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ADVENT: 1st Vespers in St. Peter’s Basilica
The Holy Father celebrated 1st Vespers in the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter this evening. The Holy Father’s cope was weird, at first. It suggests the medieval.
The ceremony took place at the main altar. The Holy Father’s throne was placed not in front of the altar as they usually do for Mass, but rather over to the side next to St. Longinus. There were two young deacons vested in dalmatics. The basilica was quite full, though not entirely jammed. Large crucifix and six rather modern and unattractive candles were on the altar. There were many members of the curia and apostolic household, including almost 30 Cardinals, all in choir dress, with their birettas properly in place. I think only one Cardinal didn’t have his biretta on when seated. These, you know, are the important things. Among the usual Roman suspects, I saw Cardinal Egan of New York and, I believe, Archbishop Burke of St. Louis.
The Holy Father intoned Deus in adiutorium meum intende. He made a brief reflection after the introduction. The Sistine choir was present, with the pueri cantores whose polyphonic parts alternated with the congregation. The hymn was, of course, Cónditor alme siderum.
Unfortunately, the Antiphons and psalms were sung by the choir, horribile auditu, in Italian. The antiphons were extremely annoying new compositions. The psalms were in Italian with an even more annoying and unfamiliar new melody. The psalms were sung alternately by cantors with the usual effeminate voices and the congregation. The canticle from Philippians was sung mainly by two cantors, alternating, interspersed with the congregation occasionally inserting the antiphon. That was annoying too. It is as if they can’t just let the congregation listen. The congregation also sang the concluding antiphons. Each psalm was followed by a short pause and then a prayer in Italian recited by the Holy Father. The prayers have no parallel in the Latin Liturgia horarum. As usual a Italian woman religious read the reading from 1 Thessalonians.
The Holy Father spoke his sermon. I made notes on it, but haven’t digested them yet. He did have a nice reflection on the meaning of the verb "to come" when applied to God.
The Short Responsorial was in Latin. They used the Magnifcat antiphon for Year B. It was polyphonic with the choir alternating with the congregation who sang in the usual Gregorian tone. The Holy Father incensed the altar during the Magnificat.
The intercessions were in vernacular languages but the little response was in Latin: Veni, Domine, et noli tardare.
Pater Noster was in Latin, but they inexplicably and irritatingly added the Protestant Quia tuum est regnum… which amused the Holy Father who, having been interrupted, seemed not to have been expecting it. He was about to start the prayer. The concluding Collect was in Latin. A three-fold solemn blessing in Latin finished it off and the deacon sang Ite in pace. Finally, Alma Redemptoris Mater was sung, appropriately for Advent.
His Excellency, the Master of Ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini looked at his watch on the way down the nave. Yes, Your Excellency, the clock is ticking.
Here’s hoping the Holy Father has come out of sheer beauty in the Orthodox setting and falls by default into our horrible mess with a big ear jolt. Maybe this will push him to do something about it. It’s long overdue. Heck, it’s 40 years overdue!
Too bad they didn’t sing, “The King of Glory’s Coming and Don’t You Forget It.” But I digress. It sounds like they sounded bad enough to do the trick.
Comment by michigancatholic — 2 December 2006 @ 7:04 pmMittenda est Marini!
(I’m sure that is incorrect; my high school Latin in rusty.)
Comment by Christopher — 2 December 2006 @ 7:17 pmI thought Archbishop Marini would have a different
Comment by Khaled — 2 December 2006 @ 8:13 pmAssignment by now.
In the photo, the Holy Father looks to be wearing an Anglican-style mitre.
Comment by Siobhan — 2 December 2006 @ 8:40 pmThe cope almost looks red…is that the famous “Roman purple”?
