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Saturday, March 22, 2008

Terræmotus

Saint Francis de Sales Oratory, in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA - high altar after "terrae motus" on Good Friday

High altar at Saint Francis de Sales Oratory after the terræmotus — earthquake — at the end of the Good Friday liturgy.  The clergy knocks over the candlesticks as seen here, while the altar boys bang on the choir stalls and the organ plays its deepest, rumbling note.
Et ecce velum templi scissum est in duas partes a summo usque deorsum: et terra mota est, et petræ scissæ sunt.

And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top even to the bottom: and the earth quaked and the rocks were rent.
Matthew 27:51

3 comments:

  1. Wow, thanks for this. We're at the cathedral for the Triduum, as my younger son serves there. I had wanted to visit the oratory last night to help pray for the Jews, but could not. One thing I notices in the Extraordinary form was the Improperia (Reproaches), which are stunning, and I wish they were carried over.

    That said, the archbishop did use the ad orientem posture for the Communion portion of the service on Good Friday. Nice to see.

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  2. So, how do the candlesticks not get all bent up?

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  3. Not sure about the candlesticks.

    I changed the title of this post: it was originally 'Terræ Motus' which is not correct.

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