Lyonese Propers and Chants for the Feast of SS. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

The purpose of this post is not to argue for or against the traditional Western view that St. Mary Magdalene, St. Mary of Bethany (sister of SS. Martha and Lazarus), and the sinful woman who anoints Christ's feet are one and the same person. For a long time it has been fashionable to assume that this identification is false. A strong case in favor of it was made just last year by Clement Harrold (here); further details about the interesting history of the Magdalene's liturgical feast may be found in this piece by Gregory.

Here, rather, I should like to share several rare liturgical offices from the rite of Lyons, which, instead of the Roman feast of St. Martha by herself, celebrated a combined triple feast of SS. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, the siblings of Bethany. I will share the Hours of the Divine Office with their antiphons and hymns, the five proper antiphons of the Mass, and the readings from a breviary sans music; I will also share the first page of a Mass handout of which, unfortunately, I cannot find the remainder. These prayers, antiphons, and chants are extremely beautiful, and one wonders how different the liturgical reform might have been, had such resources been taken advantage of for the desired "enrichment," instead of buried with the rest of the Western patrimony.

As usual, click on any image to enlarge or download.

Lyonese Gradual:

Alas, I have no more of the pages of this handout!

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“Eucharistic Concelebration: Theological, Historical, and Liturgical Aspects” — Guest Article by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

New Liturgical Movement is pleased to be able to publish online the following incisive text by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, which also appears in print in the latest issue of Latin Mass magazine. In the first part, His Excellency looks at the historical roots and theological implications of Eucharistic concelebration, while in the second part he makes a concrete proposal for how concelebration might be rarely but appropriately used and how its ceremonial ought to unfold. This rich presentation comes at a critically important time, as concelebration has once again been much in the news.—PAK

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, Papal Mass (1832)

Eucharistic Concelebration:
Theological, Historical, and Liturgical Aspects

Bishop Athanasius Schneider

I. The Theological and Historical Aspect

1. The first Holy Mass was celebrated by Our Lord in the cenacle. This Mass did not have the form of a sacramental concelebration because the apostles did not pronounce the words of consecration; only the Lord pronounced them. The apostles participated in the Eucharist, celebrated by the Lord, by sacramentally receiving His Body and His Blood. We could say they “concelebrated” in the first Mass in the form of a non-sacramental concelebration.

2. From the earliest times, the universal Church (both in the East and in the West) conserved faithfully this original form of Eucharistic concelebration with these two characteristics:

1. The main celebrant alone pronounces the words of consecration;
2. The main celebrant is always and exclusively the “high priest,” i.e. the bishop (and in Rome the Pope).

3. In the beginning of the Middles Ages, in the Papal Liturgy in Rome there was a development of the original form by the fact that the concelebrants pronounced the words of consecration together with the Pope (cf. Ordo Romanus III, 8th century).

4. However, down to the present, the most ancient Oriental churches—the non-Catholic Greek Byzantines, the non-Catholic Copts, and non-Catholic Nestorians—have conserved the norm that only the main celebrant pronounces the words of consecration.

5. Until recent times in the universal Church, a priest never presided as the main celebrant of a Eucharistic sacramental concelebration.

6. From the seventeenth century on, the Byzantine Catholic churches introduced an innovation, that is, the form of concelebration among priests without a bishop as the main celebrant. Thereby the concelebration among priests became usual (cf. the article “Le rituel de la concélébration eucharistique” of Aimé Georges Martimort in Ephemerides Liturgicae 77 [1963] 147–168).

7. Such a form of Eucharistic concelebration only among priests was alien to the universal and constant tradition of the Church. Therefore the Roman Church forbade such concelebration among priests (cf. can. 803 of the Code of Canon Law 1917).

8. Only the Catholic Oriental churches adopted the custom that all concelebrants pronounce the words of consecration.

9. Until the Second Vatican Council, in the Latin Church a Eucharistic sacramental concelebration, where all concelebrants pronounce the words of consecration, was practiced only on three occasions:

1. Episcopal consecration: only the main consecrator and the newly consecrated bishops concelebrated.
2. Priestly ordination: only the bishop and the newly ordained priests concelebrated.
3. Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday in the Cathedral of Lyons (France): the bishop concelebrated with six priests.

10. For the Chrism Mass, the Roman Church conserved until the Second Vatican Council however the most ancient form, i.e. the words of consecration pronounced only by the bishop, although twelve priests assisted him clothed with all the vestments required for Mass. With this form, the Roman Church perhaps wished to recount the first Holy Mass on Holy Thursday, where the main celebrant, Jesus the High Priest, alone pronounced the words of consecration while the twelve apostles concelebrated non-sacramentally, since they did not pronounce together with the Lord the words of the sacramental consecration.

