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Showing posts with label St. John the Baptist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. John the Baptist. Show all posts
Wednesday, 2 May 2018
80th Grand Master of the Order of Malta
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Armagh 2017
To mark the 10th Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum the Catholic Heritage Association of Ireland made our second pilgrimage to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh. A report of the first pilgrimage can be read here. It was a truly National Pilgrimage with members coming from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Wexford and Wicklow - the Four Provinces of Ireland all represented - to assist at Holy Mass and attend our Annual General Meeting held afterwards in the Synod Hall attached to the Cathedral.
However, one element of the pilgrimage above all made it a most blessed occasion, the presence of His Eminence Seán, Cardinal Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh, to celebrate the Mass. In his homily, Cardinal Brady reminded the congregation that the Traditional Latin Mass had been the Mass of his Altar service, of his First Communion and Confirmation, and of his Ordination and his First Mass. He also reminded us that this day, the feast of St. John the Baptist, was his own feast day. Cardinal Brady is to attend the Consistory on 28th June with Our Holy Father, Pope Francis. His Eminence was assisted by Fr. Aidan McCann, C.C., who was ordained in the Cathedral only two years ago. It was a great privilege and joy for the members and friends of the Catholic Heritage Association to share so many grace-filled associations with Cardinal Brady and Fr. McCann and the Armagh Cathedral community.
However, one element of the pilgrimage above all made it a most blessed occasion, the presence of His Eminence Seán, Cardinal Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh, to celebrate the Mass. In his homily, Cardinal Brady reminded the congregation that the Traditional Latin Mass had been the Mass of his Altar service, of his First Communion and Confirmation, and of his Ordination and his First Mass. He also reminded us that this day, the feast of St. John the Baptist, was his own feast day. Cardinal Brady is to attend the Consistory on 28th June with Our Holy Father, Pope Francis. His Eminence was assisted by Fr. Aidan McCann, C.C., who was ordained in the Cathedral only two years ago. It was a great privilege and joy for the members and friends of the Catholic Heritage Association to share so many grace-filled associations with Cardinal Brady and Fr. McCann and the Armagh Cathedral community.
Saturday, 18 April 2015
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Vigil of St. John the Baptist in Kildare
St. Conleth's Association celebrated the vigil of the nativity of St. John the Baptist by making its annual pilgrimage to Monasterevin. St. John is almost unique in having a feast to mark his earthly birth. Only Jesus and Mary have such feasts celebrated in the Church's calendar.
It was lovely to see so many people for our second visit to Monasterevin. Thanks to the Parish Priest for such a warm welcome. The Church is very lovely. If you'd like to find out more about the history of the Church you can find some information on the report of last year's Mass.
The Association gained several new members after Mass. As the celebrant was a Capuchin Priest, he blessed Scapulars of Saint Joseph after Mass and distributed them to those present. Many people did not seem aware of the history of the scapular, which can be found here. It was great to hear the positive feedback on the choir. It would be lovely to have some more singers if anybody else was thinking of getting involved.
Saturday, 28 April 2012
The Confiteor (B) History
The history of making a confession at the altar in the Roman liturgy is of a late date. The ceremonial tract Ordo Romanus I contains no reference to a confession of sins, however by Ordo Romanus VI the pontiff “bowing down prays to God for forgiveness of his sins”. It is probable that the private prayers of preparation originally said in the sacristy, the apologiae, were later transferred to the altar.
CONFITEOR
The origin of the wording of the Confiteor can be traced to rites used originally in the sacrament of penance. Early penitentials (books of penances) give formulas that resemble the modern Confiteor. The Pentiential of Egbert (d. 766) Archbishop of York has the starting point of a Confiteor “Through my fault I have exceedingly in thought, speech and deed, sinned... I confess before God, almighty Creator of heaven and earth, before the altar of the saint, and the holy relics that are in this holy place, and before you, priest, that I have sinned exceedingly………”
The first record of the wording of a Confiteor occurring in the Mass is given in the ecclesiastical tract “Micrologus de ecclesiasticis observationibus” . It runs: I confess to God Almighty, these saints and all the saints and you, brothers, that I have sinned in thought, in speech, in deed, in pollution of mind and body. I beseech you, pray for me.
Both the Pentitential of Egbert and the Micrologus indicate that the invocation of saints seems to have originated due to the confession being made before their relics. This later evolved into a general invocation of all the saints and then of naming specific ones. The Confiteor continued to develop in the enumeration of sins, the persons confessed to and the persons invoked for their prayers - in the latter two categories, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the patron saint were the most likely choices. A missal of Augsburg in the 16th century gives an elaborate form mentioning sins in thought, speech, consent, sight, mouth, deed and omission and invoking saints Peter, Paul, Ullric (Udalric) Sebastian, Vitus, Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Barbara, and the patrons in the second half of the Confiteor.
The Third Council of Ravenna ordered that a version of the Confiteor identical to that of the Missal of St. Pius V be used; however, this form did not make its way into the Papal liturgy of Rome until later.
The Missal of Paul III gives a simple abbreviated version “I confess to Almighty God, Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, Blessed Peter and all the saints and you brethren, that I have sinned through my fault. I beseech you, pray for me.”
Another manuscript of a Curial Missal of the Vatican library gives a longer and more elaborate form “I confess to God Almighty and blessed Mary ever-Virgin and the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and all the saints, and you Father, I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: omission, consent, word and deed : through my fault, my fault, my most grevious fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed and glorious Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you Father, to pray for me.”
