth, as Thy Son did promise; and strengthen all in Thy faith and charity; so that, stirred up by this temporal synod, we may profit thereby to the increase of eternal happiness. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The bishop then kneels at the faldstool, and all others present also kneel, as the cantors sing the Litany of the Saints. After the invocation, “That Thou may deign to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed”, the bishop rises, takes his crook in hand, and sings the following invocation; at the place marked, he makes the sign of the Cross over those gathered for the synod . “That Thou may deign to visit, order and + bless this present synod. R. We ask Thee, hear us.” The cantors finish the Litany.

All rise, and the bishop sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

Grant to Thy Church, we beseech Thee, o merciful God, that gathered in the Holy Spirit, She may merit to serve Thee in sure devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

A session of the Council of Trent in the Cathedral of St Vigilius. (Image from Italian wikipedia)

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, (that of the Thursday within the Octave of Pentecost, Luke 9, 1-6,) with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: Calling together the twelve Apostles, Jesus gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And He said to them: Take nothing for your journey; neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats. And whatsoever house you shall enter into, abide there, and depart not from thence. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them. And going out, they went about through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.

The bishop kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir. He then sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. A brief model for his address is given, but the rubric specifies that he speaks “in hanc sententiam - along these lines.” (In many rites, such as ordinations, sermons of this kind are part of the rite, and must be read exactly as they given in the Pontifical.)

My venerable fellow priests and dearest brethren, having first prayed to God, it is necessary that each one of you take up the matters upon which we must confer, whether they concern the divine offices, or sacred orders, or even our own mores and the needs of the Church, with charity and kindliness, and accept them, by the help of God, with supreme reverence, and all his might; and that each one may faithfully strive with all devotion to amend the things that need amendment. And if perchance what is said or done displease anyone, without any scruple of contentiousness, let him bring it forth before all; that by the Lord’s mediation, such matter may also come to the best result. And in this way, let strife or discord find no place to undermine justice, nor again the strength and solicitude of our order (i.e. the clerical order) grow lukewarm in seeking the truth.

Before or after this address, a “learned and suitable man” delivers a sermon “on ecclesiastical discipline, on the divine mysteries, on the correction of morals among the clergy”, as determined by the bishop. Complaints may then be heard (“querelae, si quae sunt, audiuntur”), presumably in accord with the matters the synod has been called to address.

The archdeacon then reads several decrees of the Council of Trent on disciplinary matters pertaining to synods, and the Profession of Faith known as the Creed of Pope Pius IV. Finally, all are “charitably admonished that during the synod, they conduct themselves honestly in all regards, even outside the synod itself, so that their behavior may worthy serve to others as an example. The bishop gives the Pontifical blessing, and all depart.

Recent Priestly Ordinations for the North American Province of the FSSP

On Friday, May 26, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone ordained three members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to the sacred priesthood at a Pontifical Mass in Lincoln, Nebraska. There were so many highlights to the liturgy—I always feel like my head is going to explode at one of these pontificals, they are just so overwhelming: a pageantry of symbols of the richest meaning, with moments of piercing spiritual insight sparked by inexhaustible prayer texts bequeathed to us from centuries of faith.

The little detail that struck me most this time around was caused by the unusual way the ordination ceremony breaks up the alleluias. In Paschaltide (and Ascensiontide is no different) there are two Alleluias (instead of a Gradual/Alleluia or a Gradual/Tract). The first Alleluia is sung through, and the second is begun—but then, before the verse is sung, the entire very long ordination ceremony takes place. Talk about a delayed cadence, postponed period, interrupted utterance! And after all that is done, the schola resumes with the verse of the second alleluia, followed by the Gospel.

That day was the feast of St. Philip Neri. Here are his alleluias:

Alleluia, alleluia. De excélso misit ignem in óssibus meis, et erudívit me. (From above He hath sent a fire into my bones, and hath instructed me.)

Alleluia. [ —> Ordinations <— ] Concáluit cor meum intra me: et in meditatióne mea exardéscet ignis. Alleluia. (My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.)

“He hath sent a fire into my bones and hath instructed me.” The vocation sent by God, in the form of a desire to be a priest... the long years of study... the spiritual struggles... the moment when this immense gift is finally bestowed at the hands of the bishop and one knows, in his bones, that he is a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedek...

