LITURGICAL QUESTIONS

(From M. Bouix's "Revue des Sciences Ecclesiastiques").

1. At Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, ought the profound inclination be made during the singing of the two verses Tantum ergo Sacramentum, Veneremur cernui, or only during the singing of the words Veneremur cernui?

2. What ceremonies are to be observed by the deacon, or by the assistant priest, when, acting on the permission given by the Decree of the 12th August, 1854, the deacon consigns the ostensorium to the celebrant before the Benediction, and receives it from him after the Benediction has been given?

3. What rule should a priest follow when he finds in the Ordo a regulation which he believes to be certainly incorrect?

1. It is beyond doubt, that the inclination ought to be made whilst the entire verses Tantum ergo Sacramentum, Veneremur cernui, are being sung; and if, in any church, custom has limited the inclination to the two last words, it has arisen from this, that whenever the celebrant intones the hymn, he makes the inclination only after the intonation. The ministers, however, are wrong in imitating him in this.

"Tum in officio divino", says Cavalieri, t. iv., c. viii., Inst. Clem., § 33, n. 49, "quam in precibus omnibus coram SS. Sacramento, dum praedictus versus Tantum ergo dicitur, ab omnibus omnino persistendum erit in inclinatione usque ad cernui. Haec est", says Gardellini (Inst. cl. ibid. n. 19), "praxis quae obtinet in majoribus Urbis basilicis".

This doctrine is followed by modern authors.

2. Before we reply to the question, it will be useful to make two remarks. The first has reference to the difference between the functions of the deacon and those of the assistant priest. If the celebrant be assisted by a deacon and sub-deacon, the assistant need not do more than place the Blessed Sacrament on the throne, and lower it thence at the proper time. He may also extract the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle before the exposition, and replace it therein after the Benediction. The office of assistant appears to have been instituted as a measure of precaution against the danger which might result from the near approach of the deacon's vestments to the lights, in case he took down the ostensorium, or to guard against other inconveniences. But there is no reason why the assistant should present the ostensorium to the celebrant when the deacon and sub-deacon are present.

We should remark, in the next place, that, according to the text of the Ceremoniale Episcoporum, and of the Instructio Clementina, the priest, after receiving the humeral veil, mounts the steps without the ministers, and himself takes the ostensorium. Authors prescribe that the deacon and sub-deacon should kneel on the highest step, and support the celebrant's cope during the benediction. In their absence, this is done by the master of ceremonies, or two clerks. When the benediction has been given, the priest having completed the circle, places the Blessed Sacrament in the corporal, genuflects, and descends with the sub-deacon, whilst the deacon restores the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle, unless this be done by the assistant priest, in which case the deacon descends with the celebrant and the sub-deacon. According to Baldeschi, the veil is removed from the celebrant when he genuflects in the predella, after having given the benediction.

The rubric of the Ceremoniale Episcoporum (l. ii. c. xxiii., n. 27) makes no mention of the assistant priest, supposes that the bishop himself takes the ostensorium from the altar, and expressly declares that he himself replaces it on the corporal.

"Accedat ad altare et accepto tabernaculo seu ostensorio cum sanctissimo Sacramento, illud ambabus manibus velatis elevatum tenens, vertens se ad populum, cum illo signum crucis super populum ter faciet nihil dicens. Quo facto iterum deponet sanctissimum Sacramentum super altare".

We read in the Instructio Clementina (§ xxxi.): "The celebrant, on his knees, will take the humeral veil, and ascending the altar without attendants, after due reverence, will take the ostensorium in his hands, which are covered with the extremity of the humeral veil, and with it will give the benediction to the people; and having replaced the Blessed Sacrament on the corporal, will descend, and remain on his knees in his place. The deacon, or a priest with stole, will immediately, after due reverence, enclose the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle". This Instructio has been explained by Cavalieri, Tetamo, and Gardellini, who thus express themselves—