Almost all these Confiteors were superseded by the Roman Confiteor that appeared in all missals from 1570 to 1970. Minute variations (addition of a patron) were conceded to certain religious orders and dioceses. Those places with liturgies older than 200 years at the time (1570) continued to use their own versions of the Confiteor.
MISEREATUR AND INDULGENTIAM
The Misereatur and Indulgentiam can be also traced to the Sacrament of Penance. Until 1970 when the rite was revised, they were prescribed in the Sacrament of Penance to be said by the priest before sacramental absolution was given. They could however, be omitted for a just cause.
In the Penitential of Egbert the Misereatur occurs as a benediction over the penitent, in a version extremely close to modern variants. “The almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins, deliver you from all evil, keep you in all good, and bring you to eternal life.” Micrologus gives an almost identical form differing in saying “confirm you in all good works” and ending “and likewise bring us (through) Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, toward life eternal” Similar wordings of the Egbert’s Misereatur can also be found in various mediaeval missals. The Sarum missal had “confirm and keep you…” while the 12th century liturgy at Cluny had “all good works” as did many French and German diocesan Uses. So also the Carmelite and the Dominican versions (see earlier post).
The Carthusian Misereatur showed an example of some mediaeval missals in adding “through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints”. In one mediaeval manuscript, this is greatly expanded as “Brothers and sisters, through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the aid of the sign of the holy cross, through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever-Virgin Mary, and the merits of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, blessed Martin, and all the saints (masc.) and saints (fem.) may the almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins and bring you (through) Jesus Christ, Son of God to eternal life.
In the liturgical books of the Roman Catholic Church, this elaborate formula only survived (with slight alterations) in the Misereatur used in the publication of indulgences. (see above) and the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.
The Indulgentiam does not show as much variation: a significant number of texts omit the word Indulgentiam (pardon) and begin instead with absolutionem (absolution). The Micrologus on the other hand has indulgentiam but omits absolutionem. Another common difference is the use of “the almighty Father, the compassionate and merciful God” instead of “the almighty and merciful God”
The most significant addition found in many mediaeval Uses is the invoking of assistance for an emended life and for the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Sarum Use has “The almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of your sins, space for true repentance and emendation of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit” This was also found in the Mozarabic texts (see previous post).
Another version of the Indulgentiam runs “The Almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, through confession, contrition, penance and through satisfaction and emendation of life.
Traces of both are preserved in the text of the Indulgentiam of Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing which runs “May the Almighty and merciful God grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, space for a true and fruitful repentance, an ever penitent heart and emendation of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit, and final perseverance in good works
In all 3 prayers (the Confiteor, Misereatur and Indulgentiam) many variants have “all sins” instead of only “sins”. This wording was also present in the Roman Missal of 1570: however in later versions it was removed.
First published in October, 2007
CONFITEOR
The origin of the wording of the Confiteor can be traced to rites used originally in the sacrament of penance. Early penitentials (books of penances) give formulas that resemble the modern Confiteor. The Pentiential of Egbert (d. 766) Archbishop of York has the starting point of a Confiteor “Through my fault I have exceedingly in thought, speech and deed, sinned... I confess before God, almighty Creator of heaven and earth, before the altar of the saint, and the holy relics that are in this holy place, and before you, priest, that I have sinned exceedingly………”
The first record of the wording of a Confiteor occurring in the Mass is given in the ecclesiastical tract “Micrologus de ecclesiasticis observationibus” . It runs: I confess to God Almighty, these saints and all the saints and you, brothers, that I have sinned in thought, in speech, in deed, in pollution of mind and body. I beseech you, pray for me.
Both the Pentitential of Egbert and the Micrologus indicate that the invocation of saints seems to have originated due to the confession being made before their relics. This later evolved into a general invocation of all the saints and then of naming specific ones. The Confiteor continued to develop in the enumeration of sins, the persons confessed to and the persons invoked for their prayers - in the latter two categories, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the patron saint were the most likely choices. A missal of Augsburg in the 16th century gives an elaborate form mentioning sins in thought, speech, consent, sight, mouth, deed and omission and invoking saints Peter, Paul, Ullric (Udalric) Sebastian, Vitus, Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Barbara, and the patrons in the second half of the Confiteor.
The Third Council of Ravenna ordered that a version of the Confiteor identical to that of the Missal of St. Pius V be used; however, this form did not make its way into the Papal liturgy of Rome until later.
The Missal of Paul III gives a simple abbreviated version “I confess to Almighty God, Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, Blessed Peter and all the saints and you brethren, that I have sinned through my fault. I beseech you, pray for me.”
Another manuscript of a Curial Missal of the Vatican library gives a longer and more elaborate form “I confess to God Almighty and blessed Mary ever-Virgin and the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and all the saints, and you Father, I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: omission, consent, word and deed : through my fault, my fault, my most grevious fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed and glorious Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you Father, to pray for me.”
Almost all these Confiteors were superseded by the Roman Confiteor that appeared in all missals from 1570 to 1970. Minute variations (addition of a patron) were conceded to certain religious orders and dioceses. Those places with liturgies older than 200 years at the time (1570) continued to use their own versions of the Confiteor.
MISEREATUR AND INDULGENTIAM
The Misereatur and Indulgentiam can be also traced to the Sacrament of Penance. Until 1970 when the rite was revised, they were prescribed in the Sacrament of Penance to be said by the priest before sacramental absolution was given. They could however, be omitted for a just cause.
