31 Mar

2024

The Vigil of Easter at St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk

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The celebrant and ministers, vested in penitential violet, approach to sanctify the new fire, in anticipation of the light of Easter Day.
The deacon changes from his penitential vestments into the white dalmatic of joy.
A procession is formed. The faithful follow the clergy into the church. Three times along the way the procession stops. The deacon sings “Lumen Christi,” while the ministers and faithful kneel.
When the sacred ministers achieve the sanctuary, the deacon proceeds to consecrate the Paschal Candle by the great Easter proclamation, the ancient “Exsultet.”
The dedication candles and the lamps of the church are now lighted from the Paschal Candle.
A procession is formed to the basptistery, led by the Paschal Candle for the Baptisms.
The celebrant blesses the baptismal water.
The celebrant plunges the Paschal Candle into the water thrice.
The celebrant circles the church to sprinkle the faithful with the baptismal water.
The catechumens are baptized.
The newly baptized receive baptismal candles, symbolizing the new light of grace which they have received.
Confirmations
The choir begins the Litany of the Saints. The sacred ministers divest and prostrate themselves at the foot of the altar.
The acolytes prepare the altar for the festive Mass of Easter.
Toward the end of the Litany, the celebrant and ministers return.
The celebrant intones the Gloria. The church bells are sounded.
The images of the church are uncovered.
Acolytes bearing torches approach the altar for the Consecration.
First Communions
The deacon sings the dismissal, to which the alleluia is appended. “Ite missa est alleluia, alleluia”
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31 Mar

2024

Good Friday Services at St. Mary’s Norwalk

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The reading of the Passion according to St. John
Ecce Lignum Crucis!
The ministers venerate the Cross
The people venerate the cross.
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30 Mar

2024

Good Friday Evening: The Burial of the Body of Christ

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A procession carries the bier of the Body of Christ through neighboring streets. The procession returns to the church as the Vexilla Regis is sung. The bier is placed before the high altar, where it is ritually washed and buried by the clergy, as the choir sings the psalms and the Lamentations of Jeremiah from the first nocturn of the Office of Matins of Holy Saturday.

At the start of the procession, the wind blew the canopy off the bier of the Body of Christ.
The bier of the Body of Christ is returned to the church. It is placed before the high altar, where it is ritually washed and buried by the clergy, as the choir sings the psalms and the Lamentations of Jeremiah from the first nocturn of the Office of Matins of Holy Saturday.
Fr. Ringley uses a mixture of wine, myrhh, calamus and cassia to ritually purify the body—an ancient Jewish burial custom.
Olive oil is mixed with aloe and balsam, blessed, and used to anount the body.
Three lectors sing the three lessons from the Book of Lamentations.
Psalm 50, the Miserere, is sung. The lights are dimmed and mourners come to reverence the sepulchre.

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29 Mar

2024

Holy Thursday At St. Mary Church, Norwalk

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Yesterday evening, Traditional Mass of the Lord’s Supper was offered at St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT.

The celebrant intones the Gloria. The bells of the church are sounded throughout, the last time they will be heard until Easter Day.
The Blessed Sacrament is removed from the tabernacle to an altar of reserve.
The clergy strip the altars of the church, the symbol of Christ himself, of all adornment, just as our Lord was stripped of all noble semblance and was made the derision of men. Afterward, the clergy and misnisters depart in silence.
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28 Mar

2024

Tenebrae at St. Mary Church Norwalk

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A beautiful Tenebrae was sung at St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT yesterday evening.

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24 Mar

2024

Palm Sunday at St. Mary in Norwalk

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Blessing the the palms
Above and below: distribution of the palms
“Procedamus in pace”
Above and below: When the sacred ministers reach the door, cantors within sing the hymn “Gloria, laus et honor” and the faithful respond with the refrain.
The subdeacon bangs three times on the doors with the foot of the cross. The doors are flung open and all enter.
The Passion of St. Matthew is chanted by three cantors. (Below) The choir provides the polyphonic responses of the crowd.
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