CEREMONIAL ACCORDING TO THE ROMAN RITE. PART I. OF SOLEMN HIGH MASS. CHAPTER I. RULES TO BE OBSERVED BY ECCLESIASTICS IN CHOIR. ARTICLE I.-The Mode of proceeding to Choir. 1. THOSE of the Clergy who are vested in cassock and cotta should issue from the sacristy, two and two, united in such a manner, that the right shoulder of the one may come nearly in contact with the left of the other; and thus each two, maintaining an equal distance from the other, will proceed with measured pace, grave deportment, and heads uncovered, holding their berrettas with both hands, below the breast. 2. Having arrived at the Altar they genuflect to the Cross,1 observing in this action, as well as in slowly and composedly arising, a simultaneous motion, which constitutes the uniformity and decorum of ceremonial observance. The second and third pair, and so on, in succession, will genuflect in the same place and manner as the first; for which reason it is essential that those who follow should proceed at a slower pace than those more in advance, and thus enable them to genuflect without any appearance of hurry. After the genuflection, those who form each pair, face one another, mutually bow, and retire to their places at opposite sides of the choir, where they remain standing.2 1 It should be here observed, that although the Blessed Sacrament is not in the Tabernacle, yet a genuflection is to be made by all Ecclesiastics except Canons, and this not only at arriving before the Altar, but also before the Bishop. (Carem. Epis. lib. i. cap. xviii. n. 3.) 2 The Ceremonial frequently enjoins that Ecclesiastics, on going into choir, shall kneel and remain some time in prayer; but this appears to presume that they do not enter processionally. B ARTICLE II.-The different postures to be maintained in Choir. 3. The postures to be maintained in choir are the standing, the sitting, and the kneeling. At the time proper for each of these, all should be in uniformity, no single individual interrupting the general regularity by retaining a peculiar position. Note. The clergy will observe not to kneel at the Elevation of Low Masses which are said during choir-time, according to a decree of the "Sacred Congregation of Rites," March 5, 1667.1 They are also recommended to attend with a prompt obedience to every intimation from the Master of Ceremonies in all that regards the Divine Offices (June 4, 1817). 4. During High Mass, all retain the standing posture from the time the sacred Ministers go up to the Altar after the Confiteor, until they have said the Kyrie; from the intonation of the Gloria in excelsis, until the Celebrant and his Ministers are seated; while the Celebrant sings the Collects; while the Deacon sings the Gospel, until the Celebrant has terminated the Credo; during the singing of the Dominus vobiscum and the Oremus for the offertory; while the choir is being incensed; while the Celebrant sings the Preface, until in conjunction with the Ministers he has said the Sanctus; after the Elevation until the Priest has received the Precious Blood; and finally, from the Dominus vobiscum, at the Post-Communion, until the end of Mass. 5. The clergy should kneel-those in choir while in the act of singing are excepted (Rubr. Miss. XVII. n. 7)—from To avoid any scandal which might arise from such a circumstance, the Sacred Congregation enjoins that the bell at the Elevation of a private Mass be not sounded during the time of Divine Office in Choir. (S. R. C. 27 Aug. 1836.) 2 The following rules may also here be given: -1st. When the Celebrant intones the Gloria and the Credo; when he chants Dominus vobiscum, Oremus, the Collects, and the Preface; and during the whole of the time in which the standing position is retained from the Preface to the Communion, the Ecclesiastics in choir should be turned with their faces towards the Altar. 2nd. At the Gospel they should turn towards the Deacon who sings it. 3rd. At the Benediction at the end of Mass they should turn towards the Bishop or Priest who imparts it. 4th. At all other times in which they stand, they should be turned in choro; i. e. they on the Gospel side should face those on the Epistle side, and vice versa. An exception will necessarily be made for those Ecclesiastics who may be engaged in singing. Canons and others who repeat certain parts of the Mass inter se, will necessarily then be turned a little towards each other. the beginning of Mass until the Celebrant and his Ministers rise to the Altar; when the Deacon sings the Flectamus genua, observing to rise when the Subdeacon sings the Levate; while the Subdeacon sings in the Epistle, In nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur, until the word infernorum inclusively; in Lent during the singing of the Adjuva nos, and at Pentecost during the Veni Sancte Spiritus; during the singing of the Et Verbum caro factum est, and the Et incarnatus est of the Credo in the Masses of Christmas and the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin-(if the Feast of the Annunciation be transferred, the genuflection is made on the day of translation only-Sacred Congregation of Rites, June 16, 1663)1; from the Sanctus until after the Elevation; and after the Indulgentiam is said by the Celebrant at the Communion of the clergy. (Ex. Decr. S.R.C. Martii 21, 1711.) In the ferial Masses of Advent, Lent, Ember seasons, and Vigils, whether they be fasting days or not, and in Masses for the Dead, they should kneel at the Collects; from the Sanctus until the Pax Domini inclusively; and at the Post-Communions. The Vigils of Easter, Pentecost, Christmas, and the Ember-days at Pentecost are excepted. (Rubr. Miss. part i. tit. xvii. n. 3, 5.) When the clergy are neither standing nor kneeling, as prescribed above, they sit covered.3 6. The clergy should take off the berretta whenever they stand up, whenever they are saluted by the sacred Ministers or others who enter or leave the choir, and also on all occasions which require an inclination of the head. They should take off their zucchettos in the act of genuflecting, That is to say, on those days, even those who are parati, as well as the Celebrant and his Ministers, should kneel; for on ordinary occasions, all in choir (Canons excepted) should kneel whilst the Et incarnatus est is being sung. (Carem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. viii. n. 53; S. R. C. Maii 23, 1846; Merati, part ii. tit. vi. n. 7.) 2 At the Benediction of the Priest at the end of Mass, all in choir except Canons kneel. (S. R. C. 27 Aug. 1836.) 3 They will sit, therefore, 1st, from the time the Celebrant has recited the Kyrie, until he intones the Gloria, or sings the Dominus vobiscum; 2nd, during the singing of the Gloria and Credo, after the Ministers have recited them at the Altar, observing not to sit down till the Celebrant is seated, and to rise when he rises; 3rd, from the commencement of the Offertory until the Preface, or until the Deacon comes to incense the choir; 4th, after the Communion, until the Dominus vobiscum, which precedes the Post-Communion. They should observe not to sit down till after the Priest's communion is completed; and if Holy Communion be given to clergy or laity, not until the ciborium has been replaced, and the door of the Tabernacle closed. 4 I. e. the round skull-cap. |