In the Penitential of Egbert the Misereatur occurs as a benediction over the penitent, in a version extremely close to modern variants. “The almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins, deliver you from all evil, keep you in all good, and bring you to eternal life.” Micrologus gives an almost identical form differing in saying “confirm you in all good works” and ending “and likewise bring us (through) Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, toward life eternal” Similar wordings of the Egbert’s Misereatur can also be found in various mediaeval missals. The Sarum missal had “confirm and keep you…” while the 12th century liturgy at Cluny had “all good works” as did many French and German diocesan Uses. So also the Carmelite and the Dominican versions (see earlier post).
The Carthusian Misereatur showed an example of some mediaeval missals in adding “through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints”. In one mediaeval manuscript, this is greatly expanded as “Brothers and sisters, through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the aid of the sign of the holy cross, through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever-Virgin Mary, and the merits of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, blessed Martin, and all the saints (masc.) and saints (fem.) may the almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins and bring you (through) Jesus Christ, Son of God to eternal life.
In the liturgical books of the Roman Catholic Church, this elaborate formula only survived (with slight alterations) in the Misereatur used in the publication of indulgences. (see above) and the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.
The Indulgentiam does not show as much variation: a significant number of texts omit the word Indulgentiam (pardon) and begin instead with absolutionem (absolution). The Micrologus on the other hand has indulgentiam but omits absolutionem. Another common difference is the use of “the almighty Father, the compassionate and merciful God” instead of “the almighty and merciful God”
The most significant addition found in many mediaeval Uses is the invoking of assistance for an emended life and for the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Sarum Use has “The almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of your sins, space for true repentance and emendation of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit” This was also found in the Mozarabic texts (see previous post).
Another version of the Indulgentiam runs “The Almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, through confession, contrition, penance and through satisfaction and emendation of life.
Traces of both are preserved in the text of the Indulgentiam of Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing which runs “May the Almighty and merciful God grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, space for a true and fruitful repentance, an ever penitent heart and emendation of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit, and final perseverance in good works
In all 3 prayers (the Confiteor, Misereatur and Indulgentiam) many variants have “all sins” instead of only “sins”. This wording was also present in the Roman Missal of 1570: however in later versions it was removed.
First published in October, 2007
Saturday, 14 April 2012
The Confiteor (A) Wording
Over the summer I had signed up to Wikipedia to contribute to articles on the Mass and sacraments. Now I have more headaches that I can cope with, but I remebered that I still had a yet unposted article that I meant ot post there. It's not yet complete but I might as well post it here.
The Confiteor
The Confiteor is a Catholic prayer, named after the first word in Latin, Confiteor Deo (I confess to God) in which a confession of sin is made and the intercession of others including the saints, requested. It is usually followed by formulas of absolution, the Misereatur and in many cases the Indulgentiam. These formulae are only sacramentals and intercessory prayers, not to be confused with the absolution in the Catholic Sacrament of Penance.
WORDING:
The wording of the Confiteor familiar to most Catholics was that found in the Roman Missal:
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ MarÃæ semper VÃrgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Joanni BaptÃstæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres (tibi, Pater), quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam MarÃam semper VÃrginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Joánnem BaptÃstam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos, fratres (te, Pater), oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
Misereatur vestri [tui] [nostri] omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris [tuis] [nostris], perducat vos [te][nos] ad vitam aeternam.
Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum [vestorum], tribuat [vobis]nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, brethren (to you, Father), that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and you, brethren (you, Father), to pray for me to the Lord our God
May the Almighty God have mercy on you all [you][us], and having forgiven your [your] [our] sins, and bring you [you][us] to eternal life.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us [you] pardon, absolution and remission of our [your] sins.
In 1969, the Confiteor was revised in the new Ordo Missae (Order of the Mass) and subsequently appeared in 1970 in the new Roman Missal. The practice of reciting two Confiteors (see below: Usage) was removed as was one of the absolution formulae, the Indulgentiam
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo, ópere, et omissióne: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam MarÃam semper VÃrginem, omnes angelos et sanctos et vos, fratres, oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam aeternam.
Literal translation:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, brothers, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, deed, and omission: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, brothers, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May the Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to eternal life.
ICEL (official English) version:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and what I have failed to do. Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring to everlasting life.
VARIATIONS
The wording of the Confiteor varied slightly in the liturgies of certain religious orders and dioceses of the Catholic Church. The variations differ in their extent: while some, such as the Benedictine, merely added the name of a patron to the wording of the Roman Missal, others differed in the specification of sin confessed.
The version of the Confiteor used by Benedictines added beato patri nostro Benedicto (our blessed father Benedict) and beatum patrem nostrum Benedictum after the invocation of Ss. Peter and Paul to the Roman confiteor. Likewise, the Franciscans added beato Patri nostro Francisco (our blessed father Francis) and beatum Patrem nostrum Franciscum, the Discalced Carmelites beato Eliae, beatae Teresiae (blessed Elijah, blessed Therese) and beatum Eliam, beatam Teresiam, the Servants of Mary (Servites): Septem beatis patribus nostris (our seven blessed fathers) and the Norbertines sanctis patribus Augustino et Norberto (holy fathers Augustine and Norbert. The Ambrosian liturgy added beatum Ambrosium Confessorem and beato Ambrosio Confessori (blessed Ambrose, Confessor)
Dominican:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, et beatae Mariae semper virgine, et beato Dominico patri nostro, et omnibus sanctis, et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, locutione, opere et omissione, mea culpa; precor vos orare pro me
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, salvet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, and to blessed Mary ever Virgin, and to blessed Dominic, our father, and to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault; I beseech you to pray for me
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.
Carmelite:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Patri nostro Eliae, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi, fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, locutione, opere, et omissione: mea culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Patrem nostrum Eliam, omnes Sanctos, et te, fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Jesum Christum.
