Easter Sunday

 

Christus Resurrexit, Alleluia!!

Symbolism of the Easter Vigil

 

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil

(from Dom Gueranger’s The Liturgical Year)

 

Blessing of the New Fire---‘I AM the Light of the World”  --represents Our Lord

                Spark from the flint represents Our Lord rising from the sepulcher through the stone

rolled in front

                Lights out in Church---shows abrogation of the Old Law which ended with the

Temple veil torn

New fire represents the teaching of the New Law where Our Lord fulfilled all the

figures of the Old Covenant

 

Blessing of the 5 grains of incense---- represent the perfumes prepared by St Mary Magdalene for embalming

 

New light brought into the church----Lumen Christi 3 times to proclaim the Holy Trinity (Triple Candle)

 

Pascal Candle---unlighted represents pillar of cloud which hid Israelites (OT) and Our Lord in the tomb (NT)

                Lighted---pillar of fire which guided the people (OT) and Our Lord risen from the dead (NT)

 

Exultet---Joys of this glorious night

 

Incense---5 grains in the pascal candle in the form of a cross to represent His 5 wounds

                Once lit the pascal candle signifies the instant of His Resurrection

 

Lights of church are lit from the new fire---to signify that His Resurrection was made known gradually and that having opened the way, after passing through the tomb, we shall enter everlasting life.

 

The Prophecies---12 in all

 

Blessing of the Font---Sicut Cervus---stag represents the catechumens

                Priest divides the water in the form of the cross—to signify that it is by the cross that

the water receives Its power to regenerate souls

                Sprinkles the blessed water to 4 directions to show all parts of world received the

preaching of Baptism

 

Dip Pascal Candle in water---Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River when water received its future promise of Baptism and now receives its reality

                Before taking out a 3^rd time, priest breathes on water in Greek letter for Spirit

Oil of Catechumens and Holy Chrism added to water shows the superabundant

grace of Baptism

 

Baptism of Catechumens---“Resurrection” from sin to justification

Confirmation (by a bishop)---will make them perfect Christians

 

Litany of Saints---All invocations are doubled.

Priest prostrates before the altar on a cushion and leaves at Peccatores to prepare

for Mass

 

Mass begins----Kyrie---(no Introit, Offertory or Communion propers)

Gloria----bells rung, all lights come on and statues uncovered

 

Solemn return of the “Alleluia” with special chant 3x before the Gospel

At this moment all mournfulness is at an end.  One feels that God has accepted the

expiatory works of our Lent; and that, by the merits of His Son now risen from

the grave, He pardons our earth, since He permits us to hear once more the song of heaven.

 

Tract---Jesus has risen from the tomb, but has not shown Himself to all yet---only Mary Magdalene and the women

 

NO Creed---saved for 2^nd Mass---shows the hours which elapsed before the apostles, who were to preach to the world the mystery of the Resurrection, had honored it by their faith.

 

Easter Vigil

 

EASTER VIGIL

This is the greatest tragedy in the Holy Week changes.  So much symbolism was destroyed.  The order of things was changed, the Litany of the Saints divided into two parts and the creation of the vernacular Baptismal Promises facing the people.

Order of the pre-1955 Easter Vigil :

1)      Blessing of the New Fire and Incense outside

2)      Triple Candle representing the Holy Trinity is lit from the blessed fire---one candle each time Lumen Christi (3x) is sung while entering the church

a.      The dark church symbolizes the tomb of the buried Jesus

b.     The Pascal Candle which represents Christ is set up on the Gospel side near the ambo before the Vigil begins

c.      Symbolism:  The dead body of Jesus awaits in the dark tomb

                                                              i.      The Triple Candle was done away with in the 1962

                                                            ii.      The procession into church is done with the Pascal Candle in the 1962

                                                          iii.      All the above symbolism is lost

3)      Singing of the Exultet

a.      Incense is placed in Pascal Candle at the appropriate time of the prayer

b.     Pascal Candle is lit from Triple Candle at the appropriate time of the prayer

                                                              i.       Symbolism--this signifies the moment of His Resurrection

4)      The Prophecies --- 12 are chanted (4 in 1962; NO back to 8)

a.      Creation                            Genesis 1

b.     The Deluge                       Genesis 5

c.      Sacrifice of Isaac             Genesis 22

d.     Crossing the Red Sea       Exodus 14

e.      Isaias 55

f.        Baruch 3

g.      Ezechiel 37

h.      Isaias 4

i.        Passover Lamb               Exodus 12

j.        Jonas 3

k.      Deuteronomy 31

l.        Daniel 3

5)      Blessing of the Baptismal Font and Baptism of Catechumens

a.      Procession to the Baptistry with the Pascal Candle while singing Sicut Cervus

b.     Blessing the Font with the Oil of Catechumens and Chrism

c.      Baptism of any catechumens

                                                              i.      None of this is done in the sanctuary “facing the people”, but in the baptistry

