medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Offertorium – 29

Let us move on to the procession. Once again I quote Tyrer:

‘In the older Roman rite (eleventh and twelfth centuries) the
Procession was as simple as the Benediction of psalms. The book of the
Gospels was carried ... by the deacons on a litter, preceded by the
usual ornaments ... and the Pope himself walked in the Procession ...
On the way to St John Lateran, various Antiphons were sung ... and the
hymn Gloria laus et honor. After the hymn ... the door of the church
was opened, and the procession moved along the nave singing the Respond
Ingrediente Domino. But, according to OR xii, two Antiphons – Pueri
Hebraeorum and Hosanna Filio David – were sung by the choir as they
passed on to the altar, while the people strewed branches and flowers.’
(p. 63).

The only skills required, were to be able to walk and sing at the same
time. Outside of Rome, it is surprising what a palaver was made of the
simple business of walking into church, not least at Sarum:

‘At Sarum the officiating priest wore a red silk cope, his assistants
being vested in albs. They were followed by the choir, and the choir by
the people, every one carrying a palm-branch. The Procession, as it
started, was headed by a veiled cross and made its way through the west
quire-door, round the cloister and out by the Canons’ door the the
place of the first Station – the extreme easter point of the northern
churchyard before the Cross. As it went along, the choir sang the
Antiphons Prima autem azymorum and Cum appropinquaret Dominus; if these
were not enough, three more were provided: Cum audisset populus, Ante
sex dies solemnitatis, Ante sex dies passionis.

‘Arrived at the Station, the Deacon read the Gospel (Matt. xxi. 1-9),
and immediately afterwards there appeared a second Procession which had
left the church during the distribution of the palms and had taken a
different route. At the head of this Procession were two banners and an
unveiled cross ‘pricked full of green olives and palms’ ... but its
chief feature was a feretory on which were laid the relics of Saints
and from which the Blessed Sacrament hung in a pyx. What followed must
be given in the words of Sar[um] Proc[essional] ...:

‘The Gospel being ended, let a boy clad like a prophet, standing on
some high place, sing the prophetic Lesson in the following manner:-
Hierusalem, repice ad orientem et vide: leva, Hierusalem, oculos et
vide potentiam Regis. Let three clerks of the second form, going our of
the Procession, without change of costume, turn to the people and,
standing before the great Cross on the western side, sing all together
this verse thus:-

‘En Rex venit mansuetus tibi, Sion, filia mystica, humilis sedens super
animalia, quem venturum jam praedixit lectio prophetica. After each
verse let the Officiant begin the Antiphon Salve, turning to the
relics, and let the choir continue it, kneeling and kissing the ground,
the Officiant himself first kneeling with the choir and saying Salve
quem Jesum. Let the choir, after prostration and kissing of the ground,
rise and continue ...

[And so indeed they do continue, for a very long time, with many more
antiphons]

‘The Procession then went round the church to the place of the second
Station (the south side), the unveiled cross, the relics, and the
Sacrament accompanying it from this time forward, while the veiled
cross disappeared ... The main feature of this Station was the singing,
by seven boys from a higher position ... of the first four verses of
the hymn Gloria laus et honor ... At the end of each verse the boys
threw down cakes and flowers ... while the choir responded by repeating
the first verse.

‘As the Procession went through the cloister to the third station (the
west door of the church), the choir saing the Respond Collegerunt
pontifices. At this Station three clerks of higher rank turned to the
people and sang the verse Unus autem ex ipsis. Then, according to the
Potation for Lent ... a ceremony took place which is not mentioned in
the Sarum books; the Officiant opened the closed door of the church
with the cross. But our other authorities inform us that the feretory
with the relics and the Sacrament were lifted up over the door, and the
Procession entered under it.

‘On the way up the nave to the fourth Station (before the rood) the
Respond Ingrediente Domino was sung, the rood was unveiled, and the
Officiant began the Antiphon Ave, while the choir knelt down, kissed
the ground, and continued Rex noster. This was done thrice, after which
the choir standing sang the whole Antiphon. Then all passed into the
quire, and the Procession ended with the Respond Circumdederunt, the
Versicle Eripe me, and the Collect for the day. High Mass followed
immediately.’ No hanging about!

I think I shall spare you the details of how they got into their
churches at York and Canterbury, and look next time at the much simpler
Roman rite.

Bill.









	
	
		
___________________________________________________________ 
Yahoo! Messenger - NEW crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html