Whenever I do liturgical translations for this blog, they are usually either the Collect proper to the Feast or the Introit. I am especially fond of the Introits, particularly Gaudeamus for the Feast of the Assumption (Signum Magnum is not worthy of the Feast, and is evidence merely of the growing tendency in Rome for scripturalizing the Mass) and Rorate Caeli for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
The Introit is one of the most ancient elements of the Mass, going back to the days before there was such a liturgical book as a ''Missal.'' The Introit is thus found in ancient Antiphonaries (never in the Sacramentary, since this chant was proper to the choir and not the priest). It was conceived of in ancient days as merely the Psalm to accompany the entrance procession, which makes more sense to me. Why, then, are the choir now instructed to begin the Introit as soon as the priest makes the Sign of the Cross to begin the Preparatory Prayers? The entrance procession is thus (unless accompanied by the Organ, which from personal experience I would rather were left out altogether sometimes) reduced to a rather dull and silent affair, more suited to a Requiem. If I had watched the glacial movement of liturgical history as from a high cliff or over a table, and had power to affect it, I would not have reduced it to one or two verses from the Psalm but would have kept the whole thing, with the Antiphon, and the choir would begin the Introit as soon as the warning bell were rung.
Does anyone know why the name was changed, and when, from Introitus to ''Antiphona ad Introitum''?
"Why, then, are the choir now instructed to begin the Introit as soon as the priest makes the Sign of the Cross to begin the Preparatory Prayers? The entrance procession is thus (unless accompanied by the Organ, which from personal experience I would rather were left out altogether sometimes) reduced to a rather dull and silent affair, more suited to a Requiem."
ReplyDeleteInteresting to note this. A decreee from the Sacred Congregation of Rites from 1700-odd states the choir are not to start singing prior to the ministers reaching the Altar.
...HOWEVER, I have observed modern practice in many EF congregations being that the choir start singing the moment the Priest walks "on stage", i.e. at the ringing of the bell, if no Asperges.
...S.C.R. April 14, 1753 to be precise. Quoted, sadly, in Baldeschi tr. Dale.
ReplyDelete"Does anyone know why the name was changed, and when, from Introitus to ''Antiphona ad Introitum''?"
ReplyDeletePatricius, I am sure you will be entirely surprised to learn firstly in the Ordo Hebdomadae Sanctae Instauratus followed for the rest of the year in the 1962 edition of the Missale Romanum
Thank you both for your comments.
ReplyDeleteRubricarius, I am confessedly gobsmacked! Imagine such an innovation! I would be curious to know why though, since it appears that the name is an anachronism from the old Roman Ordines (see Fortescue, The Mass, Part II, Chapter V).
Mark,
ReplyDeleteThat is because the 1908 edition of the Graduale restored the older practice and contradicted the decree to which you refer.
well, give me a copy of the Graduale... :D
ReplyDelete