“My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.” The fire is now ignited within these men by the indelible inscription of Christ's sacrificial priesthood in their souls—a change in BEING. Agere sequitur esse: action flows from being. From this character shall flame out the fire of priestly prayer, sacramental grace, and the preaching of the Word.

St Philip Neri—what a patron to have on one’s ordination day! What a pair of Alleluias to remember and ponder!

The following are a selection of photos that display many major moments of this magnificent ceremony. There is a whole catechesis embedded in this sequence. I will not attempt to be thorough (that would take a book) but I'll at least try to identify what is going on in the ceremony at each point.

1. A deacon looks at the cloth (the maniturgium) that will bind his hands after they have been anointed with chrism. This same cloth is customarily given to the priest’s mother to be buried with her as a sign that she gave a priest to the Church. 

2. Putting on the maniple, sign of laboring in the Lord’s vineyard.
 

3. Holding the chasuble and ready to process.
 

4. On the way...
 

5. The bishop and his attendants enter the church.
 

6. Prayers at the foot of the altar.
 

 

Continue Reading this Article. . .

A Baptism of a Bell in Rome

Last week, His Eminence Franc Card. Rodé, former archbishop of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Religious, blessed a bell for Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, the FSSP church in Rome. This ceremony has some features which are broadly analogous to some of the ceremonies of baptism, including the naming of the bell (this is one is named in honor of the Holy Trinity, the titular dedication of the church, and of St Lucy), and has therefore been long been referred to popularly as “the baptism of the bells.” Further explanation is given in a post which I wrote as part of my series on the reform of the Roman Pontifical in 2013. A description of the ceremony is given in this post of the same series; the text can be read in Latin here, and in English in this book on archive.org.

The bell is washed and anointed on the inside and outside, and later on, has a brazier full of burning incense put under it, as will be seen further down. For this reason, it is set up suspended in this fashion, so that the inside can be reached.

The various accoutrements needed for the ceremony, clockwise from the lower left: a salver with a towel for wiping oil; a bunch of hyssop for sprinkling the outside of the bell with holy water; more towels, and a hammer for ringing the bell after the blessing (not a formal part of the ceremony); the oils for anointing the bell (in the silver box); cotton for wiping the oil off the bell; a card with the formula which is said at the anointings; the incense which is burned in the brazier; lemons for washing oil off the finger; the ewer and basin; the bugia and the book.

Pontifical vestments set up on the altar of the right transept, since the celebrant vests at a faldstool set up in front of the bell. A lectionary is also on the altar, since the ceremony concludes with the singing of a Gospel.

The ceremony begins with a recitation of seven Psalms, which as a group are unique to this blessing (50, 53, 56, 66, 69, 85 and 129), ...

after which the bishop blesses holy water in the normal fashion, but with the addition of a special prayer. “Bless, O Lord, this water with a heavenly benediction, and may the power of the Holy Ghost come upon it, so that when this vessel, prepared to call together the children of the Holy Church, has been washed with it, there may be kept far away from wheresoever this bell may sound, the power of those lying in wait, the shadow of spectres, the ravages of whirlwinds, the stroke of lightning, the damage of thunder, the disaster of tempests, and every breath of storm; and when the sons of Christians shall hear its ringing, may their devotion increase, so that hastening to the bosom of their loving mother the Church, they may sing to Thee, in the Church of the Saints, a new canticle, bringing therein to play the proud sounding of the trumpet, the melody of the harp, the sweetness of the organ, the joyous exultation of the drum, and the rejoicing of the cymbal; and so, in the holy temple of Thy glory by their service and their prayers, may they bid come the multitude of the angelic hosts. Through our Lord...”

Continue Reading this Article. . .

“Fearless Heralds of the Truth” - The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical, Third Day

This is the final part of the order of a synod according to the 1595 Pontifical of Pope Clement VIII; here are the links to part 1 and part 2. We are posting this series for the Synod on Synodality; let us pray that the bishops of the current assembly may indeed be “fearless heralds of the truth.”

The third day of the synod begins as the first two. After Mass, a faldstool is placed before the altar, and the bishop, in cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon, kneels before the altar, and intones the same antiphon as on the first day: “Exáudi nos, Dómine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua: secundum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum réspice nos, Domine. – Hear us, o Lord, for kindly is Thy mercy; according to the multitude of Thy mercies look upon us, o Lord.” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 68, “Save me o God, for the waters have entered unto my soul”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated.

