Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Rite of Sprinkling With Holy Water
ROME, FEB. 27, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
After our comments on the rite of sprinkling (Feb. 13) a couple of readers suggested some possible exceptions.
One quoted the ceremonial of bishops: "79. ... At the door of the church the senior of the presbyters hands the bishop the sprinkler, unless the blessing and sprinkling of water is to replace the penitential rite. With head uncovered, the bishop sprinkles himself and those around him, then returns the sprinkler. ...
"111. If holy water is to be offered to the bishop as he enters the church, a senior clerical of the local Church offers it to him, presenting a sprinkler, with which the bishop sprinkles himself and those accompanying him. Then the bishop hands back the sprinkler.
"112. All this is omitted if the bishop enters the church already vested, as well as on Sunday whenever the blessing and sprinkling of water replace the penitential rite."
Our reader was concerned that "If the bishop did this, I think those who read your answer may believe he was incorrectly restoring the old rite."
I don't believe that there would be confusion. In fact the aspersion described here is simply a different rite of sprinkling holy water which already existed in the former rite for such occasions as the bishop's pastoral visit. It is thus a sign of veneration toward the bishop when he formally visits a church.
The ceremonial clearly states that this rite is only carried out if the bishop is vested in choir dress, not the formal liturgical cope used for the asperges. Likewise, he sprinkles only those accompanying him, without music, and does not pass through the church sprinkling the faithful.
Another correspondent described the continuation of the asperges ceremony in a Trappist monastery. This is quite probable as many religious orders, especially those with ancient roots, legitimately maintain particular customs and traditions.
After our comments on the rite of sprinkling (Feb. 13) a couple of readers suggested some possible exceptions.
One quoted the ceremonial of bishops: "79. ... At the door of the church the senior of the presbyters hands the bishop the sprinkler, unless the blessing and sprinkling of water is to replace the penitential rite. With head uncovered, the bishop sprinkles himself and those around him, then returns the sprinkler. ...
"111. If holy water is to be offered to the bishop as he enters the church, a senior clerical of the local Church offers it to him, presenting a sprinkler, with which the bishop sprinkles himself and those accompanying him. Then the bishop hands back the sprinkler.
"112. All this is omitted if the bishop enters the church already vested, as well as on Sunday whenever the blessing and sprinkling of water replace the penitential rite."
Our reader was concerned that "If the bishop did this, I think those who read your answer may believe he was incorrectly restoring the old rite."
I don't believe that there would be confusion. In fact the aspersion described here is simply a different rite of sprinkling holy water which already existed in the former rite for such occasions as the bishop's pastoral visit. It is thus a sign of veneration toward the bishop when he formally visits a church.
The ceremonial clearly states that this rite is only carried out if the bishop is vested in choir dress, not the formal liturgical cope used for the asperges. Likewise, he sprinkles only those accompanying him, without music, and does not pass through the church sprinkling the faithful.
Another correspondent described the continuation of the asperges ceremony in a Trappist monastery. This is quite probable as many religious orders, especially those with ancient roots, legitimately maintain particular customs and traditions.
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
9:57 AM
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