Comment by Tim Ferguson — 2 December 2006 @ 8:43 pmI thought the vestments were beautiful.Another website had other picture of the cope which seemed to me to be modern medieval,a form I try to get vestment makers to make.As for the mitre,medieval mitres are usually short.I am surprised the psalms were in Latin.When the Pope went to Germany they were in Latin and everyone including the Protestants (it was an ecumenical service of vespers)chanted them.Recently the Pontifical organist,the organist to the Pope,visited my parish and performed a concert.While at dinner he told of a recent incident about these vespers.He said the Pope had mandated that the vespers were to be sung in latin and then when he celebrated them they were sung in Italian.After the ceremony he gathered all who were responsible and said,”I said that I wanted vespers in Latin…..LATIN!”,the latter word was said emphataically his fist pounding whatever was near.If the Popes wish is everyones command (as some or many Catholics naively stll think)there would be no problem.And Marini isn’t even French.
Comment by fr.franklyn mcafee — 2 December 2006 @ 9:03 pmYes, the choir was annoying. I had to turn the sound down. The Bavarian choirs that we heard during Papa’s German trip were so much more pleasant to the ear. Can you explain why the Sistine choir is always this nail-on-the-chalkboard irritating?
Comment by Argent — 2 December 2006 @ 9:07 pmArgent: Good question. Maybe because they all want “Mamma” to hear them on TV?
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 2 December 2006 @ 9:25 pmFather:
You may like to know that with the photos from Yahoo that you post, there is a way that you can get a slightly larger, non-pixellated (from having been resized down) version.
Just take the URL, for example,
http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20061202/i/r967132815.jpg?x=230&y=345&sig=1reZS2a2nb7ZJVrNyeqAxg—; – and delete everything after “.jpg” (i.e. delete the question mark and forward). Then you get the largest possible version of the photo that is available through Yahoo.
So in your code the URL for the above photo of the Holy Father holding the thurible would be
http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20061202/i/r967132815.jpg
God Bless.
Comment by Adam van der Meer — 2 December 2006 @ 10:26 pmThe cope that the Holy Father wore for the opening of the Great Jubilee takes the award for the all-time worst, I think:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/575000/images/_578051_door150.jpg
I tend to agree with Fr. McAfee that this one that Pope Benedict wore wasn’t so bad, although I have to say that I don’t understand the strange red and gold “window pane” trim.
Comment by Adam van der Meer — 2 December 2006 @ 10:30 pmThank you, Father Z. for this post. I’m glad I didn’t tape this Vespers broadcasr by EWTN like I sometimes do.
The Papal cope I’ve seen before. It’s rather beautiful when you look at it long enough…and indeed very much in a Medieval style.
The unattractive candlesticks etc. is typical Marini doing, as is the horrible music, women lectors, and the Protestant part of the Pater Noster. The inclusion of the Protestant version of the Pater Noster was the biggest disgrace.
I am beginning to think that Pope Benedict XVI isn’t in charge of anything after all. The Papal Mass in Turkey (after the magnificent Greek Orthodox Divine Liturgy at the Phanar) was an embarassing example of minimalism at its worst.
It might as well have been a Protestant service.
I think Patriarch Bartholomew with His rich liturgical heritage of the Orthodox Church must think we Catholics are truely pathetic to have thrown out our own 1,500 year liturgical tradition in favor of the garbage of the Novus Ordo.
Where is the Pope’s directives/instructions/observations after the Synod on the Holy Eucharist LAST year?! Where is the Papal “Moto Proprio” allowing a return to the Tridentine Mass? Where is any direction of any kind from Pope Benedict XVI?
I remember Benedict XVI saying at the very beginning of His Pontificate that His reign would be short, and that He wasn’t going to do much except see that the teachings of John Paul II were absorbed by the Church.
Comment by Alexei Michaelenko — 2 December 2006 @ 10:46 pmTruely He hasn’t done much, and if this is His stated preoccupation rather than making His own decisions, and guiding the Church along a liturgical renewal then I have to state that it is a really misguided and sick priority.