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, conservet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Elijah, our father, to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Elijah our father, all the saints, and you, brethren, to pray for me to the Lord Jesus Christ
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, conserve and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.
Carthusian: The Carthusian liturgy is notable for not having the second formula of the absolution, the Indulgentiam.
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, et Beátæ MarÃæ et ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis Fratres, quia peccávi nimis mea culpa per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne, precor vos oráte pro me.
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus per intercession beatae Mariae et omnium Sanctorum et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary and all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you to pray for me
May the Almighty God have mercy on you through the intercession of blessed Mary and all the saints, and forgive you all your sins: and lead you to life eternal.
Revised Carthusian:
In the Carthusian missal of 1981, the Confiteor is revised slightly though the Misereatur remains the same. There is also provided a Confiteor to be used when the priest celebrates Mass alone.
ConfÃteor Deo et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne,ópere et omissióne; precor beátam MarÃam, omnes sanctos et vos, fratres,oráte pro me.
ConfÃteor Deo, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne; precor te, o piÃssima Dei Génetrix, et vos, omnes sancti, oráte pro me.
Misereátur mei omnÃpotens Deus per intercessiónem tuam, o piÃssima Dei Génetrix, et vestram, omnes sancti, et dimÃttat mihi ómnia peccáta mea et perdúcat ad vitam ætérnam.
I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you, O most gracious Mother of God, and you, all the saints, to pray for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on me through your intercession O most gracious Mother of God, and yours, all you saints, and forgive me all my sins: and lead me to life eternal.
Mozarabic:
The Mozarabic Confiteor was not native to the rite but was introduced into the liturgical books by Cardinal Ximenes who borrowed it from a local version of the Roman liturgy.
Confiteor omnipotenti Deo et beatæ Mariæ Virgini: et Sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo et omnibus Sanctis: et vobis fratres manifesto me graviter peccasse per superbiam: in lege Dei mei: cogitatione: locutione: opere et omissione: mea culpa: mea culpa: gravissima mea culpa. Ideo precor beatissimam Virginem Mariam: et omnes Sanctos et Sanctas: et vos fratres orare pro me.
Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus: et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris: perducat vos ad vitam eternam.
Indulgentiam absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum cum emendatione morum et vite: per gratiam Sancti Spiritus tribuat vobis misericors Dominus.
I confess to almighty God and blessed Mary the Virgin: and the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints: and to you brethren openly that I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: by deed and omission: my fault: my fault: my most grave fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you brethren to pray for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The merciful Lord, through the grace of the holy Spirit, grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, with amendment of your ways and life.
The revised Mozarabic liturgy does not have a Confiteor among the public actions of the Mass.
Publication of indulgences:
In the publication of indulgences, the Confiteor and the Indulgentiam used is the same as the Roman. Missal: however the Misereatur is as follows
Precibus et meritis Beatæ Mariæ semper Virginis, Beati Michaëlis Archangeli, Beati Joannis Baptistæ, Sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et omnium Sanctorum, misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris, perducat vos ad vitam æternam.
(Through the) prayers and merits of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, Blessed John (the) Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, may the Almighty God have mercy on you, and having forgiven your sins, bring you to eternal life.
A separate version is used in the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.
First Published in October, 2007
The Confiteor
The Confiteor is a Catholic prayer, named after the first word in Latin, Confiteor Deo (I confess to God) in which a confession of sin is made and the intercession of others including the saints, requested. It is usually followed by formulas of absolution, the Misereatur and in many cases the Indulgentiam. These formulae are only sacramentals and intercessory prayers, not to be confused with the absolution in the Catholic Sacrament of Penance.
WORDING:
The wording of the Confiteor familiar to most Catholics was that found in the Roman Missal:
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ MarÃæ semper VÃrgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Joanni BaptÃstæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres (tibi, Pater), quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam MarÃam semper VÃrginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Joánnem BaptÃstam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos, fratres (te, Pater), oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
Misereatur vestri [tui] [nostri] omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris [tuis] [nostris], perducat vos [te][nos] ad vitam aeternam.
Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum [vestorum], tribuat [vobis]nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, brethren (to you, Father), that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and you, brethren (you, Father), to pray for me to the Lord our God
May the Almighty God have mercy on you all [you][us], and having forgiven your [your] [our] sins, and bring you [you][us] to eternal life.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us [you] pardon, absolution and remission of our [your] sins.
In 1969, the Confiteor was revised in the new Ordo Missae (Order of the Mass) and subsequently appeared in 1970 in the new Roman Missal. The practice of reciting two Confiteors (see below: Usage) was removed as was one of the absolution formulae, the Indulgentiam
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo, ópere, et omissióne: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam MarÃam semper VÃrginem, omnes angelos et sanctos et vos, fratres, oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam aeternam.
Literal translation:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, brothers, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, deed, and omission: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, brothers, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May the Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to eternal life.
ICEL (official English) version:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and what I have failed to do. Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring to everlasting life.
VARIATIONS
The wording of the Confiteor varied slightly in the liturgies of certain religious orders and dioceses of the Catholic Church. The variations differ in their extent: while some, such as the Benedictine, merely added the name of a patron to the wording of the Roman Missal, others differed in the specification of sin confessed.
