![o{]:¬)](http://www.wdtprs.com/blog/wp-images/topimage.JPG)
Benedict XVI: Mass of the Lord’s Supper
The Mass is in his Cathedral, St. John Lateran.
Preaching from his cathedra:
The viri selecti are getting ready.
The Holy Father, girded, on his way:
Washing feet
Just a good shot!
Thank you, Father, for these screenshots. I wasn’t able to connect to the CTV Web feeds. I will have to catch the replay on EWTN later tonight. [Does CTV actually broadcast worldwide? Is it possible to get CTV on a cable or satellite channel?]
Comment by techno_aesthete — 20 March 2008 @ 12:20 pmIt’s nice to see the Papal MC holds his hands as in position of prayer. His predecessor used to use the basic undertaker technique.
Comment by RBrown — 20 March 2008 @ 12:33 pmWasn’t it wonderful to see the Holy Father put on a deacon’s dalmatic during the Washing of the Feet as a sign of Christ the Servant!
Comment by FloridaJohn — 20 March 2008 @ 12:51 pmI don’t have EWTN and don’t have the patience to sit in front of a computer monitor watching anything longer than a Strongbad email. :-) BUT—we just got Catholic Radio in the Bay Area recently, and I was able to listen to beloved Papa B intoning the Eucharistic prayer. How beautiful. It was an odd sensation, actually, driving over to my kids’ school, and then on to the drugstore, while feeling so connected with the liturgy in Rome. I wanted to roll the car windows down and start telling random people, “Hey! Turn on your radio! It’s the Pope saying Holy Thursday Mass!”
Comment by Margaret — 20 March 2008 @ 12:59 pmThis Mass was definitely an improvement in comparison to last year’s Mass, one thing though, I noticed that the Gloria was the Gloria from Missa de Angelis, at my FSSP Parish we use Gloria IV Missa Cunctipotens Genitor Deus for this day and as I recall last year’s Holy Thursday Mass (both the Chrism and the Mass of the Lord’s supper) were to the tone of Gloria IV, any ideas?
Comment by rpg3 — 20 March 2008 @ 1:22 pmI thought the liturgy was very nice. I love the chanting of the Eucharistic Prayer. The “Pange Lingua” seemed to use two different chant melodies instead of one. I was suprised that the Second Reading was chanted in Greek, what with the Gospel being chanted in both Latin and Greek (which is normal for Papal Masses).
Comment by Geoffrey — 20 March 2008 @ 1:29 pmWait, where are all the women? Don’t women get their feet washed, too? I bet it would make everyone FEEL better if there were some ladies up there.
Isn’t this all about FEELINGS anyway?
Just kidding. :) Have a blessed Tridium.
Comment by gjoe — 20 March 2008 @ 1:55 pmHave you seen thus guy?
http://tradycja.org/var/pap4.jpg
He came to the Pope, got a blessing, talked to the Holy Father few words, got the Host in hand, then Pope… took the Host back to the ciborium, searched for something, gave something to this guy, but not in hand! Just stick His fingers to this guy’s fingers and he went back. What’s going on?
Comment by pjo — 20 March 2008 @ 2:41 pmpjo: I don’t recall that. I did notice two people had their arms crossed and received a blessing from the Holy Father. I am thinking they were of the diplomatic corps? Otherwise, it would be very odd to be chosen to receive Holy Communion from the Holy Father and not receive!
Comment by Geoffrey — 20 March 2008 @ 2:53 pmThe HF continues to steer the Barque of Peter back to traditional aspects of worship, and it has inspired many lower clergymen to be bold about such things, as well.
Our priest had Tenebrae this year, and the schola I sing in assisted at it. We chanted much of it, did some chanted refrains, some Gregorian pieces, and polyphony as well. We wore cassock and surplice, and the priest wore cassock, surplice, and stole. He chanted all of his parts, as well. The organist composed music to make it a very solemn occasion.
We will be sending the worship aids, organ scores, chanted pieces, and an mp3 recording to the Church Music Association of America to post on their website for free download. Then, any parish can have a solemn Tenebrae during Holy Week.
Traditional worship is where things are going. If you insist on holding onto the 80’s mood music, you will be singing solos.
