Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Discrepancies.

Between one ceremonial and another.They exist, it seems. The Confraternity says that at the gospel, for example the thurifer should not swing the thurible. The Baltimore Ceremonial says that he should swing it, to keep the coals alive. The Ceremonial also says that the acolytes bow low during the celebrant's communion, but the Confraternity makes no mention of it. Then there are little things (The Ceremonial and Baldeschi say who folds the chalice veil at the offertory, while the Confraternity doesn't. It does say who helps the subdeacon with the humeral veil though.) And none of these make mention of a Crucifer, or what he does. But since a lot of that may have been up to local custom, I guess it does'nt really matter.

1 comment:

Bb said...

Precisely, Joe. It's incredibly important to perform the rite faithfully while not getting too worked up over local variations that on't affect the integrity of the rite. There are differences between the altar arrangements in northern and southern Russia, and whether or not to sing the "Most Holy Mother of God, save us" at the litanies, and you see these different expressions from parish to parish in places like Britain, but they are minor differences and all proper expressions of the same rite. I'm sure the Latin rite is no different.

Where it differs, Greek practice is, of course, always wrong. :-)