The Church of the Advent - Liturgical Customary: Candlemas

The Candle-Blessing Prayer is printed in the program. A copy of the program may be inserted in a small notebook (Rite II), or the Celebrant may read it from the Manual For Priests (pg. 219) (Rite I). The Celebrant will carry this in.

The Gospel Book is placed on the Altar before Mass.

TTTT carry lighted torches.

The Celebrant and Choir Clergy are vested in copes. The Chasuble, with maniples if there are any, is placed over the altar rail on the Epistle side.

ENTRANCE:

ALL enter the short way via the North Door in the usual order:

/\
TH[+Boatboy]
A CR A
CHOIR
VERGER
CHOIR CLERGY
TT
TT
MC
SD
D
CEL

Thurifer [and boatboy] enter choir and step off to left, by North choir pews, facing East (toward the Altar).

Crucifer goes into his/her stall, puts up cross, and faces East.

Acolytes stop at top of steps, in front of Crucifer's/Verger's stalls, and face East.

Choir, Verger, and Choir Clergy go into their places in choir and face East.

TTTT go up to their places at Altar Rail and face East. Lead T should look over his/her shoulder to watch MC for genuflection cue.

MC enters choir and steps off to right.

SD, D, and CEL enter choir, stand three abreast, and face East.

MC cues genuflection. After genuflection, TTTT turn and face the congregation.

SMs turn and face the congregation, and SD and D change places behind CEL.

TH approaches CEL, who lays on just a token amount of incense. TH steps aside.

The congregation hold up their candles. CEL reads the Candle Blessing.

MC hands CEL the aspersorium and aspergillum and CEL asperses the people's candles, going swiftly up and down the center aisle accompanied by SD and D. Upon return to chancel, CEL hands aspersorium and aspergillum back to MC who sets them aside out of harm's way.

CEL then receives thurible from TH and censes the people's candles (single swing, center-left-right) from the top of the steps. CEL returns thurible to TH and TH [and boatboy] immediately ascend to altar steps, to right of center.

The Choir begins to sing the Nunc Dimittis. Ushers, MC, and Choir Clergy light their hand-held candles from the Acolytes' torches. MC distributes candles to SMs. Choir Clergy light the Choir's candles after they finish singing.

While the Nunc Dimittis is being sung, MC leads SMs up to altar steps. TTTT face East. A CR A take their processional places in the middle of the Choir.

THE PROCESSION:

As the Nunc Dimittis concludes, at altar steps, CEL lays on incense. TH [and boatboy] descend steps, pass A CR A and face East.

D faces people and bids Procession, then faces East again.

Organist begins hymn play-through. At conclusion of play-through, MC cues genuflection. ALL genuflect, except A CR A. MC and SMs turn and face the congregation, D and SD changing places on steps behind CEL. TTTT face across. TH [and boatboy] and A CR A face congregation.

TH [and boatboy] step off. A CR A give TH plenty of room for 360's.

During the Procession, those in pairs carry candles in outside hands. Those walking alone carry candles in right hands.

Upon returning from the Procession, ALL go to normal entrance places. When SMs reach lineup, they extinguish their candles and hand off to the MC. If there is a lot of hymn left, SMs may ascend and reverence and cense altar. Otherwise, SMs, AA, TH, and MC remain in place at altar steps until hymn concludes.

CR takes copes from Choir Clergy and takes them to sacristy.

When SMs ascend, TTTT exit single file to smoke sacristy and extinguish and put away their torches, then return quietly to seats by Bishop's Throne.

SMs reverence altar and begin censing.

The Mass continues comme d'habitude with the Kyrie and Gloria.

If CEL is preaching, Verger escorts him to pulpit and assists him to remove cope before ascending pulpit steps. Verger puts cope back on CEL after sermon.

CEL changes to chasuble after laying on incense at the Offertory. CR takes cope out to sacristy. If CR is unable (or forgets) to retrieve cope, MC places it in Lady Chapel or behind reredos.