Traditional Solemn High Mass at Birmingham Oratory

It was such a joy for me to sit down at the Oratory this morning, and see three altar cards set out on the High Altar, and the temporary lectern and microphone stand pushed aside. Today was the first time I have been to a High Mass in the Old Rite (using 1962 liturgical books). This occasion was even more special because it was happening at my home church of Birmingham Oratory, where I know and dearly love many people. I just caught the end of benediction before I prepared for what was a most beautiful spectacle! The church was very full, probably a similar number that attends the principal mass every Sunday. This is a wonderful indication for us, because in our modern Church in this country, there is no obligation at all any more to attend Mass on this day. Yet still there are so many of us willing to observe the twelfth day of Christmas, in the traditional manner.

In the customary Oratorian way, we were treated to a full complement of servers, and beautiful golden vestments. While the Ministers prepared us for the sacred mysteries by reciting Psalm 42 and the Confiteor in a penitant way, the choir was in full swing, chanting the Introit:

Behold the Lord the ruler is come: and the Kingdom is in His hand, and power, and dominion. O God: and to the king's son Thy justice. The Kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer gifts. The Kings of Araby and Saba shall bring presents. And all the kings of the earth shall adore Him; all peoples shall serve Him.

What is wonderful about this feast, as Fr. Paul Chavasse explained in his homily, is the way we resemble the wise men; bringing the gifts of our lives, and humbly bowing and kneeling in adoration, at His presence in the Blessed Sacrament. The Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ to the whole world, embracing the Gentiles in His plan of salvation as long as we imitate that humility displayed by the three kings. Our responsibility is great; to reveal to others in turn the joy we have received from the Gospel. Even if we do not feel influential, we can achieve this by living good lives and displaying the humility and reverence as the wise men did.

This first part of the Mass is so wonderful in the Old Rite, we see such petitions of penitence and humility. For instance, as the Celebrant ascends the Altar he says quietly in Latin: Take away from us our iniquities, we entreat Thee, O Lord, that with pure minds we may worthily enter into the Holy of Holies.

The Kyrie and Gloria were sung beautifully by the choir, from the Mass O quam gloriosum est Regnum by Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611). The choir's performance provides more of a backdrop than a focus in the Old Mass, during which the Ministers are busy with rituals like incensing the altar, saying quiet prayers, and ultimately offering the Canon which is the central prayer of the Mass.

For this special Mass the Ministers all wore birettas, which looked fabulous! During the Gloria, when they are seated at the Sedilia, it is noticeable that these birettas are removed every time the Choir sing the name "Jesus" as a mark of respect for this Holy Name!

Indeed, Catholics revere the name Jesus so much that it is used sparingly, with term "Our Lord" being more common. Every time the name Jesus is spoken it is proper to briefly bow one's head.

Once the Kyrie ("Lord have mercy") and the Gloria ("Glory to God in the Highest") have been said, our penitence has been transformed to joy. The prayers of all the faithful present are then united in the Collect: proper to the day's Feast:

O God, who on this day didst reveal Thine only-begotten Son to the nations by the guiding of a star, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who now know Thee by Faith, may be led to contemplate the beauty of Thy shining.

Next the Subdeacon (Fr. Philip Cleevely) takes the Missal and chants the Epistle, standing away from the Altar itself but directing the prophecy towards it. I have heard it said that this minister represents the people of the Old Covenant, or more properly the Jewish people, who never accepted Jesus as Messiah. The Subdeacon is alone in his actions, and always stays behind the Celebrant, who like the Priest at every Mass, resembles Christ. I don't know how true this observation is, but like everything it is edifying and prayerful to see such rich symbolism in our worship, which I will continue to reflect on during this account.

Isaias 60. 1-6 "Thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon Thee... the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising."

Next the Missal is transferred to the Deacon (Fr. Guy Nicholls), who represents the people of the New Covenant. He asks "Jube, domne, benedícere" (Sir, bid a blessing) and is blessed by the Celebrant with the words: "May the Lord be in thine heart and on thy lips that thou mayest worthily and fitly proclaim his Gospel".

