Friday, April 22, 2005

Inauguration

For those of you who read Italian and/or Latin you'll find the text of the Mass for the Inauguaration of the Holy Father Benedict XVI's Petrine ministy online.

Flicking through I note:
The ceremony begins inside the Basilica with Benedict XVI accompanied by the Eastern Catholic Patriachs incensing the tomb of the Apostle.
The penetenital rite of the Mass will consist of the 'Laudes Regiæ' (Royal Acclaimations) - a kind of litany which seems to have historical roots in Royal and Imperical liturgies of the Middle Ages.
As is traditional at the most solemn Papal liturgies, the gospel will be sung in both Latin and Greek. This symoblises the Catholicity of the Church. I love hearing the Gospel sung in either language and am particularly taken by the way in which the Gospel is introduced by the Greek Deacon (and in many of the Eastern rites) : Wisdom! Let us stand and listen to the Holy Gospel...Be attentive.
I note that the languages for the prayers of the faithful are German, French, Arabic(!), Chinese(!) and Portugese.
Note in the Eucharistic prayer the special form only used by the Pope: una cum me indigno famulo tuo - in union with me your unworthy servant. He's the only priest in the world who never mentions the Pope's name in the Eucharistic prayer.
To me it seems (and I have not checked this) that the proper prayers of the Mass are simply those found in any altar missal 'For the Pope' with the obvious exception that instead of saying 'Benedict' the Holy Father says 'me'.

Also on that page is the text of the homage the Holy Father will pay at the tomb of St Paul on Monday.

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