11. In the millennial tradition of the Roman Church, sacramental Eucharistic concelebration constituted always an extraordinary solemn act, which occurred on:

1. Ecclesiastically important circumstances, which reflected the hierarchically ordered constitution of the Church, such as in the aforementioned episcopal consecrations and in priestly ordinations;
2. When the bishop celebrated Mass in a most solemn and hierarchically structured form, such as was the case in the Chrism Mass of Lyons, or when the Pope (in the first millenium) celebrated solemnly on the four highest feasts in the year: Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Ss. Peter and Paul (a custom that ceased in Rome in the high Middles Ages).

P. Villanueva, Blessing of the Chrism on Holy Thursday in the Lateran Basilica (ca. 1900)

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Another Solemn Mass in the Rite of Lyon

Earlier this summer, we shared photos and video of a solemn Mass in the traditional Rite of Lyon celebrated on the feast of the city’s patron, St Irenaeus, at the FSSP’s church there. On September 6th, the solemn Mass was once again celebrated, this time for the feast of the church’s patron, St Just, a 4th century bishop of Lyon. Our thanks to the FSSP Apostolate in Lyon for permission to reproduce some photos of the Mass from their Facebook page, and our congratulations to Fr Brice Messonier, who has worked patiently for many years to restore the regular use of the Lyonaise Mass, to his confreres Frs Hubert Lion and Côme Rabany, and all the church’s servers. This Mass was also a farewell for Fr Messonier, who is now taking up the leadership of Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, the FSSP church in Rome, and we wish him all the best in his new assignment.

The cross-bearer and thurifer wear a garment something like a stole called an “orfrois de tunique – the orphrey of a tunicle”, since it looks like the decorative bands of a tunicle, which in the Middle Ages was very often worn by acolytes on solemn feasts. The two acolytes who carry the candles wear full albs with the cincture, as was generally done in the Middle Ages.

The subdeacon does not usually stay with the priest and deacon as he does in Roman Mass; his “default” position, so to speak, for the Mass of the Catechumens is in the first choir-stall on the Epistle side.

As in the Dominican Mass, there is no incensation of the altar at the beginning of the Mass, so the priest goes straight to the reading of the Introit.

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Video of Solemn Mass in the Rite of Lyon

The Fraternity of St Peter’s apostolate in Lyon, France, has just posted to its YouTube channel a video of the solemn Mass celebrated on Sunday, June 28th, in the Rite of Lyon for the feast of St Irenaeus. We have previously published articles on the Rite of Lyon, and featured some celebrations of it, but this was the first time the Mass was done solemnly within recent memory. Below the video, I have written a few notes (not comprehensive!) on some of the particular features of the rite, which the video also displays very nicely. For those who care to follow along, the following link from the apostolate’s website gives the full Ordo Missae of Lyon in Latin and French: https://www.communicantes.fr/semaine-sainte/ordinaire-lyonnais.pdf.

Once again, we offer our congratulations to the clergy and servers of the church of St Just for their efforts to maintain and preserve this beautiful part of the Church’s liturgical patrimony.

There is no Master of Ceremonies; the acolytes wear full albs, and keep their hands crossed over their chests when not carrying something. The thurifer and chief acolyte wears a garment called an “orfrois de tunique – the orphrey of a tunicle”, since it looks like the decorative bands of a tunicle, which in the Middle Ages was very often worn by acolytes on solemn feasts. The subdeacon’s “default” position, so to speak, for the first part of the Mass is in the first choir stall on the Epistle side; he does not stay with the priest as the deacon does.

The altar is not incensed at the beginning of the Mass (as also in the Dominican Rite). During the Gloria, at “Suscipe deprecationem nostram”, the clergy kneel in front of the altar. The subdeacon takes the lectionary from the credence behind the altar, which is itself in the form of a smaller altar, and goes with it back to his place in the choir to sing it; the tone of the Epistle is quite different from the Roman one. When finished, he brings it to the deacon. In the meantime, the deacon takes the missal and its stand to the credence; then he and the thurifer bring the book to the celebrant for the silent reading of the Epistle, Gradual etc. The Mass has a Sequence, during which the deacon, subdeacon and thurifer go to the credence behind the altar for the preparation of the chalice. (Parts of the prepration of the chalice were done at this point in many medieval Uses, including those of the Dominicans and Carmelites.) The missal is placed back on the altar, and the Gospel procession forms. A homily was delivered, but is not included in the video.

