THE SOLEMN PROCESSION OF PALMS - The Blessing of Palms

Submitted by Rick.Wheeler on Mon, 2011/04/11 - 4:31pm
PDF version
ID: 
1857
Can be Found in
Book: 
Liber Usualis 1961 ed.
Page: 
579

PRELIMINARY

The solemn blessing of palms, the procession, and the Mass that follows, should be in the morning, at the usual time for the chief Mass. However, in churches where numbers attend an evening Mass, the Bishop of the diocese may allow the blessing of palms, procession and subsequent Mass at some hour after noon, if for pastoral reasons there is real necessity, provided there is no blessing and procession in the morning at the same church.
The blessing of palms may not be held without the procession and Mass.
If in the place there is another church where the blessing can conveniently be held, there is no reason why the palms should not be blessed there. Then follows the procession to the principal church. The blessing of palms may not be held without the procession and Mass. Since all the faithful can scarcely be present at the blessing of palms, care must be taken that blessed palms are ready in the sacristy or other suitable place, to be distributed to those who were not present. Branches of palms, olives or other trees are used for the blessing and procession of palms. In accordance with local custom they are either prepared and brought to the church by the faithful, or are distributed to them after the blessing.

Composition Date: 
Unknown
Composer: 
Sacred Congregation of Rites
Arrangers / Editors: 
Monks of St. Peter's Abbey, Solesmes
Proper Liturgical Usage: 
Processions
Proper Liturgical Time: 
Dominica in Palmis (Palm Sunday)
Proper Liturgical Day: 
Sunday
Votive: 
F
Performance Time: 
5 min
Texture: 
Monophonic
Voices: 
Unison
Chant solo
Language: 
Latin
Difficulty: 
Moderate
Musical Style: 
Gregorian

Parts

THE BLESSING OF PALMS

1. At a suitable time, after Terce in choir, the blessing of branches of palms, •olives or other trees begins. The Asperges is omitted.

2-3. The celebrant and sacred ministers wear red vestments, without maniple. Instead of chasuble, the celebrant wears a cope (optional in the simple rite).

4. If the faithful are not already holding their palms, these are placed on a table which is covered with a white cloth and placed in a convenient place in the sanctuary so that the people can see it.

5. When everything is ready, the celebrant and the sacred ministers [or servers] genuflect or bow to the altar as usual, and go behind the table, facing the people.
    While this is taking place, the following antiphon is sung:

Hosánna fílio Dávid

6. Then the celebrant, with his hands joined, blesses the palms, singing the Collect to the ferial B tone (or the simple ancient tone).

V. Dóminus vobíscum.

R. Et cum spíritu túo.

7. In the following Collect the celebrant should say : these branches of palms, or these branches of olives, or these branches of trees, or these branches of palms and olives, or these branches of palms (olives) and other trees.
Palm Sunday - Blessing Prayer - Benedic quaesumus

8. Then the celebrant, saying nothing, sprinkles three times the palms on the table, then, at the rail, those that the people, as said above, may have in their hands; or he may pass through the aisles of the church.

9. Next the celebrant puts incense in the thurible and blesses it; then he censes the palms on the table, finally, from the rail (or the aisles) those held by the people.

The sacred ministers [or the servers] accompany the celebrant for both the aspersion and the censing of the palms, holding up the edge of his cope.