As well as the homely celebrations at Blackfen, there were two liturgical celebrations in the usus antiquior at the weekend. Westminster Cathedral saw a solemn High Mass celebrated at the High Altar. The ordinary of the Mass was Mozart's Coronation Mass. Since the celebration of Fr Anthony Conlon's silver jubilee, the Cathedral authorities have kindly consented to the temporary removal of the forward-facing altar. This helps the High Altar to be seen in all its original glory. Apparently, the Cathedral was full for the Mass.The above photo is from the collection available at traditionalcatholic.org
On Sunday, there was a High Mass at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Portsmouth at which Palestrina's Missa Brevis was sung. Afterwards, I hear that Bishop Hollis kindly came to meet and greet those who attended the Mass.
5 comments:
The "people's altar" splits into two parts which are rolled away to the back of each side of the sanctuary.
The part on the Epistle side makes an excellent large credence table!
If only the ugly wooden platform on which it normally stands could also be removed to expose the beauty of the marble sanctuary floor.
My wife and I attended, and it was wonderful. Afterwards one of the priests who ordinarily serve Westminster Cathedral expressed his strong approval to us and hoped even more people would attend the Requiem in the extraordinary form on November 17th.
(We had also attended a 1962 High Mass in Gesu e Maria on the Corso in Rome in September, where the Institute of Christ the King do a Sunday mass at 10pm. Packed out, the first mass of a newly ordained priest, with a stunningly good homily. Well worth attending if you're in Rome.)
The regular Sunday Mass at Gesu e Maria is at 10 am, not 10 pm. Apologies for my slip. (The extraordinary form can still get marginalised timewise in some places, but not usually quite so dramatically, and certainly not in this case!)
Mozart's coronation mass is fantastic. The tenors have a fantastic line in the Gloria :D
I wish the recent renovation at Leeds Cathedral could facilitate a traditional High Mass but I fear not.
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