Maybe the sound of the Sistine choir is because they are Italian.My father who was an organist and voice teacher was solidly of the Italian school (although he was Irish).He used to tell me that there was a great difference between the sound of the Italian school of singing and the English.Come to think of it I cant recall any records (CDs)of an Italian choir-even the Sistine-but the number of English choirs,Anglican and Catholic,are many.Even the Americans can boast of great choirs-the national cathedral’s men and boys,numerous Anglican choirs,the Boystown choir and the children’s choir of Harlem.Then there is the Vienna Boys choir.But great Italian choirs? And I am a great lover of Italian opera. On the other matter of the reform of the liturgy, I agree with Alexei.Certainly the writings of Pope JP had to be put into practice but he could do no greater honor to his predecessor thatn to pick up the universal indult which he wanted to issue but was hassled by the French (among others).Benedict must know that this is his moment.With the predicted disaster of the Turkey visit turned miraculously into a papal triumph he should take the opportunity to issue the motu proprio and that Exhortation which he curiously keeps referring to but never issues.Also the visit with the Patriarch gives him insight into the woes of the present liturgy.But he must ACT.Or else all his writings look like complaints instead of a program for authentic renewal.
Comment by fr.franklyn mcafee — 2 December 2006 @ 11:28 pmI loved that cope, although it did look more red than purple. Not sure why a purple colour would be worn during Advent, since purple is more usually associated with Lent.
On the question of the vestments, and following on from Fr McAfee comments above, I design and make modern mediaeval vestments: well, I try to. The mediaeval period encompassed some very diverse styles of vestments.
Thanks be to God for the safe return of our beloved Benedict from Turkey.
Michael of the Saint Bede Studio.
Comment by Michael Sternbeck — 3 December 2006 @ 12:18 amI agree with Adam van der Meer that this cope is not nearly as bad as Pope JPII’s which he wore to open the Holy Doors.
Is it a mortal sin to just simply do the liturgy the way the books say to do it? Why do liturgists have to make up so many things? I read this account of the 1st Vespers of of Advent and then looking at the outward actions of the Orthodox Mass and then the next day’s Novus Ordo Catholic Mass and keep thinking what is it going to take to get the liturgical situation cleaned up. I mean, the Patriarch pretty much handed us our liturgical posterior on a plate, if I may use the saying.
Comment by Roman Sacristan — 3 December 2006 @ 6:03 amDoes the Holy Father not look things over before a liturgy is put into motion to make sure some of this goofy stuff doesn’t happen? I know he shouldn’t have to, but with Marini …
Sounds characteristically safe. “How long, Oh Lord?! How Long!?”
Comment by Father Bartoloma — 3 December 2006 @ 12:52 pmMarini will be in office as Papal Master of Ceremonies a full 20 years in March, 2007. TWENTY YEARS
! I don’t think any Papal Master of ceremonies has had such a long run. And what a disaster He has been. I don’t know if everyone realizes it…but Marini’s mentor was the infamous Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, the very man who with the help of 5 Protestant ministers and other liturgical quacks after Vatican II created the “Novus Ordo” out of nothing in 1969 and presented it to the Church as the “New Mass of Paul VI”. Marini was then in His late 20’s, but was still on Bugnini’s team and is a 100% supporter of the liturgical garbage that came in after Vatican II, and is 100% against Catholic tradition and the Tridentine Latin Mass. It was He, who with John Paul II’s blessing sacked the aged but revered Maestro of the Sistine Choir Monsignor Domenico Bartolucci. The Sistine Choir sounded much better under the aged Bartolucci, but He was removed unceremoniously in a disgraceful coup in 1998 when Marini maneuvered a new man into the post who was like himself a 100% modernist and against Catholic tradition. Hence, since 1998-99 we’ve had the awful liturgies and horrible music. With regards to the liturgy and Catholic tradition, John Paul II should absolutely be criticized in the strongest terms, for He approved of this coup, and during His entire reign did absolutely nothing about correcting/restoring the liturgy and preserving Catholic liturgical traditions. INdeed, the cope He wore, and the horrible opening ceremonies for the opening of the Holy Doors for the 2000 Holy Year Jubilee were the biggest liturgical betrayal of Catholicism under John Paul II. Remember the elephant tusk horn and the Japanese koto playing woman in kimono during the opening ceremonies, Dec. 24th 1999? John Paul II came limping in wearing His “Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” cope with Marini, pushed the Holy Door open, and then sat on a plastic chair inside the door and smiled as people passed thru. Then of course we can’t forget the disaster of John Paul II the next day opening St. John Lateran’s doors. He stood there flanked by a Greek Orthodox Archbishop (which was fine), but also with the Protestant so-called “Archbishop of Canturbury” and the three of them gave St. John’s Holy Door a big push. What a betrayal of Catholic Faith and tradition. Even the Italian people were stunned..and not in a good way. And we can’t forget all the circus Masses and bizarre innovations a la Archbishop Piero Marini over the last 20 years.
