Ritual Notes.

For the Vigil and first solemn mass of Easter.

Music: (Basically the same as last year. Yay copy/paste!

Psalms and canticles after the readings:The Canticle of Moses, sung to the gregorian tone 2.d. The Canticle of Isaiah, sung to tone 8.c. Psalm 19, sung to tone 2.d Psalm 42, sung to tone 7.d.

Gloria: 'Little organ mass', Franz Josef Haydn

Alleluia:Roman Gradual and psalm 118 in English.

At the baptisms: Faith,Hope, and Love, Alexander Peloquin.

Renewal of baptismal promises and sprinkling: Sicut Cervus, G.P. da Palestrina

Offertory: Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabriel Faure. Organ improvisation.

Communion: Proper antiphon and psalm,Hymn: The Strife is O'er, Ego sum Panis Vivus, Josef Surzynski.

Antiphon to Our Lady: Regina Caeli, Gregor Aichinger

Recessional: Jesus Christ is Ris'n today.

Postlude. Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 549.


There were to have been four servers, but one is away in Mexico, so one of the brothers stepped in as thurifer. Besides the celebrant, there were four concelebrants, all in gold gothic chasbles. Albs and surplices edged with lace were also worn by some.

The blessing of the Easter fire took place outside of the door of one of the transepts of the church. After it was blessed and incense laid on, the procession went into the church and down the side aisle, then up the center aisle, with the celebrant stopping to chant the invitation 'light of Christ' with the response three times, in successively higher tones. The exultet was sung beautifully by one of the concelebrants. The vigil then proceeded.
All seven readings were read, with psalms chanted after the third, fifth, sixth, and seventh readings. The collects were sung after each reading.

Then the gloria was sung, the church bells and sanctuary bells rung, and the altar candles lighted.After the epistle was read,the alleluia was solemnly intoned (The traditional mode 8 alleluia, Roman Gradual) in successively higher tones, with psalm 118 sung to tone 8.G*. The gospel was sung by one of the concelebrant, and what's probably now the most memorable Easter vigil sermon ever was preached.

AT the baptisms (And there were many, praise God!) those to be baptised went in procession to the font while the litany of the saints was sung.The font was solemnly blessed, and those to be baptised were baptised while the canticle was sung.After the baptisms, the Baptismal promises were renewed, and the celebrant, assisted by the M.C., sprinkled the people with holy water, using the traditional bundle of hyssop rather than the aspergil.
After the intercessions, mass continued as usual.

The mass was celebrated ad orientem.Communion was given at the rail once again. I think I should now retract my long-held opinion on communion kneeling. (That all those stories about people being receptive to communion kneeling were just platitudes and useless or false anecdotes.) Throughout the triduum, even though they were not required to kneel or receive on the tongue, almost everyone did so any way.The exceptions were in the single digits.
After communion, the post-communion was sung, as well as the blessing and solemn dismissal.The antiphon to Our Lady was sung before the recessional. It was wonderful to hear the pedal reeds again in the prelude, after weeks of absence, especially the 32' Double Ophicleide in the fugue.
After mass, there was cake and champagne in the parish hall, in the crypt of the church.