The version of the Confiteor used by Benedictines added beato patri nostro Benedicto (our blessed father Benedict) and beatum patrem nostrum Benedictum after the invocation of Ss. Peter and Paul to the Roman confiteor. Likewise, the Franciscans added beato Patri nostro Francisco (our blessed father Francis) and beatum Patrem nostrum Franciscum, the Discalced Carmelites beato Eliae, beatae Teresiae (blessed Elijah, blessed Therese) and beatum Eliam, beatam Teresiam, the Servants of Mary (Servites): Septem beatis patribus nostris (our seven blessed fathers) and the Norbertines sanctis patribus Augustino et Norberto (holy fathers Augustine and Norbert. The Ambrosian liturgy added beatum Ambrosium Confessorem and beato Ambrosio Confessori (blessed Ambrose, Confessor)
Dominican:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, et beatae Mariae semper virgine, et beato Dominico patri nostro, et omnibus sanctis, et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, locutione, opere et omissione, mea culpa; precor vos orare pro me
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, salvet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, and to blessed Mary ever Virgin, and to blessed Dominic, our father, and to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault; I beseech you to pray for me
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.
Carmelite:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Patri nostro Eliae, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi, fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, locutione, opere, et omissione: mea culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Patrem nostrum Eliam, omnes Sanctos, et te, fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Jesum Christum.
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, conservet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Elijah, our father, to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Elijah our father, all the saints, and you, brethren, to pray for me to the Lord Jesus Christ
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, conserve and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.
Carthusian: The Carthusian liturgy is notable for not having the second formula of the absolution, the Indulgentiam.
ConfÃteor Deo omnipoténti, et Beátæ MarÃæ et ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis Fratres, quia peccávi nimis mea culpa per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne, precor vos oráte pro me.
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus per intercession beatae Mariae et omnium Sanctorum et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary and all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you to pray for me
May the Almighty God have mercy on you through the intercession of blessed Mary and all the saints, and forgive you all your sins: and lead you to life eternal.
Revised Carthusian:
In the Carthusian missal of 1981, the Confiteor is revised slightly though the Misereatur remains the same. There is also provided a Confiteor to be used when the priest celebrates Mass alone.
ConfÃteor Deo et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne,ópere et omissióne; precor beátam MarÃam, omnes sanctos et vos, fratres,oráte pro me.
ConfÃteor Deo, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne; precor te, o piÃssima Dei Génetrix, et vos, omnes sancti, oráte pro me.
Misereátur mei omnÃpotens Deus per intercessiónem tuam, o piÃssima Dei Génetrix, et vestram, omnes sancti, et dimÃttat mihi ómnia peccáta mea et perdúcat ad vitam ætérnam.
I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you, O most gracious Mother of God, and you, all the saints, to pray for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on me through your intercession O most gracious Mother of God, and yours, all you saints, and forgive me all my sins: and lead me to life eternal.
Mozarabic:
The Mozarabic Confiteor was not native to the rite but was introduced into the liturgical books by Cardinal Ximenes who borrowed it from a local version of the Roman liturgy.
Confiteor omnipotenti Deo et beatæ Mariæ Virgini: et Sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo et omnibus Sanctis: et vobis fratres manifesto me graviter peccasse per superbiam: in lege Dei mei: cogitatione: locutione: opere et omissione: mea culpa: mea culpa: gravissima mea culpa. Ideo precor beatissimam Virginem Mariam: et omnes Sanctos et Sanctas: et vos fratres orare pro me.
Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus: et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris: perducat vos ad vitam eternam.
Indulgentiam absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum cum emendatione morum et vite: per gratiam Sancti Spiritus tribuat vobis misericors Dominus.
I confess to almighty God and blessed Mary the Virgin: and the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints: and to you brethren openly that I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: by deed and omission: my fault: my fault: my most grave fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you brethren to pray for me.
May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The merciful Lord, through the grace of the holy Spirit, grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, with amendment of your ways and life.
The revised Mozarabic liturgy does not have a Confiteor among the public actions of the Mass.
Publication of indulgences:
In the publication of indulgences, the Confiteor and the Indulgentiam used is the same as the Roman. Missal: however the Misereatur is as follows
Precibus et meritis Beatæ Mariæ semper Virginis, Beati Michaëlis Archangeli, Beati Joannis Baptistæ, Sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et omnium Sanctorum, misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris, perducat vos ad vitam æternam.
(Through the) prayers and merits of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, Blessed John (the) Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, may the Almighty God have mercy on you, and having forgiven your sins, bring you to eternal life.
A separate version is used in the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.
First Published in October, 2007
Monday, 29 August 2011
The Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist in Ireland
August 29 is the feast of the Decollation or Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. This feast had a particular significance for the people of Ireland and was once anticipated with a great deal of trepidation. For it was feared that this country would be subject to a punishment of apocalyptic proportions thanks to the belief of our ancestors that an Irish druid had volunteered to act as Saint John's executioner. This would be just another of those strange but harmless Irish legends if it weren't for the fact that in the year 1096 they really did think that the day of reckoning had arrived. Below I will summarize the main details of the extraordinary traditions surrounding this feast, drawn from a number of posts made in 2009 on my own blog.
The feast of the Beheading of Saint John is marked on the early ninth-century Irish calendar, The Martyrology of Oengus, and begins innocuously enough with this stanza:
29. Announce the suffering of John the Baptist,
a world with piety,
with nine virginal hundreds,
on Elijah's ascension
but the accompanying commentary, added by later anonymous authors, sounds a very different note - one of apocalyptic terror involving something called the Besom (or Broom) of Fanait and an all-consuming fiery dragon:
In vengeance for the killing of John comes the Besom out of Fanait to expurgate Ireland at the end of the world, as Aileran of the Wisdom foretold, and Colum cille, i.e. at terce precisely will come the Besom out of Fanait, ut dixit Colum cille:
" Like the grazing of two horses in a yoke will be the diligence with which it will cleanse Erin."
