(_From M. Bouix's "Revue des Sciences Ecclesiastiques"_).
1. At Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, ought the profound
inclination be made during the singing of the two verses _Tantum ergo
Sacramentum, Veneremur cernui_, or only during the singing of the words
_Veneremur cernui_?
2. What ceremonies are to be observed by the deacon, or by the assistant
priest, when, acting on the permission given by the Decree of the 12th
August, 1854, the deacon consigns the ostensorium to the celebrant
before the Benediction, and receives it from him after the Benediction
has been given?
3. What rule should a priest follow when he finds in the Ordo a
regulation which he believes to be certainly incorrect?
* * * * *
1. It is beyond doubt, that the inclination ought to be made whilst the
entire verses _Tantum ergo Sacramentum, Veneremur cernui_, are being
sung; and if, in any church, custom has limited the inclination to the
two last words, it has arisen from this, that whenever the celebrant
intones the hymn, he makes the inclination only after the intonation.
The ministers, however, are wrong in imitating him in this.
"Tum in officio divino", says Cavalieri, t. iv., c. viii., _Inst.
Clem._, Sec. 33, n. 49, "quam in precibus omnibus coram SS.
Sacramento, dum praedictus versus _Tantum ergo_ dicitur, ab omnibus
omnino persistendum erit in inclinatione usque ad _cernui_. Haec
est", says Gardellini (_Inst. cl. ibid._ n. 19), "praxis quae
obtinet in majoribus Urbis basilicis".
This doctrine is followed by modern authors.
2. Before we reply to the question, it will be useful to make two
remarks. The first has reference to the difference between the functions
of the deacon and those of the assistant priest. If the celebrant be
assisted by a deacon and sub-deacon, the assistant need not do more than
place the Blessed Sacrament on the throne, and lower it thence at the
proper time. He may also extract the Blessed Sacrament from the
tabernacle before the exposition, and replace it therein after the
Benediction. The office of assistant appears to have been instituted as
a measure of precaution against the danger which might result from the
near approach of the deacon's vestments to the lights, in case he took
down the ostensorium, or to guard against other inconveniences. But
there is no reason why the assistant should present the ostensorium to
the celebrant when the deacon and sub-deacon are present.
We should remark, in the next place, that, according to the text of the
_Ceremoniale Episcoporum_, and of the _Instructio Clementina_, the
priest, after receiving the humeral veil, mounts the steps without the
ministers, and himself takes the ostensorium. Authors prescribe that the
deacon and sub-deacon should kneel on the highest step, and support the
celebrant's cope during the benediction. In their absence, this is done
by the master of ceremonies, or two clerks. When the benediction has
been given, the priest having completed the circle, places the Blessed
Sacrament in the corporal, genuflects, and descends with the sub-deacon,
whilst the deacon restores the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle,
unless this be done by the assistant priest, in which case the deacon
descends with the celebrant and the sub-deacon. According to Baldeschi,
the veil is removed from the celebrant when he genuflects in the
predella, after having given the benediction.
The rubric of the _Ceremoniale Episcoporum_ (l. ii. c. xxiii., n. 27)
makes no mention of the assistant priest, supposes that the bishop
himself takes the ostensorium from the altar, and expressly declares
that he himself replaces it on the corporal.
"Accedat ad altare et accepto tabernaculo seu ostensorio cum
sanctissimo Sacramento, illud ambabus manibus velatis elevatum
tenens, vertens se ad populum, cum illo signum crucis super populum
ter faciet nihil dicens. Quo facto iterum deponet sanctissimum
Sacramentum super altare".
