Unlimited is the effectiveness of the God-Man’s Blood — just as unlimited as the love that impelled him to pour it out for us, first at his circumcision eight days after birth, and more profusely later on in his agony in the garden, in his scourging and crowning with thorns, in his climb to Calvary and crucifixion, and finally from out that great wide wound in his side which symbolizes the divine Blood cascading down into all the Church’s sacraments. Such love suggests, nay demands, that everyone reborn in the torrents of that Blood adore it with grateful love. (Pope John XXIII: Devotion to the Most Precious Blood.)
Beautiful pictures that I’ve never seen. Thank you so much for posting them. This is my first visit to your fine blog, linked here through Dymphna’s Road. Keep up the good work!
I wonder could anyone explain what the function of everyone in the bottom photo is? The MC for that Mass would have a tough job!
I am sure these pontifical high masses must have been quite expensive, considering all the drapping involved. Today’s pope masses come very cheap, of course all that saved money goes to pay an increasing and fat Vatican bureacrasy.
Sanctus Belle: Thank you
PH: I think Deacons, sub-deacons, acoltytes, etc. The old Pontifical was pretty elaborate.
Humbolt: It does make the modern Papal liturgy look very enemic. $-wise, well we should put our best foot forward in worship.
P H,
At papal Masses there is more than one M.C. You can see, if you have attended a regular Traditional Solemn Mass, the main Sacred Ministers, there. The one with the big (bigger than usual at least) humeral veil is the Subdeacon. The ones on his left and right are the Greek Subdeacon and the Greek Deacon as at Solemn Papal Masses the Epistle and the Gospel are also sung in Greek after they are sung in Latin first (at the Consecration they only bow – this is why they are not kneeling in the picture). The one kneeling at the Pope’s right is a Deacon and the ones kneeling a little behind the Pope are also Deacons (I think).
As at Pontifical Solemn Masses, there are also many assistants ( “Acolytes” or Ministers) for the Book, the Candle, the Crozier, the Mitre, the gremial, Assistant Bishop, Assistant Deacons (in addition to the Deacon of the Mass), the Thurifer (on the right side of the top step), Cross-bearer and Candle-Bearers (at Papal Masses there are 7 Candle Bearers, not two), the train-bearers (more than one because the Pope’s Falda is very, very long and wide) – although at this Mass, John XXIII does not seem to be wearing the Falda. The Papal Sacristan should be somewhere there, too.
Thank you for the info anon. I have only seen a few Solemn Masses, mostly Missa Cantata.
Hi Ken,
I did not mean the previous comment to be anonymous. I was in a hurry and I did not notice that I had not included my “name” and blog.
The Masses at St. Agnes are mostly Missæ Cantátæ. A couple of years ago, there was a Pontifical Mass at St. Agnes celebrated by Card. Stickler (there was also one at St. Patrick’s Cathedral also celebrated by Card. Stickler). I have not been able to find the videos, but there are videos for those two Pontifical Masses somewhere.
The Papal Mass is sort of like a Pontifical Mass, but more solemn and with rituals and ceremonies that are unique (in a way) to the Papal Mass.
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