The Most Ancient Roman Prayers of Diaconal Ordination

We continue our series on the ancient ordination prayers of the Roman Rite with those for the diaconate; the first article in this series gives an explanation of the oldest source in which they are attested, the so-called Leonine Sacramentary. In this manuscript, the prayers for diaconal ordinations are placed immediately after those of the episcopal ordination rite (numbers 948-51 in Mohlberg’s critical edition). Under the header “Benedictio super diaconos – the blessing upon deacons”, there are four orations, but no rubrics that accompany them to indicate the ceremonies with which they were said. Unlike the episcopal ordination, they are not accompanied by a Mass formula.

Domine Deus, praeces nostras clementer exaudi: ut quae nostro sunt gerenda seruitio, tuo prosequaris benignus auxilio; et quos sacris ministeriis exsequendis pro nostra intellegentia credimus offerendos, tua potius electione iustifices. – Lord God, mercifully hear our prayers, that Thou may kindly attend with Thy aid to the things which will (or ‘must’) be done by our service; and those whom we believe should be presented (lit. ‘offered’) in accord with our understanding (i.e., of their character) for the performace of sacred ministries, may Thou justify all the more by Thy election.

Oremus, dilectissimi, Deum Patrem omnipotentem, ut super hos famulos suos, quos ad officium diaconii uocare dignatur, benedictionem gratiae suae clementer effundat, et consecrationis indultae propitius dona conseruet. – Let us pray, most beloved, God the Father almighty, that He may mercifully pour forth the blessing of His grace upon these His servants whom He deigneth to call to the office of deacon, and favorably preserve the gifts of the consecration granted (to them).

His Excellency Joseph Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, saying the oration “Oremus, dilectissimi”, during a diaconal ordination at the FSSP Seminary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Denton, Nebraska, on March 30, 2019. (Photo from the wesbite of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary.)

In the very next witness to the Roman ordination rites, the Old Gelasian Sacramentary, ca. 700 AD, the order of these two prayers has been switched, and they have some slight variations in wording. Roughly 80 years later, in the Gellone Sacramentary, they have been united into a single exhortation, and thus joined, pass into the medieval ancestor of the Pontifical of Clement VIII. (These changes will be explained in detail later in this series.) The following prayer, on the other hand, dropped out of use quite early, and is only found in the Leonine Sacramentary.

Deus, conlator sacrarum magnifice dignitatum, quaesumus, ut hos famulos tuos, quos ad officium leuitarum uocare dignaris, altaris sancti ministerium tribuas sufficienter implere, cunctisque donis gratiae redundantes et fiduciam sibi tuae maiestatis adquirere, et aliis praebere facias perfectae deuotionis exemplum. – O God, the great giver of sacred dignities, we ask that Thou grant to these Thy servants, whom Thou deignest to call to the office of the Levites, suitably to fulfill the ministry of the sacred altar, and cause them who abound in all the gifts of grace to gain boldness from (their service to) Thy majesty, and furnish to others an example of perfect devotion.

The fourth prayer, which is very long, was later transformed into a preface, and appears as such in the Pontifical of Clement VIII, with a few other changes. Again, the details of these later changes will be explained further along in the series. (The letters in parentheses are Mohlberg’s editorial correction of spelling mistakes in the manuscript.)

Adesto, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus, honorum dator, ordinum distributor, officiorumque dispositor; qui in te manens innovas omnia, et cuncta disponis per verbum, virtutem, sapientiamque tuam, Iesum Christum Filium tuum, Dominum nostrum, sempiterna providentia praeparas, et singulis quibusque temporibus aptanda dispensas. Cuius corpus aeclesiam tuam caelestium gratiarum varietate distinctam, suorumque conexa(m) discretione membrorum, per legem totius mirabile(m) conpagis unitam, in augmentum templi tui crescere dila(ta)rique largiris; sacri muneris servitutem trinis gradibus ministrorum nomini tuo militare constituens, electis ab initio Leviti filiis, qui mysticis operationibus domus tuae fidelibus excubiis permanentes, hereditatem benedictionis aeternae sorte perpetua possederent. Super hos quoque famulos tuos, quaesumus, Domine, placatus intende, quos tuis sacrariis servituros in officium diaconii suppliciter dedicamus. Et nos quidem tamquam homines divini sensus et summae rationis ignari, horum vitam quantum possumus aestimamus. Te autem, Domine, quae nobis sunt ignota non transeunt, te occulta non fallunt. Tu cognitor peccatorum, tu scrutator es animorum, tu veraciter in eis caeleste potes adhibere judicium, et vel indignis donare quae poscimus. Emitte in eos, Domine, quaesumus, Spiritum sanctum, quo in opus ministerii fideliter exequendi munere septiformi tuae gratiae roborentur. Abundet in eis totius forma virtutis, auctoritas modesta, pudor constans, innocentiae puritas et spiritalis observantia disciplinae. In moribus eorum praecepta tua fulgeant, ut suae castitatis exemplo imitationem sanctae plebis adquira(n)t, et bonum conscientiae testimonium praeferentes in Christo firmi et stabiles perseverent, dignisque successibus de inferiori gradu per gratiam tuam capere potiora mereantur.