Of the Besom Aileran said:
"Two alehouses shall be in one garth side by side. He who shall go out of one house into the other will find no one before him alive in the house he will enter, and no one alive in the house from which he will go. Such will be the swiftness with which the Besom shall go out of Fanait."
Riagail said:
"Three days and three nights and a year will this plague be in Ireland. When a boat on Loch Rudraigi shall be clearly seen from the door of the refectory, then comes the Besom out of Fanait."
A Tuesday in spring, now, is the day of the week on which the Besom will come in vengeance for John's passion, as Moling said:
On John's festival will come the onslaught, which will search Ireland from the south-east,
a fierce dragon that will burn every one it can, without communion, without sacrifice, etc.'
Thus we can see that in these prophecies attributed to various Irish saints it appears that some vaguely-defined punishment, likened to a broom sweeping all before it and supposedly originating from the beautiful Fanad peninsula of County Donegal, will cut down its victims with terrifying speed. The nature of the 'Besom of Fanait' is not entirely clear and nor is its relationship to the fiery dragon, originating in the south-west, which will consume people unshriven. I suppose it is possible that the fiery dragon is a metaphor for the types of deadly plague which swept Ireland at various times, indeed one of the quoted prophets, Saint Aileran the Wise, was himself a victim of the plague known as the Buidhe Chonaill which devastated Ireland in the seventh century. On the other hand the image of fire is firmly associated with apocalyptic events. Some of the other prophecies not quoted above also talk about another similarly ill-defined scourge known as the Roth Ramhach, the Rowing, or Oar Wheel.
This tradition was further added to in the 10th-century Irish Life of Saint Adamnan. Although this saint is best known today as the author of the Life of Saint Columba of Iona, after his death his name was associated with an apocalyptic text, FÃs Adamnáin, The Vision of Adamnan. He was thus drawn into the list of Irish saints associated with prophecies concerning the feast of Saint John's beheading, as this extract from the copy preserved in the Leabhar Breac and translated by Professor Eugene O'Curry demonstrates:
"The vision which Adamnan—a man filled with the Holy Spirit—saw, that is, the angel of the Lord spoke these His [that is, the Lord's] words to him:
"Woe! woe! woe! to the men of Erinn's Isle who transgress the commands of the Lord. Woe! to the kings and princes who do not direct the truth, and who love both iniquity and rapine. Woe! to the prostitutes and the sinners, who shall be burned like hay and straw, by a fire ignited in the bissextile and intercalary year, and in the end of the cycle. And it is on the [festival of the] beheading of John the Baptist, on the sixth day of the week, that this plague will come, in that year, if [the people] by devout penitence do not prevent it as the people of Nineveh have done".
We can see that the prophecy of Adamnan has raised another aspect to the apocalyptic events on this feastday, first in its mention of 'the bissextile and intercalary year' and secondly in the possibility that disaster could be averted by 'devout penitence'. Both of these factors actually played out in the real world of late 11th-century Ireland in what is known as 'the panic of 1096'. For then it truly seemed that the conditions were in place for the fulfilment of the prophecies on August 29 of that year. Let's start with the calendar requirements of which there seem to have been four:
1. The Feast of Saint John's beheading had to fall on a Friday
2. It had to fall within a bissextile year, that is a leap year
3. It had to fall in a year with an embolism, that is a year with an extra lunar month
4. It had to occur in a year which stood at the end of a chronological cycle
In the year 1096, the first three of these conditions were met, scholar Benjamin Hudson who has studied this particular episode suggests that the fourth may not have been felt to be so important. What undoubtedly would have added to the sense of panic in Ireland in this year was the appearance in late 1095 of a devastating plague which cut down rich and poor alike. Among its victims were various Irish princes and the bishops of Armagh and Dublin. The plague raged from August 1095 to May of 1096 and may have concentrated the mind on the prophecies. The Irish annals support the idea that this year was no ordinary one and was referenced to the traditions surrounding Saint John's feast with the Annals of Tigernach, for example, referring to 1096 as 'the year of the festival of John'. They also record, however, how disaster was averted by recourse to the type of 'devout penitence' advocated in the Vision of Adamnan, itself drawing on the biblical story of the averting of the wrath of God from the city of Nineveh. The Annals of the Four Masters record for the year 1096:
The festival of John fell on Friday this year; the men of Ireland were seized with great fear in consequence, and the resolution adopted by the clergy of Ireland, with the successor of Patrick at their head, to protect them against the pestilence which had been predicted to them at a remote period, was, to command all in general to observe abstinence, from Wednesday till Sunday, every month, and to fast on one meal every day till the end of a year, except on Sundays, solemnities, and great festivals; and they also made alms and many offerings to God; and many lands were granted to churches and clergymen by kings and chieftains; and the men of Ireland were saved for that time from the fire of vengeance.
Having thus seen the very real terror that existed in Ireland around the festival of The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, we may conclude by having a look at where the root cause of all the trouble lay. It may seem incredible now but our ancestors appear to have taken seriously the notion that an Irishman, a druid whom tradition names as Mag Roth or Mog Ruith, travelled with his daughter to the east where he literally became a sorcerer's apprentice under the tutelage of Simon Magus. Although Simon Magus is only briefly mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (8:9-24) he became the focus of an extensive apocryphal tradition in medieval Europe, including Ireland. In our version the pair end up at the court of King Herod on that fateful night when Salome dances and demands her reward, but finding none of his own people willing to execute the Forerunner and Baptist of Our Lord, the Irishman Mag Roth volunteers to wield the sword. And he thus laid Ireland and its people open to the possibility of vengeance on the anniversary of this hateful deed.
