Monday, January 9, 2012

Epiphany Proclamation

In long ago times, before calendars were common everyday items, it was difficult for the people to know when the moveable feasts of the Church would fall. So on Epiphany a proclamation would be read from the pulpit to let the congregation know the dates of those feasts for the upcoming year.

Did your parish proclaim the feasts of the Church yesterday? I attended Mass at a nearby parish and the young priest did. Here's the text in case your parish didn't have the proclamation yesterday:

Dear brothers and sisters,
the glory of the Lord has shone upon us,
and shall ever be manifest among us,
until the day of his return.

Through the rhythms of times and seasons
let us celebrate the mysteries of salvation.

Let us recall the year's culmination,
the Easter Triduum of the Lord:
his last supper, his crucifixion, his burial,
and his rising celebrated
between the evening of the Fifth day of April
and the evening of the Seventh day of April,
Easter Sunday being on the Eighth day of April.

Each Easter -- as on each Sunday --
the Holy Church makes present the great and saving deed
by which Christ has for ever conquered sin and death.
From Easter are reckoned all the days we keep holy.

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent,
will occur on the Twenty-Second day of February.

The Ascension of the Lord will be commemorated on the Seventeenth day of May.

Pentecost, joyful conclusion of the season of Easter,
will be celebrated on the Twenty-Seventh day of May.

And, this year the First Sunday of Advent will be
on the Second day of December.

Likewise the pilgrim Church proclaims the passover of Christ
in the feasts of the holy Mother of God,
in the feasts of the Apostles and Saints,
and in the commemoration of the faithful departed.

To Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come,
Lord of time and history,
be endless praise, for ever and ever.

Amen.

And here's a video of a priest chanting the proclamation, just as the priest at St. George did last night:




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