This proclamation is done most splendidly and joyfully with the procession of the Missal to the 'Gospel side' of the Altar, with the choir singing the tract and Alleluia:

Alleluia, Alleluia!
We have seen His star in the East, and are come with gifts to adore the Lord.
Alleluia!

The Missal is illuminated by acolytes and incensed with the thurible. The orientation is different from when the Epistle is said; the Deacon faces away from the Altar, almost (and probably historically) towards the people. The celebrant looks on from the Altar itself, facing the Deacon's back, in such a way that it appears to be him (as Christ) inspiring the Deacon (as the Church) to proclaim the Gospel.

St. Matthew 2. 1-12
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him"

Special to today's Gospel is the rubric for the point when the Deacon chants the section:"and falling down they adored Him"

"et procidéntes adoravérunt eum"

We all genuflect with him at this moment to mirror the Magi's act of adoration. This act is the height of humility: those who were Kings themselves, and not likely to have been convinced by prophecies or apologetics, but by God acting in them in a unique way, to bring them to the foot of the manger.

"By the words of the Gospel may our sins be blotted out"

Fr. Paul Chavasse then preached what was, as I have said, a wonderful sermon; which has given me inspiration to reflect on this magnificent feast here. It also provided a suitable moment for Wendy to have her hourly toilet break (Maddy is taking up a lot of room)!

The next part of the Mass is the principal sacrificial part and is based around the manifestation of Our Lord in the changing of bread and wine into His Body and Blood under the humble appearance of the former. This part is traditionally known as the 'Mass of the Faithful', since catechumens (or Christians-in-training) were dismissed at this point in very early Christianity, to maintain secrecy and security in times of persecution. Nowadays, the name has been changed to 'Liturgy of the Eucharist' which reflects the distinctive act of 'thanksgiving' which takes place here.

It was at this point when I was fascinated to see, for my first time, the Subdeacon receive a humoral veil which has an important liturgical function in the High Mass:

Here the Subdeacon on the right presents the water and wine cruets to the Celebrant, which will be offered to God and transformed into the Blood of Christ:

By the Mystery signified in the mingling of this water and wine, grant us to have part in the Godhead of Him Who hath deigned to become a partaker of our humanity, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord...

Next the Altar is incensed and the Subdeacon receives, concealed under his veil, the paten (which the transformed Sacred Host will be placed upon later). The symbolism of this revolves around the blindness of the Jewish people towards the Saviour, who is present in the New Covenant. It sounds dreadfully un-PC, but that's what I've been led to believe; and perhaps the reason why the modern Church has abolished the role of Subdeacon altogether! I think it creates a marvellous beauty and elegance to have these different roles being reflected in the Mass.

May this incense which Thou hast blessed, O Lord, ascend to Thee, and may Thy mercy descend on us. Welcome as incense-smoke let my prayer rise up before The, O Lord. When I lift up my hands, be it as acceptable as the evening sacrifice.

The great Sacrifice of the Mass is where the Christian life culminates each week. We are mystically present at Christ's own sacrifice, which is re-presented through time and space at every Altar. It is like the Temple of the Old Testament being present in the midst of every people in the world. That is why the structure of a church building is so important; the sanctuary is kept holy and undefiled behind the altar rails (or the iconostasis in the Eastern Church, or rood screen in Gothic churches) and within it is the holy of holies: the tabernacle - where Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament (reserved hosts from communion are contained there).

Amid the elaborate prayers of the Roman Canon, the pinacle is the simple pronunciation of Christ's words at the Last Supper, which brings about the transformation of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord.

HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM

HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI...

We bow down in humble adoration at this moment, making an act of faith such as "My Lord and my God" (the words of the Apostle Thomas on witnessing the resurrected Lord). This is our inheritence from the Magi; this is what we recall on this feast: Christ is born among us in the Church, we are called to pay our own homage and ask him into our lives.

"Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccáta mundi"
Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who taketh away the sins of the world

The choir sang the Communion Motet "Magi viderunt stellam" by Victoria as the congregation received communion in the traditional manner.

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that with minds that have been cleansed we may grasp the meaning of that which with solemn rite we celebrate. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.