The Memoriale Rituum - Part I – The Blessing of Candles on the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary

CHAPTER I  - THE THINGS TO BE GOT READY FOR THE BLESSING, THE PROCESSION AND THE MASS

On the Credence or other Table at the High Altar.

1. A chalice for the mass, with white veil and a burse.  If the Feast should fall on a privileged Sunday the colour will be purple.
2. A chasuble, stole, and maniple of white or purple, or above.
3. Thurible and incense boat.
4. Holy water and aspersory.
5. A dish with a small piece of bread, and vessels for the washing of hands after the distribution of candles.
6. Towel.
7. Wine and water cruets and small towel.
8. A copy of this book, for those parts which are to be recited during the procession.

On the Altar.

1. A purple antependium or frontal, and another of white covered by the purple one.  If the Mass is in purple, the white frontal will not be required.
2. Missal on a purple cushion or Missal-stand at the Epistle side. 

Near the Epistle Side of the Altar, in Plano.

1. A table, covered with a white cloth; the candles to be blessed, and these covered with a clean white cloth.
2. The processional cross.

In the Sacristy.

1. Three surplices for the servers.
2. Amice, alb, girdle, purple stole and cope for the Celebrant.
3. Lighted charcoal.

 

CHAPTER II - THE SACRED CEREMONIAL TO BE OBSERVED ON THE FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

 

§ 1.  THE BLESSING OF THE CANDLES

1. About the third hour of the day the three clerics (or servers) vested in cassocks, put on their surplices in the Sacristy, and prepare everything as in the preceding chapter.
2. By a festive ringing of the bells let the people be called to the Church. 
3. Having made his preparation for Mass and washed his hands, the Celebrant, assisted by the second and third servers, puts on over his cotta the amice, alb, girdle, purple stole and cope.
[If the Feast falls on a Sunday, the Celebrant, so vested, blesses the water for the Asperges as in the Missal.]
4. In the meantime the first cleric or server removes all flowers from the Altar and lights the candles.
5. The Celebrant makes, with the second and third server, the usual reverence to the Sacristy cross or statue.  The first server, with hands joined, the second and third servers holding the edges of the cope, go to the Altar with the Celebrant, who wears his biretta. 
6. At the lowest step of the altar the first server receives the biretta, and, having put it aside, uncovers the candles.
7. Having made in plano a bow to the cross or a genuflection on the lowest step if the Blessed Sacrament is in the Tabernacle, the Celebrant ascends and kisses the Altar in the middle.
[If there is to be the Asperges, the Celebrant, kneeling on the lowest step, performs the sprinkling with holy water, as in the Missal; he then ascends the altar, as above.]
8. Having kissed the Altar, the Celebrant then goes to the Epistle side, accompanied by the servers, one at each side, as in No. 5.
9. He there, with hands joined and facing the Altar, says in the ferial tone, Dominus vobiscum, and afterwards adds Oremus and the Collect Domine Sancte, etc., together with the other four Collects.
10. In the meantime the first server prepares the fire in the thurible, and the incense boat.
11. While the fifth prayer is being said by the third server, who has been standing at the left hand of the Celebrant, makes a genuflection to the Altar, retires, and taking the holy water off the credence table, approaches the Celebrant, together with the thurifer.
12. The Celebrant, having concluded the fifth collect, is offered the incense boat, with the customary kisses by the second server, who is at the right of the Celebrant, and the incense is put in the thurible with the usual blessing.
13. Then, receiving the aspersory from the second server, the Celebrant thrice sprinkles the candles - in the centre, to his left, and then to the right - saying in a low voice the Antiphon Asperges me, etc.
14. Immediately afterwards he incenses the candles in a similar manner, but does not say anything.
15. The blessing being finished, the Celebrant makes a reverence in the middle of the Altar, and, wearing his biretta, sits on a small seat placed at the Gospel side on the predella.  Here he admonishes the people, speaks seriously to them of the institution of this solemnity and the mysteries it signifies, and of the usefulness of blessed candles, and bids the people to approach with reverence to receive them.

 

§ 2.  THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE CANDLES

1. The discourse being finished, the first server takes from the table the candle prepared for the Celebrant, and, unless there is a Priest present, he places the candle in the middle of the Altar.
2. The Celebrant, having made a reverence in the middle of the Altar, genuflects on the predella, his face turned to the cross.
3. While on his knees he takes the candle from the Altar, and, kissing it, hands it to the care of the first server.
[If a Priest is present, he gives the candle to the Celebrant, who stands turned towards the people.  The Priest and the Celebrant kiss the candle only.]
4. The Celebrant then goes to the Epistle side, and, alternately with his servers, in a loud and clear tone, after the manner of the regular clerics, they recite the Antiphon Lumen etc., and the Canticle Nunc dimittis.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Canticum.  Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.  Amen.

