Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Formula at Priest's Funeral
ROME, JAN. 10, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
After our comments on the position of a priest's casket reflecting his place in the liturgical celebration (Dec. 13) a reader asked: "Is this in the rubrics or is it just a custom? Also in light of the normative posture of priests prior to 1962, was this changed after the Second Vatican Council?"
This norm is found in the rubrics, for example, in the Ceremonial of Bishops, No. 823, which describes it as a custom fittingly continued, for indeed it is a custom which predates the Council by many centuries.
Regarding the expression "The coffin … is placed in the direction that a person held in the liturgical assembly," an English reader considered the phrase "bizarre."
He wrote: "Apart from the odd picture this presents -- of the priest customarily lying on his back with feet facing the assembly -- it should not be assumed that all priests now celebrate Mass facing the people. There is no liturgical law requiring them to do so."
The expression, whether bizarre or not, is taken directly from the Ceremonial of Bishops.
While it is true that Mass is not obligatorily celebrated facing the people, it can still be said that this is the priest's proper position if the entire liturgy is taken into account. The priest usually faces the people to invite them to pray, when imparting a blessing, as well as in some other forms of liturgical prayer and devotion.
A reader from Germany wrote: "Is it liturgically OK for the priest-celebrants to wear black vestments for requiems? What reasons are there for it if so? Is there any liturgical procedure for the procession with the coffin after Mass to the grave?"
Before Vatican II, black was commonly used for funerals and most Masses for the deceased. The liturgical reforms have retained the possible use of black vestments for funerals, but also permit violet and white to be used. As a consequence, black, while legitimate, has fallen into almost total disuse in most of the world.
Since colors sometimes have different cultural connotations, bishop's conferences may solicit permission from the Holy See to use a color typically associated with mourning in that country instead of the usual three options.
There are norms in the Order of Christian Burials, but since funerals, like weddings, frequently have particular local customs, the Holy See usually grants wide berth to bishops' conferences to adapt the rites to local needs, and publish their own orders based on the Latin "Ordo Exsequiarum."
Although these books contain numerous practical details they do not cover everything. Most practical questions, such as reserving seats for relatives, transport to the gravesite, and appropriate music, can be handled by the family, the officiating priest and the undertaker.
After our comments on the position of a priest's casket reflecting his place in the liturgical celebration (Dec. 13) a reader asked: "Is this in the rubrics or is it just a custom? Also in light of the normative posture of priests prior to 1962, was this changed after the Second Vatican Council?"
This norm is found in the rubrics, for example, in the Ceremonial of Bishops, No. 823, which describes it as a custom fittingly continued, for indeed it is a custom which predates the Council by many centuries.
Regarding the expression "The coffin … is placed in the direction that a person held in the liturgical assembly," an English reader considered the phrase "bizarre."
He wrote: "Apart from the odd picture this presents -- of the priest customarily lying on his back with feet facing the assembly -- it should not be assumed that all priests now celebrate Mass facing the people. There is no liturgical law requiring them to do so."
The expression, whether bizarre or not, is taken directly from the Ceremonial of Bishops.
While it is true that Mass is not obligatorily celebrated facing the people, it can still be said that this is the priest's proper position if the entire liturgy is taken into account. The priest usually faces the people to invite them to pray, when imparting a blessing, as well as in some other forms of liturgical prayer and devotion.
A reader from Germany wrote: "Is it liturgically OK for the priest-celebrants to wear black vestments for requiems? What reasons are there for it if so? Is there any liturgical procedure for the procession with the coffin after Mass to the grave?"
Before Vatican II, black was commonly used for funerals and most Masses for the deceased. The liturgical reforms have retained the possible use of black vestments for funerals, but also permit violet and white to be used. As a consequence, black, while legitimate, has fallen into almost total disuse in most of the world.
Since colors sometimes have different cultural connotations, bishop's conferences may solicit permission from the Holy See to use a color typically associated with mourning in that country instead of the usual three options.
There are norms in the Order of Christian Burials, but since funerals, like weddings, frequently have particular local customs, the Holy See usually grants wide berth to bishops' conferences to adapt the rites to local needs, and publish their own orders based on the Latin "Ordo Exsequiarum."
Although these books contain numerous practical details they do not cover everything. Most practical questions, such as reserving seats for relatives, transport to the gravesite, and appropriate music, can be handled by the family, the officiating priest and the undertaker.
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