But His term expires Mary 17th, 2007. St. Patrick’s Day. Let us hope He gets His walking papers, and is replaced by a traditionalist Catholic….and not by just another Monsignorial hack who is already a member of the Vatican Liturgy crew. That would be just like replacing Marini…with another Marini. New blood is needed.
Let us hope that all the hopes many of us have in Pope Benedict XVI with regards to the liturgy are well counded by then. Let us hope that by then, the instructions from the “Syond on the Holy Eucharist” will have been published
and will have been as traditional and as stern as we
hoped…and also the Moto Proprio allowing a full return of
the Tridentine Latin Mass will be published…much to the
Comment by Alexei Michaelenko — 3 December 2006 @ 2:08 pmwailing and knashing of teeth, beating of breasts and hissy
fits from Marini and company.
Mr Michaelenko,
There is no reason to be upset or outraged that the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury opened the Holy Door at the Lateran with the Pope. It never happened as you suggest, unless Dr Carey had the power of bi-location, since he was at Canterbury Cathedral on Christmas Day, 1999. And the night before, at no point in the liturgy was Pope Wojtyla seated on a plastic chair.
Of course, there is much to be desired in the liturgies “choreographed” by Mgr Marini, but I think too often unsubstantiated hearsay has been told and retold, perhaps in good faith, but this does not help the cause of reform.
Comment by Az — 3 December 2006 @ 5:22 pmI think that Mr Michaekenko is talking about the Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity at St Paul’s Outside the Walls in January 18th 2000.
Comment by Zadok the Roman — 3 December 2006 @ 5:34 pmHe should simply announce verbally his wishes on a network like EWTN who will publicize them without changes. What can they do to him?
He is brave enough to face the Turks. He needs to be brave enough to face the wolves.
Perhaps they are telling him he will not be listened to by us. They are wrong. 100% wrong.
We already love him and will obey him.
Marini should be sent off to Calcutta to do social work and brought back in his casket.
Comment by michigancatholic — 3 December 2006 @ 6:09 pmBy the tone of my previous post, you can see also that like Alexei, I have my doubts about what the Pope can get through his machinery to us. I think this has been the case for some time, perhaps starting before PJP2. It is a travesty.
I am a convert. Much about the Church is very beautiful, but there are some devastatingly nasty things like this that still occur. I’ve been Catholic for over 20 years but I’m still often appalled at some of the things that go on.
There is something terribly dark and creepy that has occurred in the Church—I don’t know what, but there is and I don’t think it’s just the human failings of those in the Church.
Comment by michigancatholic — 3 December 2006 @ 6:20 pmOften times, I have been accused of being too harsh, and to verbal in my criticism of Vatican II, and most especially of John Paul II, whom I personally think fooled everyone. He was, in my opinion and in the opinion of many other Catholics…(alright even many so called “sedevacantists”) not a good Pope in that He did not in any forceful or concrete way address any of the problems in the Church.
) They are a collection of (to be honest), very weak or even lapsed Catholics who don’t really believe in the Catholic Church but are there for the power and influence, Freemasons, dissident liberals with an agenda to push etc., and even (yes even in the Vatican as in many USA diosecean chancellory buildings) a clique of priests, monsignori and higher ups who are sympathetic to the agenda
Comment by Alexei Michaelenko — 3 December 2006 @ 6:43 pmCertainly not in the liturgy, religious life, priestly formation, disipline etc.