Antiphona.  Lumen ad Revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

5. As soon as the Antiphon Lumen, after Sicut erat, etc., has been recited, the Celebrant, making a bow to the cross, turns to the people and distributes the candles - first to the Priests, if any are present, then to the servers, so placed on the predella step that the seniors in dignity are at the Epistle side.  All receive their candles kneeling, and kiss first the candle and then the hand of the Celebrant.
6. Then the Celebrant, making the customary reverence to the Altar, accompanied by two servers, goes to the Altar-rails at the Epistle side.
7. He there begins the distribution of the candles, first to the men and then to the women, the candles being carried by the first server and handed to the Celebrant by the third server, who is on his left-hand side.
8. The distribution being finished, the Celebrant washes his hands in plano on the Epistle side, the first cleric pouring the water, the others holding the towel and bread.
9. The Celebrant, having washed his hands, proceeds per longiorem to the Altar, makes the usual reverence in the middle, and goes to the Missal.
10. There, with his servers, he reads in a loud voice the Antiphon, Exsurge, Domine, etc.

Antiphona.  Exsurge Domine, adjuva nos, et libera nos propter nomen tuum.

Psalmus xliii.
Deus, auribus nostris audivimus: patres nostri annuntiaverunt nobis.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.  Amen.

Antiphona.  Exsurge Domine, adjuva nos, et libera nos propter nomen tuum.

11. Then, still standing in the same place, he adds Oremus; and if it is after Septuagesima, and not a Sunday, he also adds Flectamus genua, genuflecting meanwhile, as so also all present.  The second server, rising first, answers, Levate.
12. After this the Celebrant says the Collect Exaudi quaesumus Domine, etc., always holding his hands hoined as above noted.

 

§ 3.  THE PROCESSION

1. The prayer being finished, the Celebrant goes to the middle of the Altar, and there receives from the first server his lighted candle and a copy of this Memoriale or a Ritual, in order that he may recite the Antiphons in procession.
2. The other two servers take their lighted candles and books for the Antiphons.
3. The Celebrant turns towards the people and says, Procedamus in pace, and the servers answer, In nomine Christi, Amen.
4. The Celebrant begins to recite the Antiphon Adorna, as below, and alternately with the servers assisting him continues the other Antiphons.
5. When the response In nomine Christi, Amen, has been made, the first server takes the processional cross, and making a genuflection to the altar, turns towards the people and proceeds, according to custom, either outside or inside the Church, directing the procession towards the right-hand side first of all, and, after making the circuit, returning to the Altar.
6. The Celebrant, wearing his biretta, and walking between the two servers, follows the cross, and recites with the servers the following Antiphons, which are here printed in verse form for greater convenience in chanting.

Antiphona.

Adorna thalamus tuum Sion: et suscipe Regem Christum.
Amplectere Mariam: quae est coelestis porta.
Ipsa enim portat Regem gloriae, novi luminis.
Subsistit Virgo, adducens manibus Filium, ante luciferum genitum.
Quem accipiens Simeon in ulnas suas praedicavit populis: Dominum eum esse vitae, et mortis, et Salvatorem mundi.

Alia Antiphona.

Responsum accepit Simeon a Spiritu Sancto: non visurum se mortem nisi videret Christum Domini.
Et cum inducerent Puerum in templum: accepit eum in ulnas suas, et benedixit Deum, et dixit:
Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine: secundum verbum tuum in pace.
V. Cum inducerent Puerum Jesum parentes ejus, ut facerent secundum consuetudinem legis pro eo: ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas.

7. On returning to the Church if the procession has been outside, or if the procession has been in the Church at the entry to the Sanctuary, the following Responsory is chanted:

R. Obtulerunt pro eo Domino par turturum: aut duos pullos columbarum.
Sicut scriptum est: in lege Domini.
Postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis Mariae: secundum legem Moysi.
Tulerunt Jesum in Jerusalem, ut sisterent eum Domino.
Sicut scriptum est in lege Domini.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut scriptum est in lege Domini.

8. The server with the cross, having made a genuflection at the Altar, replaces the cross at the Epistle side of the Altar.
9. The Celebrant concludes the Responsory in front of the Altar.

 

§ 4.  THE MASS AFTER THE PROCESSION

1. The Responsory being finished, the first server receives the candles of the Celebrant and his servers.  The candles, having been extinguished, are placed on the credence table.
2. The Celebrant, having made a genuflection to the Altar, goes to the Epistle side in plano to the Minister's bench.  Assisted by the second and third servers, he removes his cope and purple stole, and vests in white maniple, stole and chasuble if the Mass is of Our Lady; if the Mass is of the Sunday, he removes the purple cope, and puts on purple maniple and chasuble.
3. In the meantime, if the Mass to be celebrated is of the Feast, the first server removes from the Altar the purple frontal, thus uncovering the white frontal, and places vases of flowers between the candlesticks; he also takes the chalice to the Altar, and opening the corporal, arranges the chalice, etc., in the middle of the Altar ready for Mass.
4. The Celebrant proceeds to celebrate Mass, during which, if it is of the Feast, the servers hold their candles lighted at the Gospel, and from the Elevation until after the Communion.
5. While the Celebrant is reading the Communion Antiphon the first cleric removes the chalice from the Altar to the credence table.
6. The Mass being ended, the Celebrant, with joined hands, and preceded by his servers, returns to the Sacristy.
7.  He then takes off his vestments and makes his thanksgiving, as usual. 
8. The servers carry the things used to the Sacristy, and put them away.