Skip to content

Roman Rite Nuptial Mass

Overview

As normal for Roman Rite Solemn Mass, except:

Roles

Preparation

Conduct

  • If there is a Cantor and the Congregation is not singing the Mass parts (very common for weddings), sing the Mass parts in a very quiet voice (or just mouth them) so as not to interfere with the vocalist.

Order of Mass

As Roman Rite Solemn Mass, with changes outlined in the following subsections.

Procession

Procession#Passageway Procession to Crossing Altar, except:

  • The groomsmen will process between the Servers and the Ministers. The groom is a Minister and processes last.
  • Bridesmaids and bride join the Procession at the main aisle.
  • The Servers should stop short of the kneeler, and reverence with the kneeler between them and the Sanctuary.
  • The Thurifer should not wait for an entrance antiphon, he should reverence and break formation immediately.

Officium through Homily

  • Book Bearer holds the Ritual for the Celebrant at his seat immediately after the first incensation for the opening prayers.
  • The Penitential Act is omitted.
  • The Gloria is sung.

Rite of Marriage

If no Wedding Crucifix is used, the Wedding Crucifix Bearer's actions are omitted and only the Holy Water Bearer leaves the Sanctuary.

After the Homily, the Celebrant will likely return to his seat for a moment. When he rises and moves to the foot of the Crossing Altar:

Cue: Since it is your intention:

Blessing & Exchange of Rings

Cue: Let us bless the Lord Thanks be to God:

Wedding Crucifix Bearer and Holy Water Bearer standby in place outside of Sanctuary until the Celebrant returns to the Sanctuary. This will likely be after the Universal Prayer, but could happen before it.

Universal Prayer

The Credo is omitted.

Offertory

  • There will be an extra Personal Chalice from which the Bride and Groom will receive the Precious Blood. This must be brought to the Altar after the Missal and Chalice Stack.
  • The Thurifer incenses the Bride and Groom after the Celebrant (and Concelebrants) and before the People. He:
    • Descends to the bottom step of the Sanctuary on the Northwest corner. He may need to instruct the couple to rise. Then he incenses them from that spot.
    • Ascends to the platform in front of the Altar (from where he would normally incense the people), and incenses the people. Again, he may need to signal that they should stand.

Preface

As usual.

Sanctus through Great Amen

As normal for Roman Rite Solemn Mass, except the formation is different:

       AAA
To Be __ __ Th To 
__ __ __ __ __ __ 
__ __ Br Gr __ __
  • The bride (Br) and groom (Gr) kneel at their kneeler in the middle (outside the Sanctuary), facing the Crossing Altar (AAA).
  • The Torch bearers (To) kneel on the outside-most tiles on the top_step1, and plant the Torches on the top step.
  • The Bell Ringer (Be) brings the Hand Bells. He and the Thurifer (Th) kneel on the top step, on the tiles inside and adjacent to the Torch bearers' tiles. The Thurifer is on the groom's side.
  • The Bell Ringer rings the Hand Bells from this formation. He should take care that they do not ring when entering / leaving this formation.
  • When entering this formation as the Sanctus starts, Servers:
    • Get their items and leave the Sanctuary in pairs, Torches second. They will descend the steps to the North of the Altar, and then walk around the steps.
    • They fall into formation standing West of the couple (i.e. behind them), but lined up (North-South-wise) with the places in which they will kneel. One Torch bearer and the Thurifer must walk behind the couple to do this.
    • As the Sanctus ends, they move East to ascend the steps and kneel in their places.
  • When leaving this formation at the Great Amen, Servers:

Communion

Our Father

After the Our Father, the Nuptial Blessing takes the place of the "Deliver us" prayer, and the Book Bearer holds the Ritual for it:

  • Cue: Our Father ends, Celebrant starts to leave the Sanctuary
  • Book Bearer meets the Celebrant at the couple's place and holds the Ritual for the him as he gives the Nuptial Blessing.
    • Book Bearer should follow along so he can turn the pages for the celebrant.
  • When finished, he returns the Ritual and goes back to his seat.

Agnus Dei through Priest's Communion

As usual.

Couple's Communion

The Bride and Groom receive the Host first. The Celebrant returns and the couple receive from the extra Chalice. Standby.

Servers' Communion

Cue: Celebrant returns to Sanctuary from distributing the Chalice to the couple:

  • Receive as usual.

Peoples' Communion

Standby kneeling at seats.

Couple give flowers to Mary

The couple will leave a bouquet at the Rosary Altar. Standby. The #Ablutions likely won't start until the couple returns, but pay attention to the Celebrant, and be ready when he needs you.

Ablutions

As normal. Acolytes must remember to take both Chalices.

Postcommunion Prayer

As usual.

Final Blessing and Dismissal

Celebrant will give the final blessing at the foot of the Altar in front of the Bride and Groom:

Recession

Cue: Celebrant returns from giving the final blessing:

If there is a Deacon

If there is a Deacon:

Adjustments for fewer servers

If there are only three Servers:

If there are only two Servers:

If there is only one Server:

  1. Let's see how this looks and reevaluate. I think it's worth trying having the torches on the bottom step and the Thurifer / Bell ringer on the top. #liturgy-todo ↩