What we eat and what we drink the Holy Spirit has elsewhere made plain by the prophet, saying, “Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that hopes in Him.” In that sacrament is Christ, because it is the Body of Christ, it is therefore not bodily food but spiritual. Whence the Apostle says of its type: “Our fathers ate spiritual food and drank spiritual drink,” 1 Cor10:3 for the Body of God is a spiritual body; the Body of Christ is the Body of the Divine Spirit, for the Spirit is Christ, as we read: “The Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord.” Lam 4:20 And in the Epistle of Peter we read: “Christ died for us.” 1 Peter 2:21 Lastly, that food strengthens our heart, and that drink “makes glad the heart of man,” as the prophet has recorded. St. Ambrose: On the Mysteries
What wonderful photos.
But in the first, entitled “La Primera Misa”, why do the sacred ministers ALL seem to be wearing chasubles? I can understand if the deacon and subdeacon are wearing the “pianeta plicata”, or folded chasubles (it is impossible to tell the difference from the back), but on what possible occasion? Surely during Holy Week the cross would be veiled, for example. Unless it’s ash wednesday? Or perhaps an ember day?
If it is the “primera misa” of the priest himself, perhaps he is saying Mass on an ember day after his ordination (could make some sense). Otherwise, is it the first Mass to be offered in that (new?) Church?
Does anybody know?
Of course they might just not have had any dalmatics and tunicles and put the deacon and sub in roman chasubles… not very proper, but these little abuses probably happened from time to time…
Hello Alex, yeah, I thought that all 3 wearing what look to be chasubles was weird too. It was the first Mass in the church, hence the very large crowd.
Ah, I think it IS folded chasubles the ministers are wearing: it’s the old rules, which means it’s probably a sunday in Lent or Advent. Which makes sense for a first Mass because Ordinations often took place on the Saturday Ember day in those seasons. It’s taken me a while to think this one through, and I’ve just stumbled accross this pic again by chance!!!