We read in the _Instructio Clementina_ (Sec. xxxi.): "The celebrant, on
his knees, will take the humeral veil, and ascending the altar without
attendants, after due reverence, will take the ostensorium in his hands,
which are covered with the extremity of the humeral veil, and with it
will give the benediction to the people; and having replaced the Blessed
Sacrament on the corporal, will descend, and remain on his knees in his
place. The deacon, or a priest with stole, will immediately, after due
reverence, enclose the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle". This
_Instructio_ has been explained by Cavalieri, Tetamo, and Gardellini,
who thus express themselves--
"Sacerdos", says Cavalieri (t. iv., c. ix.), "ascendit ... ad
altare, et ibi, facta genuflexione unico genu accipit in manibus
coopertis per ejusdem veli extremitates ostensorium.... Quando
sacerdos ascendit ut supra altare, una cum eo ascendunt itidem
sacri ministri, sed hi genuflectunt postea in ore suppedanei, ubi
inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias dum sacerdos benedicit
populum. In defectu autem ministrorum sacrorum id praestant
sacerdos adjutor et caeremoniarius, vel alii clerici hinc inde
genuflexi.... Celebrans data benedictione ... super corporale
Sacramentum collocat ... et deinde facta genuflexione unico genu,
descendit cum subdiacono ad infimum altaris gradum, ubi iterum cum
eodem genuflexus, per eumdem subdiaconum, vel caeremoniarium
exuitur velo humerali. Diaconus interim accedit ad altare, et facta
genuflexione unico genu, tabernaculum aperit et in eo reponit
Sacramentum, cui genuflexione iterum facta, surgens ostiolum
claudit et postea descendit ad locum suum, ad quem cum accesserit,
surgunt omnes.... Quod si ultra sacros ministros adsistat sacerdos
alter, hic imposita sibi stola Sacramentum ut supra recondet, et
diaconus cum celebrante pariter descendet, et ab eo removebit velum
humerale".
Tetamo (Append., e. iii., n. 48 et 49) thus speaks:
"Sacerdos ascendit ad altare, et ibi facta genuflexione unico genu,
ut expeditius surgat, accipit in manibus coopertis per ejusdem veli
extremitates, ostensorium.... Benedicit.... Quando sacerdos
ascendit, ut supra, altare, una cum eo ascendunt itidem sacri
ministri, sed hi genuflectunt postea in ore suppedanei, ubi
inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias, dum sacerdos benedicit
populum; in defectu autem ministrorum sacrorum, id praestant
sacerdos adjutor et caeremoniarius, vel alii clerici hinc inde
genuflexi. Celebrans, data benedictione ... super corporale
Sacramentum collocat".
Gardellini (n. 12 et 13), in his commentary, writes:
"Quando autem sacerdos ascendit ad altare, cum eo ascendunt etiam
sacri ministri, sed hi genuflectere debent in ore suppedanei, ubi
inclinati elevant pluvialis fimbrias, dum sacerdos benedicit
populum.... Celebrans, data benedictione ... collocat super
corporale Sacramentum ...; et deinde, facta prius genuflexione,
descendit cum subdiacono ad infimum altaris gradum, ubi genuflexi
ambo manent, amoto interim velo a celebrantis humeris a subdiacono,
vel ut alii malunt, a caeremoniario. Interea diaconus remanens in
suppedaneo altaris, reponit Sacramentum in tabernaculo, factis ante
et post debitis genuflexionibus.... Quamvis vero deceat et congruat
hoc munus per diaconum expleri, non est tamen necessario per eum
implendum: potest alter sacerdos cum superpelliceo et stola hoc
fungi munere, ideirco instructio ait: _Il diacono, o un sacerdote
con stola_, quemadmodum fieri debet in aliis expositionibus, in
quibus non parantur ministri sacri".
All the ancient authors agree with this view.
"Responso a choro _Amen_", says Bauldry (part. iv., art. iii., n.
33, 35, et 37), "celebrans, nihil addens, ascendit ad altare,
genuflectit, et sine alterius ministerio accipit velatis manibus,
ut prius, tabernaculum, vertens se ad populum ... benedicit ..., et
gyrum perficiens, ostensorium collocat super altare.... Interim dum
celebrans benedicit, ministri hinc inde genuflexi, et inclinati
facie versa ad sanctissimum Sacramentum, elevant partes anteriores
pluvialis illius, quod et faciunt assistentes in pari casu....
Deposito sanctissimo Sacramento a celebrante super altare, ipse
statim, genuflexione facta descendit ad secundum gradum ut prius,
ubi genuflexus manet. Tum ponitur, si opus sit, scabellum ... pro
diacono qui statim amoto velo ab eo pre subdiaconum vel
caeremoniarium ascendit ad altare, ubi, facta genuflexione, reponit
sanctissimum Sacramentum in tabernaculo".