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

Let us pray. Crying out to Thee, o Lord, with the cry of our heart, we ask as one, that, strengthened by the regard of Thy grace, we may become fearless heralds of the truth, and be able to speak Thy word with all confidence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who in the sacred prophecy of Thy word, did promise that where two or three would gather in Thy name, Thou wouldst be in their midst, in Thy mercy be present in our assembly, and enlighten our hearts, that we may in no way wander from the good of Thy mercy, but rather hold to the righteous path of Thy justice in all matters. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The bishop now sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

O God, who take heed to Thy people with forgiveness, and rule over them with love, grant the spirit of wisdom to those to whom Thou hast given to rule over discipline; that the shepherds may take eternal joy from the good progress of holy sheep. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, Matthew 18, 15-22, with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: Jesus said to His disciples: If thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by My Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Then came Peter unto Him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.

The First Vatican Council

As on the previous two days, the bishop now kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir, after which he sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. A brief model for his address is given, accompanied by a rubric that he himself, or a “learned and suitable man” appointed by him to this task, may address the synod with words more appropriate to the circumstances for which it was called.

Venerable and most beloved brethren, it is fitting that all things which have not been done properly, or as fully as they ought, in regard to the duties of ecclesiastics, and the priestly ministries, and canonical sanctions, because of various distractions, or (which we cannot deny) our own and others’ idleness, should be sought out by the unanimous consent and will of us all, and humbly recited before your charity; and thus, whatever is in need of correction may be brought to a better estate by the help of the Lord. And if anyone be displeased by what is said, let him not hesitate to bring the matter before your charity with kindliness and gentility, so that all which is established or renewed by this our assembly, may be kept and held in the harmony of holy peace by all together, without contradiction, to the increase of all our eternal blessedness.

There are then read out the constitutions put forth for the approval of the synod (presumably those which were voted upon the previous day), which are confirmed by those assembled. The bishop sits, and commends himself to the prayers of all present; the names of all those who are supposed to be present are read out, and each answers “Adsum – Present.” Notice is taken of those who are not present, so that they may be fined by the bishop.

In the Pontifical, there follows an immensely long model sermon, over 1000 words in Latin, in which the bishop reminds the priests of their many duties, both spiritual (“Receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with all reverence and fear.”) and temporal (“Let your churches be well decorated and clean.”) The bishop then says another prayer.

O Lord, the human conscience hath not such strength that it can endure the judgments of Thy will without offense; and therefore, because Thy eyes see our imperfection, deem as perfect that which we desire to conclude, merciful God, with the end of perfect justice. We have asked for Thee to come to us in the beginning, we hope in this end to have Thee forgive what we have judged wrongly; to wit, that Thou spare our ignorance, forgive our error, and grant, though the prayers now completed, perfect efficacy to the work. And since we grow faint from the sting of conscience, lest ignorance draw us into error, or hasty willfulness steer justice wrong, we ask this, we beseech Thee, that if we have brought upon ourselves any offense in the celebration of this synod, that we may know we are forgiven by Thy mercy. And since we are about to dismiss this synod, let us be first released from every bond of our sins, as forgiveness followeth transgressors, and eternal rewards follow those that confess Thee. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The bishop gives the Pontifical blessing and proclaims an indulgence. The archdeacon then sings “Let us depart in peace”, and all answer “In the name of Christ.” All rise and accompany the bishop back to his residence.

St Charles Celebrating a Provincial Synod, by Gian Battista della Rovere, known as “il Fiamminghino.” 

The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical - Second Day

For the current Synod on Synodality, we are sharing the traditional order for holding a synod according to the 1595 Pontifical of Clement VIII, both as a matter of general interest, and as something which will perhaps serve to inspire prayers for the good outcome of the current assembly. It is divided into three days, and seems to presume that much of the Synod’s business will be determined by the bishop and his assistants beforehand. The rubrics are given here in summary, omitting several of the less pertinent details, such as the places where the bishop removes his miter etc.

The second day of the synod begins with the same ceremony as the first, although it is not specifically stated in the rubrics that the Mass of the day is to be the Mass of the Holy Spirit. When this is over, a faldstool is placed before the altar, and the bishop, in red cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon also in red, kneels before the altar, and intones the following antiphon. “Propitius esto * peccátis nostris, Dómine, propter nomen tuum: nequando dicant gentes: Ubi est Deus eórum? – Forgive us our sins, o Lord, for Thy name’s sake: lest ever the gentiles should say: Where is their God?” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 78, “O God, the heathen are come into Thy inheritance”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated. (These are different from the psalm and antiphon said the day before.)