Viva il Papa!
Comment by RichR — 20 March 2008 @ 3:38 pmDid His Holiness put on a dalmatic, or is this the papal dalmatic that is worn (always? sometimes?) underneath the pope’s chausible? Our Mass of the Lord’s Supper here at the basilica at Notre Dame was very nice, although we have the same problem as most of the country of not being able to translate viri. And the Triduum program only has four OT readings listed for the Vigil—I still don’t understand why people won’t just go whole hog on that.
Comment by Paul — 20 March 2008 @ 5:55 pmEverytime I stray from the EF, disaster strikes. I know this is not the case everywhere, but tonight:
1) Viri selecti feminaeque vagantes for the Mandatum Rite;
2) Music for the Mandatum that could serve as a good substitute for syrup of ipecac;
3) A general atmosphere I have come to associate, perhaps unfairly, the OF: the moment the rubrics are a bit out of the ordinary, as for the rites of Maundy Thursday, the clergy act as if they are lost. Helpless. In vernacular worship ad populum, this can spell doom.
Comment by Dr. Lee Fratantuono — 20 March 2008 @ 7:49 pmAll in all, very well done! From what I have been able to see, the Pope has been wearing his dalmatic under the chasuble at all Masses.
Comment by TNCath — 20 March 2008 @ 8:43 pmEverytime I stray from the EF, disaster strikes. I know this is not the case everywhere, but tonight:
1) Viri selecti feminaeque vagantes for the Mandatum Rite;
2) Music for the Mandatum that could serve as a good substitute for syrup of ipecac;
3) A general atmosphere I have come to associate, perhaps unfairly, the OF: the moment the rubrics are a bit out of the ordinary, as for the rites of Maundy Thursday, the clergy act as if they are lost. Helpless. In vernacular worship ad populum, this can spell doom.
Comment by Dr. Lee Fratantuono
Some years ago Wm F Buckley wrote that he had begun taking a yoga class, hoping that it would teach him the restraint necessary to attend a vernacular mass without becoming physically ill.
Comment by RBrown — 20 March 2008 @ 9:07 pmDr. Lee Fratantuono—
“Music for the Mandatum that could serve as a good substitute for syrup of ipecac;”
ROFLOL! What a wonderfully descriptive turn of phrase!
Comment by Karen Russell — 20 March 2008 @ 9:42 pmFather, what was with the Deacon in the blue vestments, who chanted the Gospel in Greek… were those vestments in violation of your constant “no blue vestments” reminders, or were they some sort of exception for this Mass? just seemed odd. Thanks.
Comment by TJB — 20 March 2008 @ 10:41 pmTJB, I believe Fr Z’s reminders are “no blue vestments in the Latin Rite”. The deacon who chanted the Gospel in Greek is not a Latin Rite deacon. :-)
Comment by Emilio III — 20 March 2008 @ 11:19 pmBefore 1968 all bishops and abbots etc. wore dalmatic and tunicle under the chasuble at Pontifical Mass. In 1968 the tunicle was suppressed and the dalmatic was to be worn more or less as a matter of judgement by the individual bishop (which in practice meant almost never). Pope Benedict always wears the dalmtic under his chasuble at Pontifical Mass. Prelates celebrating the EF wear the dalmatic AND tunicle under the chasuble where these are available.
Comment by David O'Rourke — 20 March 2008 @ 11:53 pmFather,
Is washing of the feet on Maundy Thursday a requirement or optional? I asked our pastor last year if he needed me to round up 12 men and he replied “I don’t wash feet!”
This saddens me, especially after watching the humility of the two octogenarian Popes conducting this beautiful rite.
Anyone know the answer?
Comment by Mike — 21 March 2008 @ 6:32 amThose pics are beautiful :)
Comment by Jenny Z — 21 March 2008 @ 6:40 amMike,
There was some discussion on an earlier thread that the “mandatum” was not actually a part of the rites during the Mass on Holy Thursday, that originally it was a part of one of the offices and was inserted into the Mass by Pius IX or X (I don’t really remember which). I don’t know if this is the case or not.