For the second part of the Mass, the subdeacon’s default position is at the credence behind the altar. During the Creed, a genuflection is made at “simul adoratur.” When it is finished, the first thing brought to the altar (by the subdeacon) is the pax brede. The priest washes his fingers immediately, after which the subdeacon brings the chalice to the altar, and the offertory prayers are said. The Lyonaise Mass traditionally uses a very large corporal, the back section of which is pulled up and over the chalice to cover it, rather than a pall. Incense is imposed, and the priest incenses the altar unaccompanied, after which there is a second lavabo. The deacon is incensed, but no one else is. At the start of the Canon, the subdeacon, who was previously standing at the credence with the paten, moves to the Epistle side of the altar; notice that the veil under which he holds it is not a humeral veil.

At the Unde et memores, the priest extends his hands outwards in the form of a cross, a custom found in nearly every medieval Use of the Roman Rite, apart from that of Rome itself. The subdeacon brings the paten back to the credence. At the Per ipsum, the priest keeps the Host in his hands, and holds it over the chalice during the Lord’s Prayer, elevating both the Host and Chalice at “sicut in caelo”, then laying down the Host and covering the Calice at “panem nostrum...” The Embolism is sung outloud. The pax is given with the brede. (It is not clear from the video if anyone else kisses it after the priest and deacon.) The deacon does not turn to face the people for “Ite, missa est.”

A Recent Solemn Mass in the Rite of Lyon

This past Sunday, a solemn Mass was celebrated in the traditional Rite of Lyon at the Fraternity of St Peter’s church in that city, the Collegiate Church of St Just, for the feast of the local Patron Saint, the 2nd-century bishop and martyr Irenaeus. We have featured the Mass of Lyon a few times in the past, but this is the first time, as far as I know, that it has been done solemnly within recent memory. I personally don’t know much about the rite, and so I will limit my comments on the pictures; if I make any mistakes, or omit anything of interest, I would be grateful to any readers who can correct or add to what I write here in the combox. Further down is a picture of an interesting and absolutely unique vestment. Congratulations to the clergy of St Just for their efforts to maintain and preserve this beautiful part of the Church’s liturgical patrimony, and our thanks for their permission to reproduce these photographs.

The two acolytes who carry the candles wear full albs with the cincture, as was generally done in the Middle Ages.

Note that the columns of the church are partly or wholly decorated with red coverings for the feast day; this is not a specifically Lyonese custom, but was widely observed throughout Europe, and is still kept in some places.

When not holding something in their hands, the acolytes keep them crossed over their chest as we see here.

When the priest is at the Missal, he is accompanied only by the deacon...

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Photos of the Mass of Lyon

We recently shared a brief video of part of the Lyonais Mass, offered by Fr Brice Meissonier at the Collegiate Church of St Just, the home of the FSSP apostolate in Lyon. The Facebook page of FSSP Lyon has recently posted several photos which illustrate some of the other proper customs of the Use of Lyon. Our thanks for their permission to reproduce them here on NLM, and our congratulations to them for their valuable efforts to preserve this beautiful tradition. Multa renascentur quae jam cecidere!

The amice is worn over the alb.

Ash colored vestments (couleur cendrée) are worn on the ferias of Lent.

At the Offertory, the celebrant places the host on the paten; stretching out his hands, he says “Dixit Jesus discipulis suis: Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi. Si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in aeternum. Jesus said to His disciples: I am the bread of life. If anyone shall eat of this bread, he shall live forever.” He then makes the sign of the cross in silence.

After preparing the chalice at the right side of the altar, the celebrant puts the paten with the host on the chalice, and makes the sign of the Cross over them in silence.

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A Brief Video of Mass in the Rite of Lyon

The FSSP apostolate in Lyon, France, which has its home in the Collegiate Church of St Just, has been offering Mass in the traditional Rite of Lyon for quite some time now, in addition to the traditional Roman Mass. Currently, there is a regularly scheduled Low Mass at 8:30 every Sunday and holy day of obligation; the plan is eventually to bring it up to a regular sung or solemn Mass. This is an important act of conservation for a unique liturgical tradition, since Lyon was one of the very few French sees to continue using its medieval rite after the Tridentine reform, although many changes were made to it in the neo-Gallican period. Here is a video which shows the Mass from the end of the Canon to the Fraction Rite.