Unfortunatly, His priorities were ecumenism with Protestant groups, inter-religious dialog with all sorts of religions whatever, and socio-political justice and peace issues. And lastly, trying to endlessly appologize for the supposed wrongs, errors, and sins of the Catholic Church.
The liturgical mess we are in today is first and foremost the fault of Paul VI, who was influenced by people who basically were not even Catholic anymore (Bugnini was actually a Freemason, as were many Cardinals and Bishops from the time of Vatican II and all thru the reign of JP II). Paul VI was much like Benedict XVI….a super intellectual who thought things thru very slowly (but often listening to the wrong people).
It is this group of “wrong people” who unfortunatly still rule in the Vatican today. The issue of the possibility of an allowance for the use of condoms in the Catholic Church (GOD FORBID
I made a mistake in my above comment alittle. After the sentence ” It is this group of “wrong people†who unfortunatly still rule in the Vatican today. The issue of the possibility of an allowance for the use of condoms in the Catholic Church ( FOR ANY REASON GOD FORBID
) IS AN EXAMPLE OF THEIR CONTINUING INFLUENCE AND PRESENCE).
And at the end it should read——” and even (yes even in the Vatican as in many USA diosecean chancellory buildings) a clique of priests, monsignori and higher ups who are sympathetic to the agenda which is supportive of homosexuals
What the Church needs is a Pope a la Pius IX or Pius X to “clean house” without fear of any backlash ( such as the French Bishops and the upcoming Moto Proprio on the return of the true Mass (Tridentine Mass).
Comment by Alexei Michaelenko — 3 December 2006 @ 6:56 pmUnfortunatly (and not only because of His age), I don’t think Benedict XVI is that Pope. He could be, but after almost 2 years and no action I doubt it.
Alexei Michaelenko: You wrote: “I have been accused of being too harsh, and to verbal in my criticism of Vatican II, and most especially of John Paul II,...”
Yes, and I am starting to be of that same opinion. That is not, however, what this blog is for. Kindly keep that in check, please.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 3 December 2006 @ 7:01 pmBTW, those Italian collects after each psalm (and the canticle) could be the same as the psalm-prayers in the US edition of the Divine Office, no? I have a little booklet from Veritas publishers (Dublin) that contains them, but have been unsuccessful in tracking down the original Latin. I understand these were to be included in the never-published 5th volume of the Liturgia Horarum, along with the two-year cycle of readings and a large supplement of patristic readings.
Fr Z., do you have any information as to why the 5th vol. was never issued? I must say I would rather like to have the psalm-prayers in the Latin original, not so much to use them at Office, but because some of them even in English are rather good prayers (e.g. one for Ps 44(45), I think). Also, I’d love a supplement of Patristic texts, so whenever the Breviary throws up some boring passage from Vat. II about love, peace, etc. (when the 1st reading is from Maccabees!!) I could read something worthwhile instead.
I take it that the Holy Father’s homily for Vespers in some measure compensated for all the Marini rubbish. Now a collection of Benedict’s homilies could well compare to the great sermons of Leo, Gregory, et al.
Comment by Joshua Martin — 4 December 2006 @ 1:15 amI watched last year’s First Vespers of the First Sunday of Advent, but I missed this year’s. From the description, it appears to be very much the same as last year.
His Holiness wore the same cope last year, but it had a matching violet and gold orphrey with an Agnus Dei morse, rather than the seemingly ill-matched red and gold orphrey on the cope this year. (See pictures from last year’s Vespers at http://www.catholicpressphoto.com/servizi/2005-11-26-vespri-web/default.htm).
The very fact that Pope Benedict began the worldwide broadcast of this Vespers liturgy was an important initiative on his part. (Did John Paul even celebrate this Vesperal office solemnly?) Would that more bishops and priests would follow His Holiness’ lead, which is manifestly according the mind of the Church.
