Wednesday, October 29, 2008

From Imperia: consecration of virgins...


Communion of the faithful. Notice the interesting two communion rails? This is sometimes seen in the north (as during High Mass the faithful wouldn't receive Holy Communion or would receive from a side altar to the right or left). For this reason they receive here from a portable wood rail with a linen veil atop it.
N.B. The faithful, when they receive Holy Communion, ought to keep their folded hands down under the veil and not atop the rail as seen here.

3 comments:

Perfectior said...

The best advise that was given, in the old prayer-formulars, is not to fold the hands but to put the hands under the veil (with the palms turned to heaven) in the purpose to hold this napkin horizontally, as a table.

There are at least two reasons to hold it so : 1. to figurate the Mystical Table, as the Flesh of JESUS is the food of our souls (that is the purpose of the Communion Banks, which are designed as tables).
2. If, unhappily, a accident overcome, and if the Holy Host fall from the hand of the Priest of from the lips of the Faithful, it comes on the horizontally-held napkin (which then must be purified) and not on the ground.

Thank you for this beautiful and interesting blog. I come almost every day on it. It's a real delight.

Anonymous said...

For who it wanted on this link: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=a24jmJ5DHEM there is a short video of the ceremony of the “Voti Solenni”.

J. Smith said...

Folded hands are always hidden 'neath the veils at the Traditional Mass I attend on Sundays. Thank you for the reminder on proper placement, however, since this parish was the first time I had ever seen the practice.

Praise to the Sacred Heart - with the promulgation of Summorum Pontificum, our local bishop is reinstalling the altar rails in the Cathedral where the Traditional Mass is held each Sunday. The faithful are very excited.