Several difference from the Roman custom are immediately noticeable. The priest is holding the Host over the chalice when the says “Per omnia saecula saeculorum” at the end of the Canon, and he keeps it there through the Our Father, elevating it together with the chalice at “sicut in caelo.” He then lays it down, and then lifts the back of the corporal, which is of course much larger than a Roman one, over the chalice. (This is simply the ancient version of the pall, which in the Roman and other uses, was later detached from the corporal and became a separate piece.) The embolism is said out loud in a low Mass; it would be sung in a Missa cantata or solemnis. The Agnus Dei is said aloud immediately after the Fraction and “Pax Domini”, and the priest drops the particle into the chalice saying “Haec commixtio.”

Ash Wednesday 2017 Photopost

As always, thanks to all the readers who send in photographs of their Ash Wednesday liturgies. Our headliner is definitely a first for NLM: ash-colored vestments (couleur cendrée) from the Fraternity of St Peter’s church in Lyon, a classically medieval custom of the ancient use of Lyon. We wish you all a blessed and holy Lenten season. Our next photopost will cover the feasts of St Joseph and the Annunciation, and Laetare Sunday, which all fall within a week of each other this year; a request will be posted the week before.

Collegiate Church of St Just - Lyon (FSSP)

Tradition is for the young!

St Catherine Labouré - Middletown, New Jersey

Bethany House Chapel - Singapore

This is a chapel in a home for retired priests; very edifying to see the faithful put up with a bit of crowding to attend the holy Mass on this important day!

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The Theology of the Offertory - Part 7.4 - Medieval French Uses

At the time of the Tridentine reform, the liturgical authorities of each diocese (both cathedral chapters and bishops) and religious order were permitted to adopt the liturgical uses of Rome, as represented by the Missal and Breviary of St Pius V, although they were not required to do so if their own tradition was at least 200 years old. In France, Paris and Lyon were almost unique in choosing to retain their traditional medieval Uses in the later 16th and early 17th centuries; ironically enough, for they would later as sees become the leaders of the liturgical reform movement now usually called “neo-Gallican”, which would destroy so much of the living medieval tradition.

The Church of Lyon is one of the most ancient in France, as attested by the famous martyrdom of a large group of Christians there in 177, and the illustrious career of its bishop St Irenaeus, a disciple of St Polycarp, who was in turn a disciple of St John the Evangelist. The archbishops of Lyon are traditionally called “Primate of the Gauls”, although there are several other French sees which claim primatial dignity under various titles. Lyon also proudly maintained a number of unique and interesting liturgical customs until the time of the neo-Gallican movement, when the rite was extensively mauled by two of its archbishops, Charles-François de Rochebonne (1731-40) and Antoine de Montazet (1758-88). Some of these customs were partly restored in the mid-19th century with the publication of a “Romano-Lyonais Missal”. However, this latter is simply the Missal of St Pius V with some additions from the older liturgy of Lyon (most notably the rites of Holy Week), rather than a romanized version of the Use of Lyon.

The see of Paris is also very ancient, being founded in the middle of the 3rd century, but remained a suffragan of nearby Sens until 1622. Since Paris also retained its proper use after Trent, and would later play so prominent a role in the neo-Gallican movement, we will here consider the medieval Offertories of both sees along with that of Lyon. I have taken the texts from the Missal of Lyon in an edition of 1620, that of Paris from an edition of 1602, both available on googlebooks. The Sens Missal of the 15th century can be consulted on the website of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The Use of Lyon

As with many other medieval Missals, and the later printed editions based on them, the Missal of Lyon has no Ritus servandus, the long rubric which explains in detail how exactly the Mass is celebrated. This is true even of the printed editions as late as the 1680s.

As in the Dominican and many other medieval uses, the host and chalice were prepared before the Offertory; there is no rubric to explain exactly what was done or when. At Lyon, this was done with a much more elaborate text. “Over the host” the celebrant says, “Dixit Jesus discipulis suis: Ego sum panis vivus, qui de caelo descendi; si quis manducaverit ex hoc pane, vivet in aeternum. – Jesus said to his disciples: if any man shall eat of this bread, he will live forever.” As he pours the wine into the chalice, he says, “De latere Domini nostri Jesu Christi exivit sanguis. –From the side of Our Lord Jesus Christ came forth blood.” This occurs in other Uses as well, but Lyon has a uniquely elaborate formula to be said as he puts in the drop of water. “Et aqua, pro redemptione mundi, tempore Passionis, id est, mysterium sanctae Trinitatis. Joannes Evangelista vidit, et testimonium perhibuit, et scimus quia verum est testimonium ejus. – And water, for the redemption of the world, at the time of His passion, that is, the mystery of the Holy Trinity. John the Evangelist saw, and bore witness, and we know that his witness is true.”