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

Bending the knee of our hearts before Thee, o Lord, we ask that we may accomplish the good which Thou seekest of us; namely, that we may walk with Thee, ready in solicitude, and do judgment with most careful discretion; and with love of mercy, shine forth in our zeal for all that pleaseth Thee. Through Christ our Lord.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Kindly pour forth upon our minds, we beseech Thee, o Lord, the Holy Spirit; so that we, gathered in Thy name, may in all things hold to justice, ruled by piety, in such wise that here our will agree with Thee entirely; and ever pondering on reasonable things, we may accomplish what is pleasing to Thee in word and deed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

This prayer is a cento of the first collect of the Ember Saturday of Pentecost, the first prayer of the preceding day of the synod, and the collect of the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.

The previous day the Litany of the Saints was said at this point; it is not repeated today. The bishop now sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

O God, who command that we speak justice, and judge what it right; grant that no iniquity be found in our mouth, no wickedness in our mind; so that purer speech may agree with pure heart, justice be shown in our work, no guile appear in our speech, and truth come forth from our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, Luke 10, 1-9, the common Gospel of Evangelists (and some Confessors), with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: The Lord appointed also other seventy-two: and He sent them two and two before His face into every city and place whither He himself was to come. And He said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send laborers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no man by the way. Into whatsoever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

As on the previous day, the bishop kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir, after which he sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. At the corresponding point the previous day, a brief model for his address is given; the rubric of this days specifies that he speaks “his verbis – with these words,” but also says that he may omit them.

My venerable and most beloved brethren, just as we reminded your kindness and gentility yesterday, concerning the divine offices, and the sacred grades of (service at) the altar, or even (our own) mores and the needs of the Church, it is necessary that the charity of all of you, whensoever it knoweth of any matter in need of correction, hesitate not to bring forth in our midst such matters for emendation or renewal; that by the zeal of your charity, and the gift of the Lord, all such matters may come to the best, to the praise and glory of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A photograph of an archdiocesan synod held in the Duomo of Milan during the episcopate of the Bl. Andrea Card. Ferrari, archbishop of Milan from 1894-1921. The cardinal is preaching from one of the two large pulpits on either side of the entrance to the main choir. At the lower left is seen the “scurolo”, the chapel in the crypt where the relics of St Charles are kept over the altar. This was formerly open in such wise that one could look down into it from the floor of the Duomo; it was, more unfortunately closed for the construction of the post-Conciliar versus populum altar. – In the post-Tridentine period, although the church of Milan maintained the use of the Ambrosian liturgy, it adopted the Roman Pontifical, and would therefore have followed the rite given above for the celebration of a synod.

As on the previous day, before or after the bishop’s address, a “learned and suitable man” delivers a sermon “on ecclesiastical discipline” and other matters “as the bishop may determine”. The archdeacon then reads any Apostolic Constitutions which may not have been promulgated hitherto in that place, and other such documents, as the bishop may decide. There are then read out the constitutions put forth for the approval of the synod, which are then voted upon. (One must assume that in accordance with local traditions, various other matters may also be dealt with.) The bishop then gives the Pontifical blessing, and all depart.

The Order of a Synod in the Traditional Pontifical - First Day

Since we are now in the first days of the Synod on Synodality (a title which, incredibly enough, does not come from The Babylon Bee), our readers might find interesting the traditional order for holding a synod, according to the 1595 Pontifical of Clement VIII. The attentive will have no trouble finding inspiration here for their own prayers for the good outcome of the current assembly. It is divided into three days, and seems to presume that much of the synod’s business will be determined by the bishop and his assistants beforehand. The rubrics are given here in summary, omitting several of the less pertinent details, such as the places where the bishop removes his miter etc.

On the first day, the bishop who has called the synod processes to the church, accompanied by the clergy who are called to the synod “by right or custom”, all in choir dress, and celebrates a Mass of the Holy Spirit. When this is over, a faldstool is placed before the altar in the middle, and the bishop, in red cope and precious miter, accompanied by deacon and subdeacon also in red, kneels before the altar, and intones the following antiphon. “Exáudi nos, * Dómine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua: secundum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum réspice nos, Dómine. – Hear us, o Lord, for kindly is Thy mercy; according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies look upon us, o Lord.” The choir continues the antiphon, followed by the whole of Psalm 68, “Save me o God, for the waters have entered unto my soul”, during which the bishop sits until the psalm is finished and the antiphon repeated.

