The Church of the Advent - Liturgical Customary: Stations of the Cross and Benediction During Lent

Before Evening Prayer if at all possible:
• Service booklets set out on table by Mt. Vernon Street door.
• Make sure that priest has moved Benediction Host (in luna) from Lady Chapel tabernacle to High Altar Aumbry.
• Service booklets set near kneelers for server and officiant.
• Blue cloth removed from High Altar and six Office Lights lit. Two six-branched Benediction lights (on top of sofe in priests’ sacristy) placed at either horn of altar, unlit.
• Set out on altar steps:
o Kneeling cushions on bottom step at center for server and officiant.
o Humeral veil on Deacon's step near server's kneeler (on right).
o Carillon by server's kneeler.
o Isaacs monstrance, veiled, on uncovered altar, to right of center, facing North.
o Key in Aumbry door.
o Light thurible immediately before Stations – leave the coals to heat up while Stations is proceeding.
o NOTE: use regular "Advent blend" incense for Benediction – not myrrh.

THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS:

Server, in cassock and cotta, leads Officiant into church via smoke sacristy. Reverence High Altar, turn proceed to nave floor at crossing, turn and face altar.

Officiant and server kneel on top choir step for opening devotions.

Officiant and server stand after opening devotions. They turn and proceed slowly to first Station by All Saints' Chapel, followed by the congregation.

Following each Station, during singing of one verse of Stabat Mater, proceed slowly to next Station. In some cases this will involve moving only a step or two.

As the congregation arrives at the twelfth Station (by the Mt. Vernon Street doors), server departs via Lady Chapel, lights Benediction candles on High Altar, then collects thurible and incense boat and waits at smoke sacristy door for officiant and congregation to assemble.

The concluding devotions of Stations are said at the foot of the choir. The officiant and people then ascend toward the altar.

BENEDICTION:

As officiant comes inside altar rail, server enters from smoke sacristy and joins him. They genuflect, and officiant lays on incense. The congregation kneels at the altar rail.

After incense is laid on, server kneels.

Officiant goes to Aumbry to remove Host from tabernacle. Server remains kneeling. When officiant takes out the Host, server rings the carillon once.

Kneel for hymns of adoration. Pass thurible to officiant for censing as directed during the hymns. Bow profoundly during doxology verses (watch officiant for cues).

Officiant stands for Benediction Collect ("O God who in a wonderful Sacrament…").

Following Collect, officiant kneels. Server rises and places humeral veil over his shoulders and assists him to secure it, then resumes place at kneeler.

Officiant goes up to the altar and blesses the people with the Host. Ring the carillon thrice – once as he faces the people, once as he turns left, once as he turns right.

Officiant replaces monstrance and returns Host to tabernacle. Ring the carillon once.

Officiant returns to foot of altar steps. Server removes humeral veil, lays it on Deacon's step, and returns to kneeler for concluding prayers.

At conclusion, stand and genuflect with priest and lead him out via smoke sacristy.

CLEANUP:
Douse candles and return candelabra to sacristy.
Replace blue cloth on altar.
Carillon returned to top of incense closet in smoke sacristy.
Thurible cleaned and put away.
Humeral veil neatly folded and placed in appropriate drawer in sacristy.
Remove monstrance from altar and return to sacristy.
Return service booklets to sacristy.

*REMIND PRIEST TO RETURN BENEDICTION HOST TO LADY CHAPEL TABERNACLE!*