Catalani, speaking of the benediction given by the bishop after the
procession of the Blessed Sacrament, says (_Cer. Ep._, l. ii., c.
xxviii., n. 27):
"Episcopus ... accepto tabernaculo sive ostensorio cum sanctissimo
Sacramento, per se scilicet et sine alterius ministerio, illud
ambabus manibus velatis elevatum tenens, vertens se ad populum, cum
illo signum crucis super populum ter faciet.... Dataque
benedictione, Episcopus deponet sanctissimum Sacramentum super
altare".
Gavantus says the same (sect. i., part iv., tit. xii., n. 7):
"Ascendit (celebrans) ad altare, genuflectit, et ipsemet nullo
diaconi ministerio accipit velatis manibus, ut prius, tabernaculum,
benedicit cum eo populum ... nihil dicens, et gyrum perficiens
reverenter reponit".
Merati thus comments on the passage:
"Celebrans ... ascendit ad altare ... et absque alterius ministerio
accipit velatis manibus ostensorium".
Baldeschi gives the same directions.
But in spite of these authorities, it is customary in some churches for
the deacon to ascend with the priest, to take the ostensorium, and
present it to the celebrant, to receive it from the same after the
benediction, and to replace it on the corporal. This usage is
established in Rome, and has been confirmed by a decree of the 12th
August, 1854, published in the _Analecta_.
_Question_: "An liceat sacerdoti accipere ostensorium per manus
diaconi istud ex altari acceptum porrigentis, ut populo benedictio
impertiatur, et post benedictionem remittere ostensorium diacono,
qui super altare deponet, prout fit in nonnullis ecclesiis? Vel
ipsemet sacerdos debeat accipere ostensorium ex altari, et data
benedictione, super altare deponere, sicut expresse docent Gavantus
in rubrica Miss. part. vi., tit. xiii., n. 7; Merati in Gavantum",
etc.
_Answer_: "Quoad primam partem, licere etiam ex praxi ecclesiarum
Urbis; quoad secundam partem, provisum in primo".
Hence it appears that the _Instructio Clementina_ and the _Caeremoniale_
have been too rigorously interpreted by old authors. We are at liberty
to choose whichever of the two usages may agree better with the
arrangements of the altar, and may be more easy to carry out. This is
the common opinion of recent authors, and is founded on Roman usage and
on the decision just cited. In addition, if the deacon is to receive the
ostensorium from the priest's hands, the priest is not bound to complete
the circle: he returns towards the altar, on the epistle side, where the
deacon is. This follows from the decree of the 21st March, 1676, No.
2776:
_Question_: "An in benedicendo populum cum sanctissimo Sacramento
sit servandus modus infrascriptus: Cum sacerdos stat ante populum,
ostensorium ante pectus tenet, tum elevat illud decenti mora non
supra caput, sed tantum usque ad oculos, et eodem modo illud
demittit infra pectus, mox iterum recte illud attollit usque ad
pectus, et deinde ad sinistrum humerum ducit, et reducit ad
dexterum, et rursus ante pectus reducit, ibique aliquantulum sistit
quasi peracta ad omnes mundi partes cruce, eam etiam venerandam
omnibus praebet: tunc gyrum perficiens, collocat ostensorium super
altare?"
_Answer_: "Si placet, potest observare supradictum modum.... Sin
minus, servandus est modus dispositus in _Caer. Ep._, l. ii., c.
xxxiii., ubi requiritur tantummodo ut cum eodem SS. Sacramento
celebrans producat signum crucis super populum".
It is now easy to fix the ceremonies to be observed in cases where the
deacon presents the ostensorium to the priest, and receives it from him
after the benediction. First, the celebrant kneels in receiving the
Blessed Sacrament from the deacon, and the deacon, when he receives it
from the celebrant. This is a standing liturgical rule--the rubric of
the Missal for Holy Thursday says:
"Finita Missa ... fit processio.... Celebrans indutus pluviali albo
... in medio genuflexus ... accepto calice cum Sacramento de manu
diaconi stantis.... Cum autem ventum fuerit ad locum paratum
diaconus genuflexus a sacerdote stante accipit calicem cum
Sacramento".