It's a curious tale, isn't it? Whilst it illustrates the dangers of apocalyptic speculations there is also a positive message in observing how the Irish people, including the elite, sought to avert disaster in the year 1096 by embracing repentance.
If you are interested in reading further on this topic I have explored some of the sources in more detail in a series of posts on my own blog which will also supply fuller references:
1. The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and the Irish, a general introduction.
2. Decoding the Prophecies of Saint John, an examination of the texts by Professor O'Curry.
3. 1096 and all that, a summary of the work of Benjamin Hudson on the panic of 1096.
4. The Executioner of John the Baptist, a poem on Mag Roth from a Scottish manuscript.
The beautiful bronze pictured above is by iconographer Aleksandras Aleksejevas whose work was featured in an online exhibition in 2009.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Trettondag Jul - Epiphany in Sweden
The Epiphany, the feast of the Three Holy Kings, known in Swedish as Trettondedag Jul (Thirteenth day of Christmas, just as the day after Christmas Day is Annandag Jul, Second day of Christmas) is the most controversial of our Christian Public holidays. The "Almega" employers union disapproves of the religious theme of the holiday - nothing to do with having to give employees a day off of course!
Public holidays in Sweden are called Röda Dagar (Red Days, just like "red letter days") because the important Church feasts were marked in red in Church calendars. There are 13 Red Days. They are Nyårsdagen (New Year's Day), Trettondedag Jul (Epiphany), Langfredagen (Good Friday), Påskdagen (Easter Monday) Forsta Maj (1st May), Kristi Himmelsfardsdag (Ascension Day), Pingst (Pentecost Sunday) - Annandag Pingst (Pentecost Monday) was a Red Day but was replaced by - Sveriges Nationaldag (Swedish National Day, 6th June), Midsommardagen (Midsummer Day on the Saturday between 20th and 26th June), Alla Helgons Dag (All Saints/Souls Day on the Saturday between 31st October and 6th November), Juldagen (Christmas Day) and Annandag Jul (26th December).
Everyone in Sweden also celebrates a few other days like Julafton (Christmas Eve), Midsommarafton (Midsummer Eve) and Nyårsafton (New Years Eve) as full holidays and Trettondagsafton (Epiphany Eve), Skärtorsdagen (Easter Thursday), Påskafton (Easter Saturday), Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Eve), Kristi Himmelsfärdsdag (Ascension Eve), and Allhelgonaafton (All Saints/Souls Eve) as half holidays. Also, if the Red Day falls on a Tuesday or Thursday we take the Klämdag (squeeze day between the Red Day and the weekend) as a holiday too!
Only 1st May, the Swedish National Day and Midsummer are not Christian Days, unless you include the feast day of St. Joseph the Workman and the election of King Gustavs I Vasa, who founded the Reformation in Sweden, and the feast day of St. John the Baptist as Christian Days!
Back to the Epiphany or Thirteenth Day of Christmas. It was celebrated in Sweden during the Middle Ages with Mystery Plays. It used to be the day that stjärngossar (Star Boys) dressed in white with cone hats with stars on would put on pageants of the journey of the Three Kings to Bethlehem and they would make a procession from house to house. Balthazar carried a star lantern on a pole and Caspar and Melchior would carry swords. The other children dressed as biblical characters. All would go singing songs and hymns and collecting gifts. The most famous of these biblical characters was always Judas in a big beard. The one dressed as Judas would jingle a bag with the 30 pieces of silver he received for betraying Jesus.
In Sweden today children dress as stjärngossar on Luciadag (St. Lucy's Day) instead but in a few places in Norway they can still be seen on Epiphany.
Public holidays in Sweden are called Röda Dagar (Red Days, just like "red letter days") because the important Church feasts were marked in red in Church calendars. There are 13 Red Days. They are Nyårsdagen (New Year's Day), Trettondedag Jul (Epiphany), Langfredagen (Good Friday), Påskdagen (Easter Monday) Forsta Maj (1st May), Kristi Himmelsfardsdag (Ascension Day), Pingst (Pentecost Sunday) - Annandag Pingst (Pentecost Monday) was a Red Day but was replaced by - Sveriges Nationaldag (Swedish National Day, 6th June), Midsommardagen (Midsummer Day on the Saturday between 20th and 26th June), Alla Helgons Dag (All Saints/Souls Day on the Saturday between 31st October and 6th November), Juldagen (Christmas Day) and Annandag Jul (26th December).
Everyone in Sweden also celebrates a few other days like Julafton (Christmas Eve), Midsommarafton (Midsummer Eve) and Nyårsafton (New Years Eve) as full holidays and Trettondagsafton (Epiphany Eve), Skärtorsdagen (Easter Thursday), Påskafton (Easter Saturday), Valborgsmässoafton (Walpurgis Eve), Kristi Himmelsfärdsdag (Ascension Eve), and Allhelgonaafton (All Saints/Souls Eve) as half holidays. Also, if the Red Day falls on a Tuesday or Thursday we take the Klämdag (squeeze day between the Red Day and the weekend) as a holiday too!
Only 1st May, the Swedish National Day and Midsummer are not Christian Days, unless you include the feast day of St. Joseph the Workman and the election of King Gustavs I Vasa, who founded the Reformation in Sweden, and the feast day of St. John the Baptist as Christian Days!