Sacrosanctum Concilium:
100. Pastors of souls should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually.
General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours:
20. The liturgy of the hours, like other liturgical services, is not a private matter but belongs to the whole Body of the Church, whose life it both expresses and affects. This liturgy stands out most strikingly as an ecclesial celebration when, through the bishop surrounded by his priests and ministers, the local Church celebrates it. For “in the local Church the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church is truly present and at work.” Such a celebration is therefore most earnestly recommended. When, in the absence of the bishop, a chapter of canons or other priests celebrate the liturgy of the hours, they should always respect the true time of day and, as far as possible, the people should take part. The same is to be said of collegiate chapters.
21. Wherever possible, other groups of the faithful should celebrate the liturgy of the hours communally in church. This especially applies to parishesâ€â€the cells of the diocese, established under their pastors, taking the place of the bishop; they “represent in some degree the visible Church established throughout the world.”
22. Hence, when the people are invited to the liturgy of the hours and come together in unity of heart and voice, they show forth the Church in its celebration of the mystery of Christ.
Comment by Greg Smisek — 4 December 2006 @ 7:19 amOften times, I have been accused of being too harsh, and to verbal in my criticism of Vatican II, and most especially of John Paul II, whom I personally think fooled everyone. He was, in my opinion and in the opinion of many other Catholics…(alright even many so called “sedevacantistsâ€Â) not a good Pope in that He did not in any forceful or concrete way address any of the problems in the Church.
Certainly not in the liturgy, religious life, priestly formation, disipline etc.
Unfortunatly, His priorities were ecumenism with Protestant groups, inter-religious dialog with all sorts of religions whatever, and socio-political justice and peace issues. And lastly, trying to endlessly appologize for the supposed wrongs, errors, and sins of the Catholic Church.
The liturgical mess we are in today is first and foremost the fault of Paul VI, who was influenced by people who basically were not even Catholic anymore (Bugnini was actually a Freemason, as were many Cardinals and Bishops from the time of Vatican II and all thru the reign of JP II). Paul VI was much like Benedict XVI….a super intellectual who thought things thru very slowly (but often listening to the wrong people).
It is this group of “wrong people†who unfortunatly still rule in the Vatican today. The issue of the possibility of an allowance for the use of condoms in the Catholic Church (GOD FORBID) They are a collection of (to be honest), very weak or even lapsed Catholics who don’t really believe in the Catholic Church but are there for the power and influence, Freemasons, dissident liberals with an agenda to push etc., and even (yes even in the Vatican as in many USA diosecean chancellory buildings) a clique of priests, monsignori and higher ups who are sympathetic to the agenda
My problem is not that what you say is harsh—but rather that much of it is just dumb. You do more harm than good when you shoot off your mouth yet about things you do not understand. I understand your frustration. Mine is tenfold for very concrete reasons—not just holding my nose every Sunday at mass).
Some comments:
1. Modernism is a precise theological term that denies Revelation. Those who mangled the liturgy were more influenced by Protestantism’s denial of the Eucharistic sacrifice than by Modernism.
2. BXVI has almost nothing in common with PVI. BXVI was a professional intellectual as a University Professor. As a Cardinal he was well known for understanding the mentality of those who opposed the Church (some of whom were priests, bishops, and Cardinals) and speaking his mind.
PVI was a Vatican careerist and diplomat who thought he was a professional intellectual. His intelligence doesn’t even approach that of Ratzinger. Montini also was your garden variety Ecclesiastical liberal, i.e., someone more interested in going after the lost sheep than in tending the flock. IMHO, he was someone who was sadly out of touch.
3. Marini, like other careerists, has shown himself not to be a liberal leopard but rather a chameleon. Probably, his favorite Church feast now is Oktoberfest, insisting that he has always preferred Paulaner bier to i vini Albani.
4. I would have like JPII to have done more, but he made a huge difference, especially in the first 10 years of his papacy. During the Montini years there were many seminaries in the US that forced out candidates just because they opposed the “ordination” of women.
Comment by RBrown — 4 December 2006 @ 2:58 pmDuring the 90’s I used to tell people that JPII named men Cardinals who were in many ways more conservative than he.
“Montini also was your garden variety Ecclesiast