Processions:
Add to Preparation: chasuble [and maniples] laid over altar rail on Epistle side. MC should remind CR to collect copes of choir clergy after Procession and to collect CEL’s cope at Offertory.
Enter in silence [organist may be either finishing prelude or doodling], short way from North door. TT[TT] carry lighted torches.
Line up at altar steps as usual; genuflect after D returns from placing Gospel Book on altar.
Th has incense laid on and goes to choir floor behind ACrA; D turns to bid procession, then turns back to face altar. MC cues ALL to genuflect as hymn play-through begins.
D turns to bid procession, then turns back to face altar. MC cues genuflection; as CEL turns to face people, SD and D cross on steps behind him. SMs walk three abreast, D and SD holding Cel’s cope, down center aisle and across front and back of nave, single file elsewhere.
The direction of the procession is as follows: down centre aisle, turn right, up north aisle, across front aisle, down south (Lady Chapel) aisle, through Baptistry, back up centre aisle to chancel.
ALL return to places as in opening lineup. MC leads genuflection and ALL retire to accustomed places (SMs to Altar, MC and AA to sedilia/credence). TT[TT] depart to smoke sacristy to dispose of candles and re-enter to places by Bishop’s Throne.
Altar censed during Gloria in Excelsis.
At Offertory, after CEL has blessed incense, MC assists SD to change CEL from cope to chasuble. CR should be ready to receive cope and remove it to the sacristy. If CR forgets, MC should put cope in Lady Chapel or behind High Altar reredos.
Advent Sunday (Feast of Dedication and Title):
The service on this day begins with a Procession (see notes above). All three SMs, plus choir clergy, are vested in white copes [and stoles] for the Procession; the altar and chalice are veiled in blue as usual for the season.
At the conclusion of the Procession, the SMs come back to their places in lineup at foot of altar steps. MC cues genuflection; ALL genuflect.
AA, MC, and TH retire to credence. CR collects choir clergy copes as usual.
SMs exit to priests’ sacristy where they change into purple vestments. CEL dons purple chasuble – no more copes in this service. SMs then return to chancel, go up to altar and kiss it, then receive thurible from TH to begin altar censing.
During Advent:
No Gloria; altar censed during Introit as usual.
During Lent:
Additional Preparations as above for Processions.
The “A-word” in all Altar Books should be covered over with a trimmed “sticky note” to discourage a celebrant on autopilot from saying it.
Litany in Procession: start of Mass as for a Procession.
The SMs walk single file throughout the Litany. They do not walk three abreast at any time.
The Procession turns left (toward Baptistry) at the back of the church and proceeds around the nave at approximately half the normal speed in a mirror image of the customary Procession route.
Cense altar during Kyrie.
The Gloria in Excelsis is omitted. A Tract, which may be lengthy, replaces the Alleluia Verse before the Gospel. When the Tract is lengthy, the Gospel Procession is modified as follows: after the Epistle, SD moves book and returns to sedilia. MC cues Th to enter. Incense is laid on and A1 leads off, followed by Th, SD, MC and A2. D goes to retrieve Gospel book from altar, is blessed by Cel as usual, and goes to lineup. MC cues ALL to genuflect and Gospel procession continues per custom.
No Intercessions or Confession – the Peace immediately follows the Creed.
CEL changes from cope to chasuble after laying on incense at the Offertory.
During Eastertide: Vidi Aquam
Add to Preparation: set out holy water bucket on step near Epistle-side pavement candle, and chasuble [and maniples] over Epistle-side altar rail.
The Paschal Candle resides in the centre of the choir through Whitsunday. Servers walking alone should pass the candle with the left shoulder. Servers in pairs split around it.
Entrance Procession is as usual.
The Mass begins with the Vidi Aquam as the Introit, immediately following the entrance hymn.
Immediately after ALL genuflect, MC gives holy water bucket to CEL and CEL asperges himself, SMs, and servers. When CEL turns to asperge choir and congregation, SD and D cross behind him and hold his cope; at back of aisle turn with him again (NB: CELs often run up and down aisle!). NOTE: With the Paschal Candle in centre of choir floor, SD will have to release cope to get around it.
MC, AA, and Th remain in entrance lineup until SMs return from asperging congregation.
Returning from nave, SMs genuflect and CEL gives bucket to MC; SMs go up to reverence altar while MC and others retire to places.
The Easter Acclamation, Collect for Purity, and Summary of the Law follow as usual. Altar is censed during Gloria. The Customary is normal thereafter.
CEL changes vestments at Offertory, as with a Procession.
The Easter Dismissal is used throughout Paschaltide.
On Rogation Sunday:
The cope will be needed at the end of the Mass, so instead of giving it to CR at Offertory MC should retire it to Lady Chapel or behind the High Altar reredos for easy retrieval.
At least twice the usual amount of holy water should be provided for the Vidi Aquam at the entrance and the Rogation Procession at the end of Mass.
At the end of the Mass, after the Blessing and Dismissal, the Sacred Ministers reverence the altar and then turn and descend to the sedilia. The final hymn begins as usual and will cover much of the following:
- The Deacon and Subdeacon assist the Celebrant in removing chasuble and changing back to cope. All SMs remove maniples. MC lays chasuble and maniples over altar rail.
- MC signals TH to enter from smoke sacristy. CEL lays on incense in the normal manner.
- CR brings processional cross to middle of choir floor as for normal depature. TH and AA genuflect at gate and TH leads AA into choir. TH takes position to west of CR while AA flank CR, all of them facing the altar.
- TT, SMs and MC line up at altar steps. MC has holy water bucket and passes it to CEL.
- MC cues genuflection and ALL genuflect and turn westward.
- TH and A-CR-A lead procession, in normal order.
When the hymn is over, the Choir or a Cantor appointed begin the Litany of the Saints. All, including the congregation, sing the responses as the procession continues.
Weather permitting, the procession goes out the West door, turns left, and proceeds around the block onto Mount Vernon Street, the congregation following the SMs. CEL asperges every green growing thing in sight along the way.
- If the weather is foul, the procession goes down centre aisle, out side door to Hale House, down stairs into Moseley Hall and gathers in bay window end for prayer, blessing, and madrigal.
The procession goes down Mount Vernon Street to the firehouse, turns left, and turns left again into alley leading to Parish Garden. In the Garden, CEL reads a suitable prayer and asperges the flora. The Choir sings a madrigal. At the earliest possible moment following, the MC marshals servers to take vestments from clergy and retire upstairs via the kitchen staircase to proceed with cleanup.