"Sacerdos", says Cavalieri (t. iv., c. ix.), "ascendit ... ad altare, et ibi, facta genuflexione unico genu accipit in manibus coöpertis per ejusdem veli extremitates ostensorium.... Quando sacerdos ascendit ut supra altare, una cum eo ascendunt itidem sacri ministri, sed hi genuflectunt postea in ore suppedanei, ubi inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias dum sacerdos benedicit populum. In defectu autem ministrorum sacrorum id praestant sacerdos adjutor et caeremoniarius, vel alii clerici hinc inde genuflexi.... Celebrans data benedictione ... super corporale Sacramentum collocat ... et deinde facta genuflexione unico genu, descendit cum subdiacono ad infimum altaris gradum, ubi iterum cum eodem genuflexus, per eumdem subdiaconum, vel caeremoniarium exuitur velo humerali. Diaconus interim accedit ad altare, et facta genuflexione unico genu, tabernaculum aperit et in eo reponit Sacramentum, cui genuflexione iterum facta, surgens ostiolum claudit et postea descendit ad locum suum, ad quem cum accesserit, surgunt omnes.... Quod si ultra sacros ministros adsistat sacerdos alter, hic imposita sibi stola Sacramentum ut supra recondet, et diaconus cum celebrante pariter descendet, et ab eo removebit velum humerale".

Tetamo (Append., e. iii., n. 48 et 49) thus speaks:

"Sacerdos ascendit ad altare, et ibi facta genuflexione unico genu, ut expeditius surgat, accipit in manibus coöpertis per ejusdem veli extremitates, ostensorium.... Benedicit.... Quando sacerdos ascendit, ut supra, altare, una cum eo ascendunt itidem sacri ministri, sed hi genuflectunt postea in ore suppedanei, ubi inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias, dum sacerdos benedicit populum; in defectu autem ministrorum sacrorum, id praestant sacerdos adjutor et caeremoniarius, vel alii clerici hinc inde genuflexi. Celebrans, data benedictione ... super corporale Sacramentum collocat".

Gardellini (n. 12 et 13), in his commentary, writes:

"Quando autem sacerdos ascendit ad altare, cum eo ascendunt etiam sacri ministri, sed hi genuflectere debent in ore suppedanei, ubi inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias, dum sacerdos benedicit populum.... Celebrans, data benedictione ... collocat super corporale Sacramentum ...; et deinde, facta prius genuflexione, descendit cum subdiacono ad infimum altaris gradum, ubi genuflexi ambo manent, amoto interim velo a celebrantis humeris a subdiacono, vel ut alii malunt, a caeremoniario. Interea diaconus remanens in suppedaneo altaris, reponit Sacramentum in tabernaculo, factis ante et post debitis genuflexionibus.... Quamvis vero deceat et congruat hoc munus per diaconum expleri, non est tamen necessario per eum implendum: potest alter sacerdos cum superpelliceo et stola hoc fungi munere, ideirco instructio ait: Il diacono, o un sacerdote con stola, quemadmodum fieri debet in aliis expositionibus, in quibus non parantur ministri sacri".

All the ancient authors agree with this view.

"Responso a choro Amen", says Bauldry (part. iv., art. iii., n. 33, 35, et 37), "celebrans, nihil addens, ascendit ad altare, genuflectit, et sine alterius ministerio accipit velatis manibus, ut prius, tabernaculum, vertens se ad populum ... benedicit ..., et gyrum perficiens, ostensorium collocat super altare.... Interim dum celebrans benedicit, ministri hinc inde genuflexi, et inclinati facie versa ad sanctissimum Sacramentum, elevant partes anteriores pluvialis illius, quod et faciunt assistentes in pari casu.... Deposito sanctissimo Sacramento a celebrante super altare, ipse statim, genuflexione facta descendit ad secundum gradum ut prius, ubi genuflexus manet. Tum ponitur, si opus sit, scabellum ... pro diacono qui statim amoto velo ab eo pre subdiaconum vel caeremoniarium ascendit ad altare, ubi, facta genuflexione, reponit sanctissimum Sacramentum in tabernaculo".