At the Offertory proper, when the priest uncovers the chalice, he says the words of Psalm 115 which are said in the Roman Rite at the priest’s communion, “What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me? I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” Taking the chalice with the paten and host on top of it in his hands he says, “Hanc oblationem quaesumus omnipotens Deus ut placatus accipias, et omnium offerentium, et eorum pro quibus tibi offertur, peccata indulge. – We ask Thee, almighty God, that Thou may peaceably receive this offering, and forgive the sins of all that offer it to Thee, and of those on whose behalf it is offered to Thee.”

He then raises them and says “In spiritu humiltatis” with the same form used in the Dominican Use. “In a spirit of humility, and in contrite heart, may we be received by Thee, o Lord; and so may our sacrifice take place in Thy sight this day, that it may be received by Thee, and please Thee, o Lord.” Lyon adds “Through Christ our Lord” to the end of this.

At the washing of the hands, the priest says only two verses of Psalm 25, “I will wash my hands among the innocent; and will compass thy altar, O Lord: that I may hear the voice of thy praise: and tell of all thy wondrous works.” There follow the words of the Alleluia of the Mass of Pentecost, without the Alleluia itself: “Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium, et tui amoris in eis ignem accende. – Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle within in them the fire of thy love.” Here Lyon is very similar to the Uses of York and Hereford, noted in the previous article in this series, which also place an invocation of the Holy Spirit from the Pentecost liturgy right after a very short Lavabo.

The priest then inclines before the altar and says the Lyonais version of Suscipe sancta Trinitas. This is very close to the original version of the prayer attested in the late 9th-century Sacramentary of Echternach, with the notable addition of a reference to the Holy Spirit.

Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offero in memoriam Incarnationis, Nativitatis, Passionis, Resurrectionis Ascensionisque Domini nostri Jesu Christi, necnon Sancti Spiritus consolationis, et in honore semper Virginis Mariæ, et in honore omnium Sanctorum qui tibi placuerunt ab initio mundi, seu eorum quorum hodie festivitas celebratur, et quorum nomina et reliquiae hic habentur, ut illis proficiat ad honorem, nobis autem ad salutem; ut illi omnes Sancti pro nobis intercedere dignentur in caelis, quorum memoriam agimus in terris.
Receive, o holy Trinity, this offering, which I offer to Thee in memory of the Incarnation, Birth, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the consolation of the Holy Spirit; and in honor of the ever-Virgin Mary, and in honor of all the Saints who have pleased you from the beginning of the world, and of those whose feast is celebrated today, and whose names and relics are kept here; that it may profit unto their honor and our salvation; that all those Saints whose memory we keep on earth, may deign to intercede for us in Heaven.

The Orate fratres is as follows, similar to those other uses originating in France: “Orate pro me, fratres, ut meum sacrificium et vestrum fiat acceptabile ante conspectum Domini. – Pray for me, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may become acceptable in the sight of the Lord.” The response, which is noted in the Missal as “The reponse of the people”, is unusually long. “Dominus Deus omnipotens suscipiat sacrificium de ore tuo, et de manibus tuis, ad utilitatem sanctae suae Ecclesiae, et ad salutem omnis populi Christiani, et ad remedium omnium fidelium defunctorum, Amen. – May the Lord God almighty receive the sacrifice from thy mouth and from thy hands, for the good of His Holy Church, and for the salvation of all the Christian people, and for the remedy of all the faithful departed. Amen.”

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Lyon

The Use of Paris

The Missal of Paris places two prayers over the chalice, analogous to those of Lyon mentioned above, at the beginning of the Missal, among the prayers which the priest says in preparation for Mass. They are followed by the vesting prayers, indicating that the wine and water were put into the chalice in the sacristy. At the pouring of the wine, the priest says, “De latere Domini nostri Jesu Christ exivit sanguis et aqua baptismatis, in remissionem peccatorum. – From the side of our Lord Jesus Christ came forth blood and the water of baptism, unto the forgiveness of sins.” At the water, he says, “Commixtio vini et aqua pariter fiat. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti Amen. – May there be a mingling of wine and water together. In the name of the Father etc.”

When the priest uncovers the chalice at the Offertory, he says the first verse of Psalm 115 given above, “What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me?” The second verse is said as he takes hold of the chalice with the paten and host on top of it, “I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” He then elevates them with both hands, and says the Parisian variant of Suscipe sancta Trinitas.

Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offerimus in memoriam Incarnationis, Nativitatis, Passionis, Resurrectionis et Ascensionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, necnon et adventus Spiritus Sancti Paracliti, et in commemorationem beatae et gloriosae semperque Virginis Dei Genitricis Mariæ, et in honore omnium Sanctorum qui tibi placuerunt ab origine mundi, ut illis proficiat ad honorem, nobis autem ad salutem; et ut illi omnes pro nobis intercedere dignentur in caelis, quorum memoriam agimus in terris.
Receive, o holy Trinity, this offering, which we offer to Thee in memory of the Incarnation, Birth, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and also of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; and in honor of the blessed and glorious and ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and in honor of all the Saints who have pleased you from the beginning of the world; that it may profit unto their honor and our salvation; and that all those whose memory we keep on earth, may deign to intercede for us in Heaven.

Laying down the paten, and placing the host at the feet of the chalice, the priest then covers the chalice, and says, joining his hands, “Veni, ineffabilis Sanctificator, et sanctifica hoc sacrificium, in tuo nomine praeparatum. In nomine Patris etc. – Come, ineffable Sanctifier, and sanctify this sacrifice, prapared in Thy name. In the name of the Father etc.”

In an edition of 1481, there follows a rubric, “The offering of the people being made, if it is to be made, he goes to wash his hands…” In the 1602 edition, the words said “at the offering of the people” are given: “Centuplum accipietis, et vitam aeternam possidebitis. – A hundred-fold ye shall receive, and ye shall possess eternal life.” Neither of these Missals contains a Ritus servandus, but the offering of the people is explained thus in the rubrics of the neo-Gallican Parisian Missal of 1766.

…while the Offertory is sung by the choir, the celebrant, after bowing to the altar, descends with the deacon, subdeacon and other ministers… and standing in the middle of the lowest altar-step, or at the gates (of the sanctuary) … between the deacon and subdeacon, he receives the offerings, and profers the paten to be kissed by those who make them; priests, deacons and subdeacons kiss the upper side, all others kiss the lower side. Those who come up bow before and after they kiss it. If the celebrant is the bishop, he sits, and those who come forward kneel and kiss his episcopal ring, bowing before and after.

The Lavabo is said as in the Roman Rite, followed by a slightly different version of In spiritu humilitatis : “In a spirit of humility, and in contrite heart, may we be received by Thee, o Lord; and so may our sacrifice take place in Thy sight, that it may be received by Thee this day, and please Thee, o Lord, my God.”

Kissing the altar to the right, he then turns to the people and says the Orate fratres in a version very similar to that of the Sarum Use: “Orate pro me, fratres et sorores, et ego pro vobis, ut meum pariter et vestrum in conspectu Domini sit acceptum sacrificium. – Pray for me, brothers and sisters, and I will pray, for you that my sacrifice, which is equally yours, may be accepted in the sight of the Lord.” As in the Dominican Rite, there is no reply.

The page before the Canon of a Parisian Missal ca. 1400, from the Heidelberg University Library 

The Use of Sens

The Missal of Sens gives only the texts of the Offertory rite, and some very brief rubrics; it should not be presumed that they are even intended to be complete. The first prayer given is said “when the priest offers incense on the altar”; by analogy with what we have noted above and elsewhere on the Offertory rites of other Uses, it seems likely that something else was done from memory which is not noted in the Missal, (e.g. lifting up the chalice and saying “I will take the chalice of salvation.”)

Suscipe sancta Trinitas, oblationem incensi hujus de manibus meis, et per hanc oblationem dimitte nobis debita nostra, et tribue nobis misericordiam tuam.
Receive, o Holy Trinity, the offering of this incense from my hands, and through this offering, forgive us our sins, and grant us Thy mercy.

This is followed by a “prayer”, with no further specification, the words of Psalm 140 commonly said at the incensation, “Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as an evening sacrifice.” The priest washes his hands, saying only one verse of Psalm 25, “I will wash my hands among the innocent etc.” He then bows over the altar and says In spiritu humilitatis, as at Paris, followed by the local variant of Suscipe sancta Trinitas; the names of the Apostles Peter and Paul are added to the prayer, but the clause “who have pleased Thee from the beginning of the world, and whose names and relics are kept here” is omitted.

Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offero in memoriam Incarnationis, Nativitatis, Passionis, Resurrectionis atque Ascensionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, et in honorem beatae et gloriosae semperque Virginis Mariæ Genitricis Dei, et beatorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et omnium Sanctorum Dei; ut illi omnes intercedant pro nobis in caelis, quorum memoriam facimus in terris.
Receive, o holy Trinity, this offering, which I offer to Thee in memory of the Incarnation, Birth, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ; and in honor of the blessed and glorious and ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints of God; that all those whose memory we keep on earth, may intercede for us in Heaven. 