Folio 211r of the Gellone Sacramentary, ca. 780 AD, with the prayers “Oremus, dilectissimi” and “Adesto, quaesumus” in the rite of diaconal ordination. (Bibliothèque nationale de France. Département des Manuscrits. Latin 12048.)

Be present, we ask, almighty God, the giver of honors, the distributor of orders, and dispenser of offices; Who abiding in Thyself, renew and dispose all things through Thy word, Thy power and Thy wisdom, Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord; and by Thy everlasting providence, prepare and dispense what is fitting for each particular season. Whose body, Thy church, adorned by a variety of heavenly graces, and joined together in the distinction of her members, and united by the wonderful law of the whole structure, Thou grantest to grow and to spread for the increase of Thy temple; establishing that the service of sacred duty should serve Thy name in a threefold grade of ministers, having chosen from the beginning the sons of Levi to abide as faithful sentinels over the mystical workings of Thy house, and possess by perpetual lot the inheritance of eternal blessing. Peaceably do Thou also look, we beseech Thee, O Lord, on these Thy servants whom we humbly dedicate to the office of the diaconate, for the service of Thy holy places. And we indeed as men, knowing not the divine judgment and supreme understanding, appraise their lives as best we can. But what is unknown to us eludes Thee not, o Lord, hidden things do not deceive Thee. Thou art the knower of sins, Thou art the searcher of souls; thou canst truly bring heavenly judgment among them, and give what we ask even to the unworthy. With a heavenly discernment that never faileth, Thou art able to penetrate the mystery of their lives, wash away the faults that have crept into their souls and grant them to do all things which it behooveth them to do. Send forth upon them, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the Holy Spirit, by Whom they may be strengthened with the gift of Thy seven-fold grace for the faithful performance of Thy ministry. Let there abound in them the form of all virtue, mild authority, constant modesty, the purity of innocence and the observance of spiritual discipline. In their conduct let Thy precepts shine forth, so that the people may follow, in holy imitation, the example of their chastity; and bearing before them the good testimony of their conscience, may they persevere firm and steadfast in Christ, and by worthy successes deserve to rise by Thy grace from a lower grade to higher things.

Guest Article: Bishop Athanasius Schneider on the Significance of Minor Ministries in the Sacred Liturgy

NLM is grateful to His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider for offering us the first publication of his profound analysis of the ancient origins of the minor orders and their liturgical-theological rationale, together with a critique on that basis of the novel path taken in the post-conciliar period, from Ministeria Quaedam of 1972 to Spiritus Domini of 2021.

Ordination of lectors in the traditional Roman rite

The Significance of Minor Ministries in the Sacred Liturgy

1. The principle of Divine law in the liturgy

Regarding the nature of the sacred liturgy, that is, of Divine worship, God himself has spoken to us in His Holy Word, and the Church has explained it in her solemn Magisterium. The first basic aspect of the liturgy is this: God himself tells men how they must honor Him; in other words, it is God who gives concrete norms and laws for the development, even exterior, of the worship of His Divine Majesty.

In fact, man is wounded by original sin and for this reason he is profoundly characterized by pride and ignorance, and even more profoundly by the temptation and tendency to put himself in the place of God at the center of worship, that is, to practice self-worship in its various implicit and explicit forms. Liturgical law and norms are therefore necessary for authentic Divine worship. These laws and norms must be found in Divine Revelation, in the written word of God and in the word of God transmitted by tradition.

Divine Revelation transmits to us a rich and detailed liturgical legislation. An entire book of the Old Testament is dedicated to liturgical law, the Book of Leviticus; partially also the Book of Exodus. The individual liturgical norms of Divine worship of the Old Testament had only a transitory value, since their purpose was to be a figure, looking to the Divine worship that would reach its fullness in the New Testament. However, there are some elements of perennial validity: firstly, the very fact of the need for liturgical legislation; secondly, that there is a detailed and rich legislation of Divine worship; and finally, that Divine worship takes place according to a hierarchical order. This hierarchical order presents itself as concretely tripartite: high priest–priest–levite; in the New Testament, respectively: bishop–presbyter–deacon/minister.

Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to bring it to its fullness (cf. Mt 5:17). He said: “Until heaven and earth have passed away, not one iota or a sign of the law will pass, without all being completed” (Mt 5:18). This is particularly valid for Divine worship, since the adoration of God constitutes the first commandment of the Decalogue (cf. Ex 20, 3-5). The purpose of all creation is this: angels and men and even irrational creatures must praise and worship the Divine Majesty, as the revealed prayer of the Sanctus says: “The heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory” (cf. Is 6:3).