I was rather shocked last night when I saw that a woman of our parish who is very orthodox (wears a black lace mantilla at Mass, for example) was counted among the 12 (along with her husband) who had come forward to have their feet washed. I really don’t know if it was out of ignorance that she did this. The 12 were supposedly volunteers, but she may have been asked. I suspect that if she knew that “viri selecti” clearly referred to 12 men, she wouldn’t have done it. I don’t know if out of charity I should say nothing, or under the weight of educating the ignorant I should perform spiritual work of mercy. Any advice?
Comment by david andrew — 21 March 2008 @ 7:11 amPope Benedict is giving the example on how to offer Mass in the OF. One can begin to recognize in his Mass a likeness to the EF and and how these two forms belong to the Latin Rite. The faithful participating in such a Mass will have no trouble adapting to the EF —and that could be plan.
Comment by schoolman — 21 March 2008 @ 9:14 amMike said: “Is washing of the feet on Maundy Thursday a requirement or optional?”
The Missal says it is optional.
Comment by Geoffrey — 21 March 2008 @ 9:40 amSomething that the antiphons refer to as a ‘mandatum’ is optional? I suppose you can’t do everything all the time, but it seems strange.
Comment by jacobus — 21 March 2008 @ 10:04 amIn the Novus Ordo the rite of washing of feet is optional.
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 21 March 2008 @ 10:23 amThe Antiphons do not call footwashing a “mandatum.” That word appears only once in the Antiphons of Maundy Thursday: Mandatum novum do vobis: ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos, dicit Dominus. A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, says the Lord. (John 13:34) The mandatum is that we love one another as Christ loves us, not that we wash each other’s feet. Thus, it is fitting that footwashing be optional in the ordinary use.
Comment by Jordan Potter — 21 March 2008 @ 10:53 amFather Z:
Comment by tara — 21 March 2008 @ 12:11 pmI love that our Holy Pope keeps the tradition of washing the feet of men at Holy Thursday—thanks for sharing the pictures—I love our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI!
Is washing of the hands optional prior to the consecration?
Comment by Mike — 21 March 2008 @ 12:32 pmAre there prayer of the faithful and is the Nicene Creed recited during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper?
Comment by Jeremy — 21 March 2008 @ 2:14 pmJeremy wrote:
Comment by sacerdos helveticus — 21 March 2008 @ 2:54 pmAre there prayer of the faithful and is the Nicene Creed recited during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper?
The answer is:
The rubrics of MR 2002 say:
There is no Credo during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, there is the prayer is an element of the faithful in that mass.
Comment by Jeremy
Mike asked: Is washing of the hands optional prior to the consecration?
No, there is no option for the priest washing people’s hands before the consecration. He’s only allowed (and required) to wash his own hands.
Neither may the 12 viri selecti of the Maundy Thursday Mass confect the Eucharist using their feet, whether or not their feet are clean.
Comment by Jordan Potter — 21 March 2008 @ 9:28 pmComment by fr christopher — 21 March 2008 – Jim : The rubric for the shoe removal during the veneration of the cross can be found in the Bishop’s Ceremonial – i believe published in 1989.
Comment by sacerdos helveticus — 22 March 2008 @ 9:27 amTopic: Shoe removal in OF of Roman Rite while the adoration of the holy cross:
This is correct I served yesterday at my diocese’s cathedral and one of the others I served with asked weather it was all clergy that took off their shoes or just the bishop and the bishop’s master of ceremonies replied that it is not in the sacramentary but rather in the ceremonial of bishops.——-
This is not the whole truth.
The shoe removal is not limited to pontifical liturgy.
It’s also an option for all celebrations of Good Friday in Missale Romanum ed. 2002 (p. 324 nr. 18)
The rubric is:
Ad adorationem Crucis primus accedit solus sacerdos celebrans, casula et calceamentis pro oppurtunitate depositis.
Sacerdos Helveticus:
So that rubric would seem to indicate that only the celebrant approaches discalced; the attending deacons and concelebrants keep their shoes on?
Comment by Transitional Deacon — 22 March 2008 @ 9:55 amI am curious about the chasuble the Holy Father wore. Does anyone have close up pictures of it? It appears that the front and back panels were from an older and very beautiful vestment. Does anyone know?
Comment by Hieromonk Gregory — 22 March 2008 @ 1:27 pm