The Orate fratres is as follows: “Orate pro me, fratres et sorores, et ego pro vobis: ut meum vestrumque sacrificium acceptabile fiat ante conspectum Domini. – Pray for me, brothers and sisters,  and I will pray for you, that my sacrifice and yours may become acceptable in the sight of the Lord.” The response is: “Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium istud de manibus tuis, ad tuam et ad nostram salutem, et ad salutem omnium fidelium defunctorum. Amen. – May the Lord receive this sacrifice from thy thy hands, for thy salvation and ours, and the salvation of all the faithful departed. Amen.”

Two leaves of a 15th century Missel of Sens; the prayers of the Offertory begin with the third rubric of the second column. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Latin 864(2) 

Ceremonial Details of the Pontifical Mass in the Rite of Lyons - Part I: Mass of the Catechumens

We have spoken before of the rite of Lyons (see: Rite of Lyons and the relevant section of Liturgical Variations in the Most Unlikely of Places: The Paten for just two examples). What has particularly struck me about the Lyonese rite are the ceremonial descriptions we hear of it when offered in its pontifical form.

In the past we have shown some illustrations of this, but I was very pleased to discover some further illustrations as well as some photographs of the Pontifical Mass in the Rite of Lyons offered Holy Thursday in 1934, by Louis-Joseph Cardinal Maurin, Archbishop of Lyons and Primate of Gaul within the Primatial Church of St. John.

Accordingly, I thought I would share them while taking the opportunity to give some further ceremonial details about the Pontifical Mass in the rite of Lyons, taken primarily from Archdale King's Liturgies of the Primatial Sees, Notes on Catholic Liturgies and further supplemented by La Messe Pontificale Lyonnaise: Explication illustrée des cérémonies published in Lyons in 1939. (See here)

* * *

Terce and Vesting

To begin with, a brief mention might be made to note that at the Mass of the Archbishop in the Primatial Church the office of Terce was always sung immediately preceding Mass, intoned by the archbishop who would then retire to vest in the sacristy while it was being sung.

Procession

In describing the procession of the Pontifical Mass of the Lyons rite, Archdale King describes 36 individuals as taking part in this solemn entry, which occurs during the singing of the introit. The procession is in this order:

• Seven acolytes in red cassocks with trains and girded albs carrying candles;
• Crucifer and crozier-bearer in copes;
• Seven subdeacons in tunicles (six "induti" subdeacons and the "canon subdeacon" bearing the archepiscopal cross);
• Seven deacons in dalmatics (with the "canon deacon" holding the crozier);
• Six "concelebrant" priests in chasubles (what this means will be covered in part II);
• Two priests in copes holding the gremial, with Archbishop between;
• Trainbearer for the primate;
• Four insignia bearers - book, bugia, mitre, maniple.

In addition to these are the "suisse" and mace-bearer who head of the procession. (See Notes on the Catholic Liturgies, p. 130)

Lest it be missed, it would be worth noting here that within this mix we see the number seven figure prominently:

• seven acolytes;
• seven subdeacons;
• seven deacons;
• and, inclusive of the archbishop himself with his six assistant priests, seven priests.







A Word About the Altar and Sanctuary of the Primatial Church

One will note in the above pictures that there is a difference between the high altar seen in the first two and the last. Namely, in the first two, the altar is surrounded by a railing; in the latter it is not. This was as a result of revisions to altar and sanctuary undertaken during the French revolution by one Bishop Lamourette who saw this (and the rood screen) removed. The new altar was pushed forward, and accordingly, the choir ended up behind the altar. This arrangement was not again revised until 1936, when the altar was restored to its original location with the balustrade around it. (The chancel screen was not restored however.) While this might seem rather insignificant on the surface, in point of fact there is more to it liturgically.

According to King, inside that space delineated by the balustrade was what the Lyonese referred to as the "holy of holies". The balustrade had three doors: the "holy door" reserved for the use of the archbishop (or officiating canon outside pontifical Mass), and two side doors for use of the other sacred ministers -- one cannot help recognize the similarities here with the Byzantine iconostasis with its three doors and their own particular ceremonial function. King tells us that in the period of its loss and prior to the restoration of this screen in 1936, it was symbolically and ceremonially represented by a carpet -- something which will be seen in the photographs below. (See Liturgies of the Primatial Sees, p. 33)

One might also note an object seen on the altar. Archdale King explains: "A cushion of the liturgical colour, on which lies the textus or gospel-book, is placed in the middle of the altar for Mass on semidoubles (and over). It is removed to the credence when the book has been kissed at the conclusion of the gospel." (Ibid., p. 32) While just barely visible, it is also worth noting that the Lyonese custom for the middle altar card was that it be in the form of a triptych, and further, no cards were found at the sides of the altar. (Ibid.)