The bishop then turns to the altar and says:

We are here, o Lord, Holy Spirit, we are here, hindered by the enormity of sin, but gathered especially in Thy name; come to us, be here with us, deign to come down upon our hearts. Teach us what we ought to do; show us, where we ought to go; work Thou what we ought to accomplish. Be thou alone the one who prompts and effect our judgments, who alone with God the Father and His Son possess the name of glory. Permit us not to be disturbers of justice, Thou who love righteousness most mightily; that the evil of ignorance may not lead us, that favor may not sway us, that the receiving of gift or person may not corrupt us. But unite us to Thee effectually by the gift of Thy grace alone, that we may be one in Thee, and in no way depart from the truth. And thus, gathered in Thy name, in all things we may hold to justice, ruled by piety, in such wise that in this life our decree agree with Thee entirely, and in the future life, we may obtain eternal rewards, for the sake of what we have done well.

All answer “Amen”, and the bishop adds a second prayer.

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy mercy hast safely gathered us especially in this place, may the Comforter, who procedeth from Thee, enlighten our minds, we beseech Thee; and bring us unto all truth, as Thy Son did promise; and strengthen all in Thy faith and charity; so that, stirred up by this temporal synod, we may profit thereby to the increase of eternal happiness. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

The bishop then kneels at the faldstool, and all others present also kneel, as the cantors sing the Litany of the Saints. After the invocation, “That Thou may deign to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed”, the bishop rises, takes his crook in hand, and sings the following invocation; at the place marked, he makes the sign of the Cross over those gathered for the synod . “That Thou may deign to visit, order and + bless this present synod. R. We ask Thee, hear us.” The cantors finish the Litany.

All rise, and the bishop sings, “Oremus”, the deacon “Flectamus genua”, and the subdeacon, after a pause, “Levate”, after which the bishop sings this prayer.

Grant to Thy Church, we beseech Thee, o merciful God, that gathered in the Holy Spirit, She may merit to serve Thee in sure devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ etc.

A session of the Council of Trent in the Cathedral of St Vigilius. (Image from Italian wikipedia)

The deacon then sings the following Gospel, (that of the Thursday within the Octave of Pentecost, Luke 9, 1-6,) with the normal ceremonies of a Pontifical Mass.

At that time: Calling together the twelve Apostles, Jesus gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And He said to them: Take nothing for your journey; neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats. And whatsoever house you shall enter into, abide there, and depart not from thence. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them. And going out, they went about through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.

The bishop kneels to intone the hymn Veni Creator Spiritus, which is continued by the choir. He then sits at a chair which is set up facing the assembly, and addresses it. A brief model for his address is given, but the rubric specifies that he speaks “in hanc sententiam - along these lines.” (In many rites, such as ordinations, sermons of this kind are part of the rite, and must be read exactly as they given in the Pontifical.)

My venerable fellow priests and dearest brethren, having first prayed to God, it is necessary that each one of you take up the matters upon which we must confer, whether they concern the divine offices, or sacred orders, or even our own mores and the needs of the Church, with charity and kindliness, and accept them, by the help of God, with supreme reverence, and all his might; and that each one may faithfully strive with all devotion to amend the things that need amendment. And if perchance what is said or done displease anyone, without any scruple of contentiousness, let him bring it forth before all; that by the Lord’s mediation, such matter may also come to the best result. And in this way, let strife or discord find no place to undermine justice, nor again the strength and solicitude of our order (i.e. the clerical order) grow lukewarm in seeking the truth.

Before or after this address, a “learned and suitable man” delivers a sermon “on ecclesiastical discipline, on the divine mysteries, on the correction of morals among the clergy”, as determined by the bishop. Complaints may then be heard (“querelae, si quae sunt, audiuntur”), presumably in accord with the matters the synod has been called to address.

The archdeacon then reads several decrees of the Council of Trent on disciplinary matters pertaining to synods, and the Profession of Faith known as the Creed of Pope Pius IV. Finally, all are “charitably admonished that during the synod, they conduct themselves honestly in all regards, even outside the synod itself, so that their behavior may worthy serve to others as an example. The bishop gives the Pontifical blessing, and all depart.

