Roman Propers: The Paschal Vigil: The Blessing of the New Fire

Submitted by Rick.Wheeler on Sat, 2011/04/23 - 2:31pm
PDF version
ID: 
1950
This is part of: 
Roman Propers: Temporal Cycle: The Paschal Vigil
Original Source
Official Liturgical Book: 
Proprium de Tempore
Missale Romanum
Composition Date: 
Unknown
Composer: 
Unknown
Arrangers / Editors: 
Institute of Christ the King
Proper Liturgical Usage: 
Holy Mass
Other
Proper Liturgical Time: 
Sabbato Sancto (Holy Saturday)
Proper Liturgical Day: 
Saturday
Votive: 
F
Composition Type: 
Other
Texture: 
Monophonic
Voices: 
Unison
Chant solo
Language: 
Latin
Greek
Hebrew
Difficulty: 
Moderate
Musical Style: 
Gregorian

Parts

THE BLESSING OF THE NEW FIRE


1. The altars are covered with cloths at a suitable time, but the candles are not lit until the beginning of Mass. Meanwhile fire is struck from flint, and from this, charcoal is lighted.
2. The celebrant is vested in amice, alb, girdle, purple stole and cope [or without chasuble]; the sacred ministers wear amice, alb and girdle, the deacon a purple stole and dalmatic and the subdeacon a purple tunicle.
3. The ministers [or servers] assemble with cross, holy water and incense either at the door of the church, or in the porch, or even inside the church, wherever the people can best follow the ceremony, and the celebrant blesses the new fire, saying what follows to the ferial tone B [or the simple ancient tone] :
Lyrics: 

He then sprinkles the fire with holy water three times in silence.
4. An acolyte [or server] takes the lighted charcoal which has been blessed and puts it in the thurible; the celebrant puts in incense, blesses it as usual, and censes the fire three times.