Tuesday, October 30, 2007

The Salutation & Collect

Concerning the Salutation and Collect, I agree with Fr. Eckardt's remarks in his Liturgy Seminar blog. The gestures made at the salutation are quite appropriate when there are assisting ministers at the altar.

I would add the following to his remarks regarding the Collect: If a commemoration is made of another feast, the collect of that feast is added after the collect of the day. A description of commemorations is posted at LexOrandi.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

The Kyrie & Gloria in Excelsis

The celebrant stands at the midst of the altar, facing it, and sings (or speaks) the Kyrie with the congregation.

The Latin rite continued to sing the Kyrie in Greek. Historically, this is one of only two places where Greek has been retained in the Latin rite. The other is the use of Greek and Latin at the Tres Hagion in the Good Friday liturgy.

We are accustomed to singing the Kyrie in a three-fold manner. It may also be sung in a nine-fold manner. In this form, the "Lord, have mercy...," is sung three times; "Christ, have mercy..., three times; and "Lord, have mercy...," three times.

If sung or spoken in either the three-fold or nine-fold manner, the petitions may be sung in alternation with the celebrant.


The Gloria in Excelsis is also intoned by the celebrant at the midst of the altar.

The Gloria, the Creed and the Sanctus enjoy equal status in the liturgy. When Mass is celebrated with the assistance of a deacon and sub-deacon, the rubrics indicate that these ministers move to stand beside the celebrant at the altar when they are sung. At all other times these ministers remain in their appointed places.

The historic rite indicates that the Gloria in Excelsis is to be sung at all Masses, excluding only those which are celebrated in violet or black vestments.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Incensing the Altar

When Mass is celebrated more solemnly, it is customary to incense the altar during the Introit. This may be done while the choir is singing the Introit, or after the celebrant has finished singing the Introit.

A diagram showing the method of incensing the altar can be found in a variety of liturgical books. There is one method for incensing an altar that is against the East wall, and another for a free standing altar. The difference being that the celebrant walks completely around the free standing altar.

Assuming that incense will also be used at the Offertory, only the celebrant is incensed at this time. The celebrant, other ministers and the people are incensed at the offertory.