Mention should also be given to the smaller altar seen directly behind the high altar. This is the altar of St. Speratus, which also functioned as a kind of credence for solemn Masses.

Finally, I would make note of the ratelier, which like the rood screen, was lost in the 18th century and never restored; a great candelabrum which, prior to 1748, stood before the high altar.



On the ratelier stood seven candles, one of which burnt all the time, and the other six being lit for the various Offices.



Much more could be said about some of the ceremonial which surrounded these elements or the ceremonial implications of their removal, but we shall let that suffice and continue on with our consideration of the Pontifical Mass.

Preparatory Prayers

After the solemn procession we come to the preparatory prayers at the foot of the altar. The seven subdeacons would take their position in the lower part of the choir until the Gloria and the seven acolytes would place their seven candlesticks within the chancel near the sanctuary in a line, and then stood and faced each another with their arms crossed over their breasts.

The assistant priests and the deacons stand in a line on either side of the primate for the preparatory prayers.


The Confiteor seen with the older altar with its balustrade


The Confiteor as seen in the arrangement of the Primatial Church on Holy Thursday 1934, taken from behind the high altar looking toward the nave. One will note here the line of assistant priests and deacons, and one can also see the acolytes behind with their seven candles still in their hands as well as the subdeacons proceeding to their spots. The altar seen here is the 19th century altar that was replaced only two years later. You will note the absence of the balustrade and also the absence of the rood screen. The altar of St. Speratus, used as a credence, may be clearly seen.

Following the prayers at the foot of the altar, the archbishop and his six assistant priests go to the altar. The archbishop goes to the centre, and the assistant priests to the sides of the altar, kissing it at the same time as the archbishop (who himself kisses the altar and then also the gospel book that is placed on the cushion).

Kyrie and Gloria

Unlike the Roman rite, the altar is not incensed at this point -- though King mentions two standing bowls of incense near the altar. The Archbishop proceeds to his throne which is located within the apse directly behind the high altar, his assistant priests are seated around him. The introit is prayed and Kyrie sung, followed by the Gloria. During the Gloria (and collects), the seven acolytes again take up their candles.

During all of this, the seven deacons remain in a line facing the altar, "to represent the seven angels who stand constantly before the throne of God" (as La Messe Pontificale Lyonnaise describes it).




The seven deacons lined up facing the altar, the seven acolytes holding their candles and the Archbishop seated on the primatial throne, surrounded by his assistant priests




During the Collect


The Archbishop of Lyons on his primatial throne. One can see the large gremial that is carried by the coped attendants before him in the procession.

Readings and "Administration"

After this comes the Epistle which is read by the subdeacon while seated, and with an assistant subdeacon holding the book before him on a cushion.

Following the Epistle and while the gradual is being sung, comes the Lyons equivalent of the praegustatio ceremony, called the "administration". This took place in a side chapel.


The "Administration" or Tasting of the Wine



This ceremony involved the tasting of the wine and is described by King accordingly:

The participants in the ceremony include the acolytes, subdeacons, deacons, a priest in a cope, the first 'perpetual', another in a mozetta, and the sacristan... The senior subdeacon carries the empty chalice with the paten and host, covered with a veil (pavillon); the senior deacon, the cruet of wine raised in his right hand' while the priest in mozetta brings the burse and corporal. On arrival in the chapel, the acolytes and ministers form two lines, with the senior acolyte in the middle near the entrance. The priest in the corporal goes up to the altar, where he unfolds the corporal, places the vessels on it, and, extending his hands over the host, says: Dixit Jesus discipulis suis, etc. The deacon then presents the wine, which the manilier tastes... (Liturgies of the Primatial Sees, p. 109)

Once the wine had been tasted, it would be poured into the chalice and brought back to the altar of St. Speratus. Water will then be added. All of this occurs prior to the Gospel.

The Gospel is proclaimed, and at both its beginning and conclusion, the subdeacon incenses the cross three times. Prior to the removal of the rood screen, the gospel was proclaimed from the rood loft.

After the veneration of the gospel book, the Creed is then said.

This concludes the consideration of the Mass of Catechumens. Part II will consider the Mass of the Faithful.