Back to the Epiphany or Thirteenth Day of Christmas. It was celebrated in Sweden during the Middle Ages with Mystery Plays. It used to be the day that stjärngossar (Star Boys) dressed in white with cone hats with stars on would put on pageants of the journey of the Three Kings to Bethlehem and they would make a procession from house to house. Balthazar carried a star lantern on a pole and Caspar and Melchior would carry swords. The other children dressed as biblical characters. All would go singing songs and hymns and collecting gifts. The most famous of these biblical characters was always Judas in a big beard. The one dressed as Judas would jingle a bag with the 30 pieces of silver he received for betraying Jesus.
In Sweden today children dress as stjärngossar on Luciadag (St. Lucy's Day) instead but in a few places in Norway they can still be seen on Epiphany.
Thursday, 24 June 2010
Midsummer in Sweden - St. John's Day
Midsummer in Sweden is something quite spectacular. Celebrated on the weekend closest to St. John's Day, the celebrations usually involve a lot of outdoor activities; picnics, dancing, singing - anything that makes a day out more enjoyable. The dancing usually happens around the midsummer pole (midsommarstÃ¥ng) - a Maypole (majstÃ¥ng) - and the songs are, apart from summer psalms, usually rather silly and playful. The maypole is in the shape of a cross, decorated with flowers and the dancing takes place around it.Like with most feast days, there are a number of dishes involved with Midsummer celebrations, the famous Swedish smörgÃ¥sbord. The Swedish tradition of eating herring as soon as a chance is given, is represented during these festivities as well, but then, as Convenor often responds to my drafts, most Swedish festivals seem like just an excuse to eat pickled herring. At midsummer they are served with sour cream, raw red onions and new potatoes that are usually seasoned with dill. Many people instead of herring choose smoked salmon. For dessert fresh strawberries with whipped cream or ice cream is the most traditional way to go. The meal is usually washed down with cold beer or Brännvin a kind of Scandanavian poitÃn.
The frog dance is an essential part of the Swedish celebration of St. John's Day. The song Små Grodorna is sung while the partygoers (usually small children) hop around the maypole in the style of frogs, singing along to the immortal lyrics 'Little frogs are funny to look at. They don't have ears or tails'. The Convenor told me to try really hard to find a Christian message in the frog dance. He came up with some really good ones like it being a sign of being prepared to stand up (or hop up) for the Christian Faith or that it is a metaphor for St. John saying that He must increase and I must decrease. In the end, I couldn't find any deep meaning to the frog dance. It's just fun (but Christianity is fun sometimes too) but it has all the religious significance of the hour of Donald Duck on Christmas Day. Speaking of which, it can also be sung around the Christmas tree. There is also a version about little pigs who do have ears and tails.
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack ack!
Small frogs, small frogs are funny to see.
No ears, no ears, no tails have they.
Quack quack quack, quack quack quack!
A Swedish verse says “Midsommarnatten är inte lÃ¥ng, men den sätter mÃ¥nga vaggor igÃ¥ng". That translates to "Midsummer night is not long but it sets many cradles to rock". Traditionally, unmarried girls pick seven (or sometimes nine) different types of flowers and place them under their pillow in the hope of dreaming of their future husband. It is quite like the tradition common in many places of putting some wedding cake under the pillow to dream of a future husband. It was believed that herbs picked at Midsummer were highly potent, and water drawn from springs on Midsummer could bring good health.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Novena in honour of the Blessed Gerard - Day 9
Day Nine - Feast of the Blessed Gerard
Blessed Gerard, Pray for us!
Blessed Gerard, Pray for us!
We know little about Blessed Gerard. We revere him as the founder of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. There are documents which testify to Gerard’s activity and legends that sought to embellish it.
Through Gerard, ‘the Jerusalem Hospital’ for 900 years has been the basis for defence of the faith and service of the sick - tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum.
More than in life, Gerard has, like many saints, perhaps had greater effect after his death, after his ‘heavenly birhday’ as the Church was accustomed to call the day of one’s death. The Order of Saint John has given witness to this with its traditions, its international potential, its new initiatives and with the noble character of its particular spirituality.
‘Our confraternity wil be everlasting since the ground, in which this flower has taken root, is the misery of the world and since there will always be people, please God, who will give of themselves to lessen suffering and make this misery more bearable.’ These are likely not the words of Gerard, but they have been attributed to him. It falls to us here and now, as it did to Gerard, to reduce the suffering in our time, to make misery more bearable, so that Jesus Christ may be glorified in all.
Prayer
Jesus Christ, ‘my Lord and my God’ (Jn 20:28). Strengthen in your service our
Holy Father N...., all bishops, priests, deacons and all members of the Order.
Lord hear our prayer.
Assist our Grand Master Fra’ N... and all those in authority in the Order to live out their calling and their mission in the present day.
Lord hear our prayer.
Raise up suitable and devout vocations for the hospitaller Order of Saint John.
Lord hear our prayer.
Let us be faithful and joyful in your service and once our earthly life is ended, lead us to your Easter glory.
Lord hear our prayer.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father
Pray for us, Blessed Gerard
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us Pray.
God of unchanging power and everlasting light, look with favour upon the mystery of the entire Church and bring to fulfilment your eternal plan of redemption; then may the whole world observe and know that the fallen have been lifted up, what has grown old is made new and that all has been restored to wholeness through Christ, the source of all things, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. (Prayer after the seventh reading of the Easter Vigil)
Conclusion
Let us pray.
O God, who exalted Blessed Gerard because of his care for the poor and the sick and through him founded in Jerusalem the Order of Saint John the Baptist, give us the grace of seeing, as he did, the image of your Son in our brothers and sisters. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Feast of Blessed Gerard, Founder of our Order)
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