An Exhibit of Episcopal Dress in Covington, Kentucky

Our friend Fr Jordan Hainsey has just sent us the following. “The Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, blessed and dedicated 24 new statues and two tympana for the façade of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption on Sunday, June 6. To honor Bishop Camillus Paul Maes (1846-1915), who built the cathedral and façade, a temporary display of his clothing and personal effects is on view through the end of June the crypt chapel where his remains are entombed, visitors can see items ranging from episcopal clothing to the trowel used at the ’athedral’s cornerstone laying ceremony in 1910.” (Below, there are two historical photographs of Bishop Maes, one in the standrard cassock and rochet, and the other in the winter cappa magna. There is also a portrait Mark A Thiessen, who served as the bishop’s train bearer from 1906-09, wearing the formal costume seen in the 4th photo.) Fr Hainsey will soon be sharing photos of the new statues with us.

The formal costume of Bishop Maes’ trainbearer, very typical for its time.

Continue Reading this Article. . .

An Artist Monk Describes the Celebration of St Gregory’s 1300th Anniversary in Rome in 1904

In recent months I have tremendously enjoyed reading aloud at home two books recommended to me by my son. They were written by a most fascinating individual, Dom Willibrord Verkade, O.S.B. Jan, as he was known prior to entering religion, was an up-and-coming Dutch painter in a post-impressionist style who hob-nobbed with fin de siècle Parisian poets and artists before he converted to Catholicism and became a monk of Beuron. He then specialized in Beuronese art, under the tutelage of Desiderius Lenz; the Wikipedia article about him is spotty, but accurate so far as it goes.

The first book, which takes us from his childhood through his conversion, is called Yesterdays of an Artist-Monk, translated by J. L. Stoddard (New York: P.J. Kenedy & Sons, 1930), and fairly obtainable on the used book market. The second, called In Quest of Beauty (New York: P.J. Kenedy & Sons, 1935), which starts with Verkade’s farewell to his family and entrance into the novitiate and then describes his life as a monk-artist, is nearly impossible to find; we are reading a copy borrowed from the Benedictine College library in Kansas.

In this second volume, Dom Willibrord talks about attending a grand pontifical liturgy with Pope St Pius X in 1904, in honor of the 1300th anniversary of the death of St Gregory the Great in 604. His description is so vivid and so charming—including the amusing detail that, although he was singing in the schola, he whipped out a sketchbook and drew a quick portrait of the pope—that I felt it was supremely fitting to share it today, on the traditional feastday of this truly great pope. (It also, incidentally, offers an interesting historical record of how and by whom chant was executed at the start of the movement to restore chant to its “pride of place.”)

The following year, as I was still in Monte Cassino [painting the crypt], I was allowed to visit Rome on the occasion of the celebration in honor of Saint Gregory the Great, the great Benedictine Pope whose thirteen-hundredth anniversary was being solemnized at St. Peter’s on March 12. It was a memorable occasion. Pius X celebrated a Pontifical High Mass at which the students of the International Benedictine College of Sant’ Anselmo constituted the schola or special choir, and I was privileged to sing among them. We sang the Proper, standing in our places on the right-hand side of the Confessio or Papal Altar. The Ordinary was chanted by a massed group of one thousand Roman students standing further out in the spacious transept.

In the great central nave of the basilica a crowd of over fifty thousand faithful from all parts of the Catholic world were gathered, and all awaited the solemn entry of the Holy Father with tense expectation. Suddenly we perceived a frantic waving of handkerchiefs far down near the portals, and we knew the Pope had entered. He had forbidden all cheering, which demanded some heroic restraint on the part of the volatile Italians, but they succeeded admirably well. Not a sound was heard, save a kind of rustling noise made by the restless movements of the vast throng. It was like the hum of the distant surf, or the whisper of a sudden breeze stirring in a grove of poplars.

The Holy Father came majestically toward us, carried on his sedia gestatoria, bestowing his blessing to right and left to acknowledge all those silent tributes of love and veneration. When he was borne past us, his paternal gaze rested upon our group of singers, and smilingly he blessed us too.

