02-02 - Candlemas

The Presentation of the Lord.

Overview

Roman Rite Solemn Mass, with:

• #Procession and Candle Blessing.
• Omission of Pentitential Rite / Kyrie (the candle blessing replaces it).
• #Oblation of Candles preceding the Offertory.

When this feast falls on a Sunday, it supercedes the Sunday in Ordinary Time. When it falls on a weekday, we celebrate it at the Crossing Altar¹. A [[Sequence]] is allowed before the [[Alleluia]]² (a Dominican Custom), but we omit it.

Roles

• MC, Holy Water Bearer
• Crucifer, Book Bearer, Bell Ringer
• Thurifer
• Candle bearer 1, Acolyte 1
• Candle bearer 2, Acolyte 2

Preparation

• Roman Rite Solemn Mass#Preparation.
• Hand Candles placed at the church entrances for the people.
• Candle oases placed in front of the Sanctuary.
• Candles to be blessed (the Parish's, the people's, and the Servers') placed in the Holy Name Chapel before Mass.
• Hand Candles for each Server and Minister placed at their seats in the Choir Stalls (except the MC, who processes with his).
• Prayers at the Chair book placed at the back of the church, near the main aisle.
• Aspersorium placed at the back of the church, near the main aisle.

Procession and Candle Blessing

• Order:
  • Thurifer
  • Candle bearer 1, Crucifer, Candle bearer 2
  • Holy Water Bearer with Hand Candle
  • Schola Cantorum
  • Ministers
• First leg:
  • Incense is not imposed for the first leg.
  • Out the Lourde's Door
  • Turn left and head West down the main aisle. Do not stop to reverence.
    • Candle bearers light the people's candles as they process. Therefore the Thurifer must process very slowly.
    • Holy Water Bearer, with a Hand Candle, lights it from a Candle bearer, and separates from the procession, going down the 65th street aisle to light the peoples' candles. He joins the formation in the back of the church when finished.
  • Upon reaching the back of the nave, break formation:
    • From South to North: Candle bearer 1, Crucifer, Candle bearer 2, Thurifer, Holy Water Bearer, centered in the back of the church, backs against the main doors, facing East.
    • Ministers, in the main aisle, flush with the last pew.
    • Schola Cantorum, on the South side of the main aisle, backs against the West wall.
• Holy Water Bearer holds the Prayers at the Chair book for the introductory prayers and blessing of candles. He then deposits the Prayers at the Chair book on the back table.
• Aspersion of candles:
  • The Holy Water Bearer takes the Aspersorium and accompanies the Celebrant, holding his Cope with his right hand and the Aspersorium with the left. Route is up to the Celebrant. In 2023 we did:
    • Up the main aisle.
    • Into the Sanctuary to the foot of the High Altar.
    • Out of the Sanctuary and down the 66th Street aisle.
    • Into the Holy Name Chapel.
    • Back to where it started.
  • All other Servers and the Schola Cantorum wait in place.
• Second leg:
  • When the Celebrant and Holy Water Bearer return, the Thurifer assists the Celebrant with imposing incense.
  • The Holy Water Bearer holds the Prayers at the Chair book for the prayer.
  • When it's finished, all proceed up the main aisle and into the Sanctuary, as usual.
  • There is an additional antiphon before the Introit, but the Thurifer should lead the procession into the Sanctuary immediately, without waiting for a music change.

Order of Mass

Reverence to the Altar through Universal Prayer

As usual for Roman Rite Solemn Mass, except:

• Immediately after the Celebrant kisses the Altar, the MC assists him in removing his Cope and donning his Chasuble.
• Then, the Thurifer assists with the incensation of the Altar as usual.
• Penitential Rite and Kyrie are omitted; the Gloria immediately follows the incensation.
• The Book Bearer holds the Missal for the Collect as usual.
• All extinguish their Hand Candles after the Collect.
• In lieu of (or possibly in addition to) the Universal Prayer, the Candlemas Novena Prayer is said.

Oblation of Candles

Cue: Candlemas Novena Prayer concludes.

• All Servers light their own Hand Candles, the first assists the Celebrant in lighting his.
• The Servers and Ministers exit the Sanctuary, Genuflect, and then split up and head down the various aisles, lighting the peoples' candles on their way.
• The Ministers and Servers meet in the back of the main aisle.
• The Celebrant, then any other Ministers, then Servers, approach the candles oases up the main aisle.
• In order and in pairs, all Genuflect, then deposit their Hand Candles into an oasis, then enter the Sanctuary and take their seats.
• The MC and one other Server attend to the two sides of the candle oases, directing the people as needed and collecting the plastic Hand Candle handles so they do not make noise.
• The people place their Hand Candles in the oases.
• When finished, the Servers return to their place in the Sanctuary and the Offertory begins.

Offertory through Dismissal

As usual for Roman Rite Solemn Mass. The Torch bearers and Thurifer must take around the candle oases during the Eucharistic Prayer.

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1. There are three non-Sunday Solemn Masses that are celebrated at the Crossing Altar, the other two being 12-25 - Christmas and Ash Wednesday. For Candlemas, this is done to facilitate the #Oblation of Candles. ↩

2. New Priory Press Ordo 2024 > page 16. ↩