Catalani, speaking of the benediction given by the bishop after the procession of the Blessed Sacrament, says (Cer. Ep., l. ii., c. xxviii., n. 27):

"Episcopus ... accepto tabernaculo sive ostensorio cum sanctissimo Sacramento, per se scilicet et sine alterius ministerio, illud ambabus manibus velatis elevatum tenens, vertens se ad populum, cum illo signum crucis super populum ter faciet.... Dataque benedictione, Episcopus deponet sanctissimum Sacramentum super altare".

Gavantus says the same (sect. i., part iv., tit. xii., n. 7):

"Ascendit (celebrans) ad altare, genuflectit, et ipsemet nullo diaconi ministerio accipit velatis manibus, ut prius, tabernaculum, benedicit cum eo populum ... nihil dicens, et gyrum perficiens reverenter reponit".

Merati thus comments on the passage:

"Celebrans ... ascendit ad altare ... et absque alterius ministerio accipit velatis manibus ostensorium".

Baldeschi gives the same directions.

But in spite of these authorities, it is customary in some churches for the deacon to ascend with the priest, to take the ostensorium, and present it to the celebrant, to receive it from the same after the benediction, and to replace it on the corporal. This usage is established in Rome, and has been confirmed by a decree of the 12th August, 1854, published in the Analecta.

Question: "An liceat sacerdoti accipere ostensorium per manus diaconi istud ex altari acceptum porrigentis, ut populo benedictio impertiatur, et post benedictionem remittere ostensorium diacono, qui super altare deponet, prout fit in nonnullis ecclesiis? Vel ipsemet sacerdos debeat accipere ostensorium ex altari, et data benedictione, super altare deponere, sicut expresse docent Gavantus in rubrica Miss. part. vi., tit. xiii., n. 7; Merati in Gavantum", etc.

Answer: "Quoad primam partem, licere etiam ex praxi ecclesiarum Urbis; quoad secundam partem, provisum in primo".

Hence it appears that the Instructio Clementina and the Caeremoniale have been too rigorously interpreted by old authors. We are at liberty to choose whichever of the two usages may agree better with the arrangements of the altar, and may be more easy to carry out. This is the common opinion of recent authors, and is founded on Roman usage and on the decision just cited. In addition, if the deacon is to receive the ostensorium from the priest's hands, the priest is not bound to complete the circle: he returns towards the altar, on the epistle side, where the deacon is. This follows from the decree of the 21st March, 1676, No. 2776:

Question: "An in benedicendo populum cum sanctissimo Sacramento sit servandus modus infrascriptus: Cum sacerdos stat ante populum, ostensorium ante pectus tenet, tum elevat illud decenti mora non supra caput, sed tantum usque ad oculos, et eodem modo illud demittit infra pectus, mox iterum recte illud attollit usque ad pectus, et deinde ad sinistrum humerum ducit, et reducit ad dexterum, et rursus ante pectus reducit, ibique aliquantulum sistit quasi peracta ad omnes mundi partes cruce, eam etiam venerandam omnibus praebet: tunc gyrum perficiens, collocat ostensorium super altare?"

Answer: "Si placet, potest observare supradictum modum.... Sin minus, servandus est modus dispositus in Caer. Ep., l. ii., c. xxxiii., ubi requiritur tantummodo ut cum eodem SS. Sacramento celebrans producat signum crucis super populum".

It is now easy to fix the ceremonies to be observed in cases where the deacon presents the ostensorium to the priest, and receives it from him after the benediction. First, the celebrant kneels in receiving the Blessed Sacrament from the deacon, and the deacon, when he receives it from the celebrant. This is a standing liturgical rule—the rubric of the Missal for Holy Thursday says:

"Finita Missa ... fit processio.... Celebrans indutus pluviali albo ... in medio genuflexus ... accepto calice cum Sacramento de manu diaconi stantis.... Cum autem ventum fuerit ad locum paratum diaconus genuflexus a sacerdote stante accipit calicem cum Sacramento".