Old Covenant hierarchy

2. Jesus Christ, the supreme worshiper of the Father and the supreme liturgical minister

The first and most perfect worshiper of the Father is Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. His work of salvation had as its main purpose to give honor and glory to the Father in place of sinful humanity, unable to give a worthy and acceptable worship to God. The re-establishment of true Divine worship and the atonement of Divine Majesty, outraged due to the innumerable forms of perversion of worship, constituted the primary purpose of the Incarnation and the work of Redemption.

By constituting His apostles true priests of the New Covenant, Jesus left His priesthood to His Church and with it the public worship of the New Testament, which has for its ritual culmination the offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice. He taught his apostles through the Holy Spirit that the worship of the New Covenant was to be the fulfillment of the worship of the Old Covenant. Thus the apostles transmitted their power and their liturgical service in three degrees, that is, in three hierarchical orders, in analogy with the three degrees of the ministers of the cult of the Old Covenant.

The supreme performer of the liturgy is Christ (in Greek: hó liturgós). He contains in himself and exercises all the Divine worship, even in the smallest functions. The following words of Christ can also be referred to this fact: “I am among you as one who serves” (Lk 22:27). Christ is the minister; he is also the “deacon” par excellence. So too is the bishop, as the supreme possessor of the liturgical service of Christ. The episcopate contains all the ministries and services of public worship: the ministry of the presbyterate, the ministry of the diaconate, the ministry of the minor orders, that is, also, the service of ministers (“altar boys”). In the pontifical Mass according to the most ancient form of the Roman rite, the bishop dresses in all the robes, even of the lower orders. In the absence of all the lower ministers, the bishop himself performs all the liturgical functions of the presbyter, of the deacon, and even of the minor orders, that is, of the altar servers. In the absence of the deacon, the presbyter himself performs all the liturgical functions of the deacon and of the minor orders, that is, of the altar servers. In the absence of the deacon, the sub-deacon, the holders of the minor orders, or the altar servers can perform some of the functions of the deacon.

The vesting of a pontiff

3. The tradition of the apostles

The apostolic tradition has seen in the triple hierarchical order of the Church the fulfillment of the typology of the triple hierarchical order of Divine worship in the Old Covenant. This is what Pope Saint Clement I, the disciple of the Apostles and third successor of the Apostle Peter, testifies to us.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Saint Clement presents the liturgical order divinely established in the Old Covenant as an exemplar for the right order of the hierarchy and worship of every Christian community. Speaking of Divine worship, he states:

We must do everything in order with regard to what the Lord has ordered to do according to the appointed times. He ordered the oblations and worship services to be performed not by chance or without order. By his sovereign decision, He Himself has determined where and by whom these services are to be performed, so that all things will be done in a holy manner according to His good pleasure and pleasing to His will. For the high priest has been assigned liturgical services (liturghíai) reserved for him, priests have been given their own proper place, on the levites devolve special ministrations (diakoníai), and the layman (ho laikòs ànthropos) is bound by the laws that pertain to laymen (laikóis prostágmasin). (1 Clem 40:1-3.5)

Pope Clement understands that the principles of this order divinely established in the Old Covenant must continue to operate in the life of the Church. The most evident reflection of this order should be found in the liturgical life, in the public worship of the Church. Thus the Holy Pontiff draws this conclusion, applied to the life and worship of Christians: “May each of you, brothers, in the position that is proper to him, be pleasing to God in good conscience and with reverence, without transgressing the established rule of liturgical services (kanón tes leiturghías)” (1 Clem 41:1).

Later (cf. 1 Clem 42:1ss.) Pope Clement describes the hierarchy of the New Covenant, contained in the Lord Jesus Christ himself and concretized in the mission of the apostles. This reality corresponds to the order (táxis) willed by God. Here Saint Clement uses the same terms with which he had previously described the liturgical and hierarchical order of the Old Covenant.

From the first centuries, the Church was aware that Divine worship had to take place according to an order established by God in keeping with the example of the Divine order established in the Ancient Covenant. Therefore, in order to carry out a task in public worship, it was necessary to belong to a hierarchical order. Consequently, Christian worship, that is, the Eucharistic liturgy, was carried out in a hierarchically ordered manner by persons officially appointed for this purpose. For this reason, these agents of worship constituted an order, a sacred order, divided into three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate and diaconate, paralleling the three degrees of ministers of Old Covenant worship: high priest, priests, and levites. Pope Saint Clement in the first century designated the service of the Old Testament levites with the word “diakonia” (1 Clem 40:5). We can therefore identify here the foundation of the ancient ecclesiastical tradition, since at least the fifth century, of designating the Christian deacon with the word “levite,” for example in the Constitutiones Apostolicae (2, 26:3) and in the writings of Pope Leo the Great (cf. Ep. 6:6; Ep. 14:4; Serm. 59:7; 85:2).
 

St. Peter ordains St. Stephen a deacon (Fra Angelico)

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