The Mass took its solemn course, the venerable Gregorian chant seeming to take on a special dignity and sonorousness for this occasion. Once the Holy Father’s face was turned directly toward me, as he sang the Preface. I made a rapid sketch of his rather plain but kindly countenance. What soft, luminous eyes he had! Occasions like these make Catholics realise what a great blessing it is to have a common father, one who truly loves and watches over them, a Pastor Vigilans…  (Dom Willibrord Verkade, In Quest of Beauty, pp. 105–7)

Sadly, photographs of pontifical ceremonies from over a hundred years ago are exceedingly rare and somewhat random. For example, as Gregory DiPippo pointed out to me, we have not a single photo from the solemn definition of the Immaculate Conception, or from the rededication of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, which was done two days later. So it’s not surprising that we may not have any photos from March 12, 1904. However, the following photos, one of Pius X on the sedia gestatoria, and the other of a pontifical Mass offered by the same in 1905 in St. Peter’s, would give us a good sense of the kind of thing Dom Willibrord was seeing.

Happy feast of St. Gregory the Great! May he, St Pius X, and all worthy successors of St Peter intercede for us.

An Allegorical Rationale for the Ministers Sitting During the Gloria and Credo

Seated clergy removing birettas at the Name of Jesus

In discussions of the classical Roman rite and the twentieth-century liturgical reform, one example that always comes up of “something that just had to change” in the Tridentine Mass — one among many things targeted as supposed flaws by reform-minded people — is the custom whereby the ministers (the priest at a Missa cantata, the priest, deacon, and subdeacon at a Missa solemnis) return to their seats for the duration of the sung Gloria and Credo after they have recited the text themselves at the altar.* The reform-minded protest against both the “duplication” of the text and the alleged oddity of everyone sitting during the singing of these parts of the Mass Ordinary. Shouldn’t the clergy sing the texts together with the people, and everyone remain standing?

In an earlier article at NLM, “Is It Fitting for the Priest to Recite All the Texts of the Mass?,” I defended an affirmative answer to that question on spiritual and liturgical grounds. I shall not rehash the same arguments here. Nor will I comment on practical reasons for sitting, such as lengthy pieces of polyphony, or giving older or infirm clergy a chance to rest. I also would not dispute that the monastic custom (at least, I have seen it most often at monasteries) of the ministers remaining standing during the entirety of the Gloria and Credo is fitting for the relatively short duration of chanted Ordinaries; I do not maintain that the ministers should always sit down. The rubrics allow them to remain at their places; sitting is a concession.

Rather, taking it for granted that there are theological reasons for duplicating and practical reasons for sitting, I would like to consider some theological connections that have occurred to me over the years as I have watched this custom and thought about it. The contemplative atmosphere of the classical Roman liturgy has nurtured in me a patient, open-minded, speculative disposition towards texts, music, and ceremonies. My habit of mind is now to ask, in accord with the allegorical method of our ancestors: “What meanings can I glean from the liturgy as it exists in front of me?,” rather than: “How ought it to be improved?”

I can honestly say that I had never pondered the mystery of the “session” or seatedness of the Son of God until I had seen ministers moving from the altar in a liturgically dignified manner and sitting down ceremonially at the High Mass and Solemn Mass. Until then, “sits [or is seated] at the right hand of the Father” had been no more than a line rattled off when reciting the Apostles’ Creed or the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed. Yet it is a mystery important enough to receive many mentions in the New Testament (cf. Mk 16:19, Acts 7:55, Rom 8:34, Heb 1:3, Rev 3:21), and in liturgical texts. In the Gloria itself: Qui sedes at dexteram Patris, miserere nobis: “Thou who art seated at the right [hand] of the Father, have mercy on us.” In the Credo: Et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris: “And He ascended into heaven, [and] is seated at the right [hand] of the Father.”

Moreover, in a church that had no pews in the nave, the sitting of the clergy would more obviously accentuate their special role in the liturgy. St. Thomas Aquinas quotes St. Gregory the Great (Hom. xxix in Evang.): “It is the judge’s place to sit, while to stand is the place of the combatant or helper” (Summa theologiae III, q. 58, a. 1, ad 3).

It is not exactly scripted in the rubrics when the ministers are to sit down, nor are they required to do so; they may remain standing the whole time, a posture that will always retain its resurrectional significance, as it does to this day in the Eastern tradition. Nevertheless, it was the Solemn High Mass that made the custom of being seated “click” for me.