                                                            ii.      Sicut Cervus is sung before the blessing of the font, etc, NOT after

                                                          iii.      Symbolism:  the yearning of the catechumens for baptism

6)      Litany of Saints---The priest and sacred ministers prostrate before the altar

a.      The Litany is doubled---all invocations are repeated with 2 cantors/choirs

b.     Priests leave at Peccatores . . . in order to vest for Mass

                                                              i.      The servers decorate the altar with flowers

                                                            ii.      Light candles for Mass

7)      Mass---all the omissions of the Easter Vigil are the same in both pre-1955 and 1962

a.     Priest begins with Prayers at Foot of the Altar and Confiteor

b.     No Introit

c.      Kyrie

d.     Gloria---bells rung and organ played throughout; statues uncovered  

e.      Alleluia--- special chant 3x

f.        Gradual and Tract

g.      Gospel

h.      No Credo---(the Apostles did not believe yet)

i.        No Offertory Antiphon

j.        No Agnus Dei

k.      No Communion Antiphon

l.        Short form of Vespers:  Psalm 116 and Magnificat

m.   Ite, Missa Est, Alleluia, Alleluia!

n.     Last Gospel is read

 

Good Friday

 

GOOD FRIDAY 

The Good Friday Liturgy is called the Mass of the Presanctified and consists of 4 parts:  Lessons and the Passion, Great Intercessions, Veneration of the Cross and Communion.   The candles on the altar are of unbleached beeswax in simple candlesticks.  The only times these candles are used are in Requiem Masses.  They denote death and mourning.  This is what greets you when you enter the church. 

1.      Lessons and the reading of the Passion

a.      Priest enters in black chasuble which he wears until the unveiling of the cross

b.     Lessons are read from the Epistle side

c.      Reading of the Gospel is distinct from the Passion

d.     Passion and Gospel are read from the Gospel side

                                                              i.      Incense after the Passion and before Gospel

                                                            ii.      Chant tone changes when singing the Gospel

2.      Great Intercessions:

a.      Chanted on the Epistle side

b.      In the prayer for the Jews, we do not genuflect. 

                                                              i.      This is because they mocked Our Lord by genuflecting to Him in His Passion

3.      Veneration of the Cross:  The entire liturgy is focused on the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

a.      Celebrant takes off his chasuble and only has black stole crossed over the surplice

b.     The veiled crucifix on the altar since last evening has been waiting for this moment of unveiling----actually the whole 2 weeks of Passiontide.

c.      Once unveiled, all other crucifixes in the church are uncovered.

d.     “Creeping to the Cross”---Everyone takes off their shoes and makes 3 genuflections before venerating the cross---not just the priests and altar boys.

e.      The crucifix is placed on a cushion on the floor.  In venerating it, you must kneel and bow all the way down to the floor.  (This is an incredibly moving experience for one who has never done this before!)

4.      Communion: 

a.      Celebrant puts the black chasuble back on

b.     A full triumphal procession with Thurifer, Crucifer, Acolytes and Sacred Ministers moves from the Altar of Repose to the Main Altar while singing the hymn Vexilla Regis to bring the Blessed Sacrament back to the main altar.

c.      Only the priest receives holy communion.  There is only one host in the chalice from last evening.

d.     Once the host is consumed, the entire church is filled with emptiness for Our Lord is truly gone and the tabernacle is empty.

e.      Good Friday ends very quietly.

Holy Thursday

 

HOLY THURSDAY

Relatively speaking, not too much was done to Holy Thursday. 

The Washing of the Feet is a separate ceremony AFTER Mass.  Usually it is carried out in another room outside of church.  (It is not in the middle of Mass as in the 1962). 

The hosts for holy communion do not have to be consecrated at the Holy Thursday Mass as required in the 1962.

There are two hosts consecrated on this day. 

Before the ablutions, the 2^nd host is placed in a chalice, covered with a white veil which is tied with a white ribbon around the stem of the chalice.  This is carried in procession to the altar of repose.  (Unlike using a ciborium with multiple hosts in the 1962.)

At the stripping of the altars, the covered crucifix with the six High Mass candles remain on the altar.  It is ready to be unveiled on Good Friday.  Everything else is taken out. 

 During the stripping of the altars, Psalm 21 and its Antiphon is recited in a monotone.  It is not sung.  All is sorrow and mourning in the church.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, 

All Praise and All Thanksgiving, Be Every Moment Thine!

Spy Wednesday

 

Today the Passion account of St. Luke is read.   The connection to the Last Supper and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist is omitted in the 1962.

The text is Luke 22: 1-71; 23: 1-53

The Gospel is separate from the Passion.  It is Luke 23: 50-53.

Holy Tuesday

 

Today the Passion account of St. Mark is read.   The connection to the Last Supper and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist is omitted in the 1962.

The text is Mark 14:1-72; 15:1-46

The Gospel is separate from the Passion.  It is Mark 15: 42-46.