Archdiocese of Singapore
L I T U R G Y C O M M I S S I O N
31, Victoria Street – Singapore 177997
N° 12 B U L L E T I N
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Based on some observation and queries on practices during the Easter Triduum in our Archdiocese, this Commission has prepared the following:
General Instructions
Celebration of Sacraments
• All celebration of the sacraments on these days are strictly prohibited, except in grave necessity, the sacraments of penance and anointing of the sick. (No. 61 Congregation for Divine Worship, Instructions concerning Preparation and celebration of the Easter Feast, Paschale Solemnitatis 1988< Hence PS>)
Celebration of Mass
• Religious Communities both Clerical and Lay and other lay groups should participate in the celebration of Easter Triduum in neighbouring principal churches (PS 43, with exception: “In Monasteries of nuns every effort should be made to celebrate greatest possible solemnity” Acta Apostolicae Sedis (hence AAS) 59, 1967, 558.)
Holy Thursday
• Mass on the Evening of Holy Thursday Begins the Easter Triduum. (PS 44)
• All priests may concelebrate even if they have already concelebrated the Chrism Mass, for the good of the faithful. (PS 47, Institutio Generalis Missais Romani 2001 (hence IGMR) no. 199, 204)
• The Local Ordinary, where pastoral considerations require it and in the case of true necessity, may permit one more mass to be celebrated. Care should nevertheless be taken to ensure that celebrations of this kind do not take place for the benefit of private persons or small groups and that they are not to the detriment of the Main Mass. Masses without participation of the faithful are prohibited. ( PS, 47 AAS 59, 1967, 557-558).
• Tabernacle should be completely empty before the celebration. (PS 48)
• Sufficient amount of host to be consecrated for the mass and the following day (PS 48),
• Sacred vessels which hold the hosts are to be made of precious metal or other solid material, according to the region are precious, for example ebony and hard woods as long as they are suited for sacred use and do not easily break or deteriorate. (IGMR 328, 329)- Plastic and tupper-ware containers precious???
• Bells are rung at the “Gloria” and there after remain silent until “Gloria” of Easter Vigil, wooden clappers are traditionally used in their place. (PS 50, CCD notitiae 13, 1977)
• Organ and other musical instruments, during this same period maybe used only for purpose of supporting singing. (PS 50 and Ceremoniale Episcoporum 1989 (Hence CE) no.300)
• If the rite of transfer of the Eucharist is not carried out the final blessing and dismissal are omitted. The service ends with the Post communion prayer. (PS 54, AAS 49, 1977, 93)
• Altar of repose must not resemble tomb. (PS 55)
• Eucharist must be reserved in a closed tabernacle or pyx under no circumstances to be exposed in a monstrance. (PS 55)
• During the adoration an appropriate time should be devoted to the reading of the Word of God maybe a reading from St John Ch 13 1-17 (PS 57), to songs and prayers, and to some silent prayer."[Inaestimable Donum 1980, no. 23. Rituale Romanum 89, 97]. Parishioners should be encouraged to do this instead of rushing from church to church.
• Stripping of altars is done in silence and if desired Psalm 21 “Dividunt…” maybe sung. (PS 57, CCD notitiae 13, 1977)
• Crosses are removed or veiled in red or violet, unless this has been done Saturday before 5th Sunday Lent. (Missale Romanum 2000, (hence MR) no. 41 PS 57.)
It does not make any liturgical sense to have the unveiling of the Cross on Good Friday if the Cross were not veiled in the first place. (See Catholic Liturgy.com).
Good Friday
• The order for the celebration of the Lord's passion (the liturgy of the word, the veneration of the cross, and Holy Communion) that stems from an ancient tradition of the Church should be observed faithfully and religiously and may not be changed by anyone on his own initiative.(PS 64)- Therefore parishes who practice veneration of the cross after the service for the people are not in keeping with the spirit of the liturgy, for the people are to “depart in silence “ after the Prayer Over the People..
• After the celebration, the altar is stripped; the cross remains, however with four candles. An appropriate place (for example, the chapel of repose used for reservation of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday) can be prepared within the church, and there the Lord's cross is placed so that the faithful may spend some time in meditation and may adore and kiss it.
Good Friday- Processions of dead Christ and Stations of the Cross
• The integration of popular piety with the solemn liturgical action of
Good Friday should be avoided for such would constitute a distorted celebrative hybrid. (Directory On Popular Piety and the Liturgy (hence PP) no. 12
• It is necessary, however, to ensure that such manifestations of popular piety,
either by time or the manner in which the faithful are convoked, are distinct and do
not intrude nor become a surrogate for the liturgical celebrations of Good Friday. (PP 143)
• Such devotions should be assigned to a distinct time of day that makes it quite clear that the liturgical celebration, by its very nature, far surpasses them in importance. (PS 72)
• In the pastoral planning of Good Friday primary attention and maximum importance must be given to the solemn liturgical action and the faithful must be brought to realize that no other exercise can objectively substitute for this liturgical celebration. (PP 143)
• Sacramental actions are necessary to life in Christ, the various forms of popular piety are properly optional. The foregoing requires the formation of priests and of the faithful to give preeminence to liturgical prayer and to the liturgical year over any other form of devotion. (PP 11)
Maximum importance should be given to the solemn liturgical action of Good Friday. The practice of having as many Stations of the Cross as the Good Friday Service does not give enough prominence to the Liturgy of Good Friday.
Good Friday- Highly recommended Liturgical actions that are absent from our diocesan practice.
• It is recommended that on this day the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer, be celebrated with the participation of the people in the churches (PP 63, CE 276).
• It is fitting that the bishop should celebrate, in the Cathedral, the Office, formerly called the “Tenebrae” which held a special place in the devotion of the faithful as they meditate upon the passion, death and burial of the Lord while awaiting the Resurrection. (PP 40, CE 296)
Easter Vigil
• The Solemn Vigil and first Mass of Easter are celebrated only once in the same Church, According to most ancient tradition, this night is “the one vigil for the Lord”, “the mother of all holy vigils“ for in that night the Church keeps vigil waiting for the resurrection of the Lord and celebrates the sacraments of initiation. (PP 77)
• As such it is desirable that several communities are to assemble in one church, the celebration of the Easter vigil for special groups is not to be encouraged, since above all in this vigil the faithful should come together as one and should experience the sense of ecclesial communion. (PP 94)
• The entire celebration is to be done at night. It should not begin before nightfall and should end before daybreak on Sunday. This rule is to be taken according to the strictest sense. (PP 78)
• Violation of this rule has crept into whereby the Easter vigil is celebrated at the time of day when it is customary to have anticipated Sunday Masses. (PP 78)
• Reasons given for such practices linked to Christmas and other gatherings of various kinds are not to be admitted. (PP 78)
Liturgy Commission, 2004
Archdiocese of Singapore