At the "Et incarnatus est"

The ministers all kneel at the altar, as is appropriate, for the Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: et homo factus est. Then they rise and return to the sedilia at the side of the sanctuary. The priest, who primarily represents Christ in the offering of the Mass, is seated. Around this time, the schola (and in some places the people too) are singing: passus et sepultus est — Christ, having suffered, was laid in the tomb. The Creed almost suggests this natural moment of rest as it mentions the lowest and humblest point of the Savior’s descent among us.

At the same time, the subdeacon remains standing while the deacon proceeds to the credence, receives the burse from the MC, and brings it to the altar to set forth the corporal. During this time the schola is usually singing Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum Scripturas, et ascendit in caelum. The reason we can turn from the Scriptural part of the service (the Mass of the Catechumens) to the Eucharistic sacrifice (the Mass of the Faithful) is that Christ is indeed risen from the dead, and death hath no more dominion over Him. He is able to renew His sacrifice among us sacramentally precisely because He is glorified. His rising on the third day was the great opening not only of the kingdom of heaven but of the sevenfold font of sacramental grace that brings us to heaven.

Deacon carrying the burse and corporal to the altar during the Credo

Call it accidental if you wish, but I find it very beautiful that as this Christological confession is sung, the principal minister occupies a seat as does Christ the Lord in heavenly glory, while the deacon, also bearing His image, prepares the altar for the “return” of the King, and the subdeacon stands at attention. The Creed then acknowledges the seating of Christ at the right hand of the Father, and His return in glory: sedet ad dexteram Patris: et iterum venturus est cum gloria. Around this time, the deacon returns to the side, and both he and the subdeacon take their seats. In this way, the various intertwined mysteries the Creed mentions at this point (around the resurrection, ascension, and session) are all somehow put on display, as if being acted out before our eyes.

Then, when the schola sings: Et vitam venturi saeculi, “[and I believe] in the life of the world to come,” all make the sign of the Cross, the ministers rise, and the people rise as well. This final strophe of the Creed has just mentioned the general resurrection of the dead and the life without end in heaven, when all the blessed will share the glory of the risen Lord. How appropriate that the “general rising” takes place right at this point in the Creed!

It is as if we are permitted to “act out,” in a sense, certain of the mysteries confessed, even as the priest during the Canon “acts out” some of Christ’s gestures, as Michael Fiedrowicz describes:

The traditional rubrics of the Roman Canon call for a “reenacting” of Christ’s actions through the celebrating priest. He not only reads aloud the words of institution, but copies Christ’s gestures as they are described: at the moment of the accepit panem/calicem he takes the offerings in his hands, which were anointed by the blessing (in sanctas et venerabiles manus suas), lifts his eyes (elevatis oculis), gratefully (gratias agens) bows his head, makes a sign of the Cross at the benedixit, and in a humble attitude completes the transubstantiation, with his arms touching the altar, once more emphasizing the union with Christ. (The Traditional Mass, p. 274)

Postscript

Years after the above “picture” was formed in my mind, I decided to consult William Durandus, whose Rationale Divinorum Officiorum had recently entered my library. Sure enough, he had beat me to the main point, once more demonstrating that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles 1:9). Book IV, chapter 18 concerns “Of the Seating of the Bishop or the Priest and the Ministers,” of which the following lines are apropos (pp. 168–69 in the Thibodeau trans.):

He is seated in a prominent place, so that just as the vinedresser cares for his vineyard, he cares for his people; for the Lord, seated in the highest heavens, guards His city (cf. Ps 126:1)…. Sitting down after the prayer signifies the seating of Christ at the right hand of the Father after His Ascension, for the seat naturally goes to the victor. Thus, the seating of the priest designates the victory of Christ… The seating of the ministers signifies the seating of those to whom it is said: You shall also sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mt 19:28): namely, those who now reign in heaven; those who labor in the choir signify those who are as yet pilgrims in this world… Some ministers sit with the bishop, through whom is understood that the members of Christ at last have repose in peace, about which the Apostle says: He seated us together in heaven, in Christ (Eph 2:6), or else those who judge the twelve tribes of Israel; others remain standing, through whom is understood those members of Christ who continue with the struggle in this world.

* NOTE: I have decided not to address here the question of the sitting of the clergy during the Kyrie, although the enterprising reader will find it pleasant to meditate on the allegorical interpretations that might be proffered.

Visit Dr. Kwasniewski’s website, SoundCloud page, and YouTube channel.