In the Cer. Ep. (l. ii., c. xxiii., n. 12 et 13):

"Diaconus assistens ... capit SS. Sacramentum de altari, et illud, stans, offert episcopo genuflexo. Cum pervenerit ad sacellum ubi Sacramentum deponi debet ... cum erit episcopus ante supremum gradum altaris, diaconus accipiet de manu ipsius stantis SS. Sacramentum genuflexus".

In the rubric for the procession of Corpus Christi (ibid., c. xxxiii., nos. 20 et 24):

"Diaconus assistens a dexteris accedet ad altare, et cum debitis reverentiis accipiet tabernaculum sive ostensorium cum SS. Sacramento de altari, et illud in manibus Episcopi genuflexi collocabit.... Postquam Episcopus pervenerit ad supremum altaris gradum, diaconus a dextris cum debita reverentia et genuflexione ... accipiet de manu ipsius Episcopi stantis SS. Sacramentum".

Some respectable authorities allow the Blessed Sacrament to be received by the sacred minister standing. We see no reasons in support of this opinion. The ceremonies to be observed are the following:—The celebrant, having received the humeral veil, ascends the altar with the sacred ministers. The celebrant and subdeacon stop at the upper step, and kneel on the extremity of the predella; the deacon goes up to the altar, genuflects, takes the ostensorium, hands it to the celebrant, and then kneels on the epistle side of the predella. The celebrant, having received the ostensorium, rises, gives the benediction, consigns the ostensorium to the deacon, and kneels once more on the extremity of the predella. The deacon, after receiving the ostensorium, stands up, places it on the corporal, and restores the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle. Meantime the celebrant, laying aside the veil, descends to his place at the foot of the altar, as soon as the Blessed Sacrament has been removed.

3. It is clear that in such case he ought to follow the general Rubric. The Ordo is intended to set forth the application of liturgical rules to particular cases; and it is no wonder that in a task so minute, errors should sometimes occur. But if the mistake be not clearly and evidently such, the priest should follow the Ordo. "When the bishop publishes a directory", says M. Falise (pag. 276, 3rd edition), "the priests of the diocese are bound to conform to it not only in what is certain, but also in questions on which a difference of opinion exists among authors, and even when the contrary of what is prescribed appears certain. But this rule does not hold when the regulations are evidently contrary to the Rubrics". The following decrees bear on this point:—

1st Decree. Question. "An in casibus dubiis adhaerendum est kalendario dioecesis, sive quoad officium publicum et privatum, sive quoad Missam, sive quoad vestium sacrarum colorem, etiamsi quibusdam probabilior videtur sententia kalendario opposita? Et quatenus affirmative, an idem dicendum de casu quo certum alicui videretur errare kalendarium?" Answer. "Standum kalendario". (Decree 23 May, 1833, n. 4746, q. 2).

2nd Decree. Question. " ... 6. Cum pro nonnullis sanctis propriis regni Hispaniarum de quibus recitatur officium ritu dupl. min. habeantur lectiones primi nocturni de communi, pro aliis vero de scriptura occurrente, quaeritur quae certa regula servari debeat quoad numeratas primi nocturni lectiones in officiis duplicibus minoribus? 7. An quoad easdem lectiones primi nocturni in duplicibus minoribus standum sit dispositionibus directorii, vel breviarii? 8. An licitum sit in duplicibus minoribus, et etiam semiduplicibus, lectiones primi nocturni pro lubitu desumere vel de communi, vel de scriptura, quando diversitas extat inter dispositionem directorii et breviarii?" Answer. " ... Ad 6. Lectiones primi nocturni in casu esse de scriptura, nisi diversae in indulto expresse assignentur. Ad 7. Jam provisum in proximo. Ad 8. Ut ad proximum". (Decree 27 August, 1863, n. 4787, q. 6, 7, et 8).