In the _Cer. Ep._ (l. ii., c. xxiii., n. 12 et 13):
"Diaconus assistens ... capit SS. Sacramentum de altari, et illud,
stans, offert episcopo genuflexo. Cum pervenerit ad sacellum ubi
Sacramentum deponi debet ... cum erit episcopus ante supremum
gradum altaris, diaconus accipiet de manu ipsius stantis SS.
Sacramentum genuflexus".
In the rubric for the procession of Corpus Christi (ibid., c. xxxiii.,
nos. 20 et 24):
"Diaconus assistens a dexteris accedet ad altare, et cum debitis
reverentiis accipiet tabernaculum sive ostensorium cum SS.
Sacramento de altari, et illud in manibus Episcopi genuflexi
collocabit.... Postquam Episcopus pervenerit ad supremum altaris
gradum, diaconus a dextris cum debita reverentia et genuflexione
... accipiet de manu ipsius Episcopi stantis SS. Sacramentum".
Some respectable authorities allow the Blessed Sacrament to be received
by the sacred minister standing. We see no reasons in support of this
opinion. The ceremonies to be observed are the following:--The
celebrant, having received the humeral veil, ascends the altar with the
sacred ministers. The celebrant and subdeacon stop at the upper step,
and kneel on the extremity of the predella; the deacon goes up to the
altar, genuflects, takes the ostensorium, hands it to the celebrant, and
then kneels on the epistle side of the predella. The celebrant, having
received the ostensorium, rises, gives the benediction, consigns the
ostensorium to the deacon, and kneels once more on the extremity of the
predella. The deacon, after receiving the ostensorium, stands up, places
it on the corporal, and restores the Blessed Sacrament to the
tabernacle. Meantime the celebrant, laying aside the veil, descends to
his place at the foot of the altar, as soon as the Blessed Sacrament has
been removed.
3. It is clear that in such case he ought to follow the general Rubric.
The Ordo is intended to set forth the application of liturgical rules to
particular cases; and it is no wonder that in a task so minute, errors
should sometimes occur. But if the mistake be not clearly and evidently
such, the priest should follow the Ordo. "When the bishop publishes a
directory", says M. Falise (pag. 276, 3rd edition), "the priests of the
diocese are bound to conform to it not only in what is certain, but also
in questions on which a difference of opinion exists among authors, and
even when the contrary of what is prescribed appears certain. But this
rule does not hold when the regulations are evidently contrary to the
Rubrics". The following decrees bear on this point:--
1ST DECREE. _Question._ "An in casibus dubiis adhaerendum est
kalendario dioecesis, sive quoad officium publicum et privatum,
sive quoad Missam, sive quoad vestium sacrarum colorem, etiamsi
quibusdam probabilior videtur sententia kalendario opposita? Et
quatenus affirmative, an idem dicendum de casu quo certum alicui
videretur errare kalendarium?" _Answer._ "Standum kalendario".
(Decree 23 May, 1833, n. 4746, q. 2).
2ND DECREE. _Question._ " ... 6. Cum pro nonnullis sanctis propriis
regni Hispaniarum de quibus recitatur officium ritu dupl. min.
habeantur lectiones primi nocturni de communi, pro aliis vero de
scriptura occurrente, quaeritur quae certa regula servari debeat
quoad numeratas primi nocturni lectiones in officiis duplicibus
minoribus? 7. An quoad easdem lectiones primi nocturni in
duplicibus minoribus standum sit dispositionibus directorii, vel
breviarii? 8. An licitum sit in duplicibus minoribus, et etiam
semiduplicibus, lectiones primi nocturni pro lubitu desumere vel de
communi, vel de scriptura, quando diversitas extat inter
dispositionem directorii et breviarii?" _Answer._ " ... Ad 6.
Lectiones primi nocturni in casu esse de scriptura, nisi diversae
in indulto expresse assignentur. Ad 7. Jam provisum in proximo. Ad
8. Ut ad proximum". (Decree 27 August, 1863, n. 4787, q. 6, 7, et
8).