Good Friday - ~ Fr. Bruckberger

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As Jesus remained silent and did not reply, the chief priest, standing, said to him, “I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.”… To the solemn question of the sovereign pontiff, Jesus replied that He was the Messiah. If he had stopped there in his reply, the trial might have gone forever. Such an assertion was not an offense, since the Messiah was in fact to appear and make himself known by his miracles and the fulfillment in him of the prophecies… But he has decided to speak clearly on this subject because no further ambiguity is possible.

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Contrary to what might be imagined, the tribunal would not have been shocked by such a claim… Up to then Jesus was not liable to a capital sentence. The supreme title “Son of God” itself remained ambiguous and had been used without blasphemy by the kings of Israel. The witnesses to the charge were floundering, the accusation was sinking in quicksand, it was Jesus Himself Who refloated the trial, for, to His own destruction, He did not stop there.

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In fact, He added, “Thou hast said it. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.” Here, in full Sanhedrin, before the Supreme Court of His nation, face to face with the chief priest, this humble Galilean, His face already covered with spittle, had given voice to the most extravagant of pretensions, claiming for Himself not only Messianity but eternity, empire over the centuries, the Last Judgment, omnipotence, in a word, equality with God Himself.

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Before the chief priest He dares call Himself “Son of Man” and evoke unmistakably before all these notables the great prophecy of Daniel: “As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed."

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At one stroke all these people became crazed with rage. Their system of thinking and judging exploded. Each and every one of them knew by heart the prophecy of Israel: Jesus’ few words, “Son of Man,” “clouds of heaven,” had set in motion all the mechanism of memory and exegesis. They all knew very well that the prophecy of Daniel could designate only a being who was literally divine… He claimed to be God in person…

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This pretension, once voiced before the tribunal, could only be false or true. If false and mendacious, then Caiphas was a thousand times right, Jesus had blasphemed and, according to the Law of Moses, He deserved the death reserved for Him… But if it was true, then Jesus had not blasphemed, since God cannot deny Himself. But then Jesus, because He was God in person, was above the Law of Moses, above Moses himself: over Him the Law no longer had any power, for Him it no longer served any purpose, the Law expired at the feet of This Defendant. The Law could do all except judge God. Eternally incompetent and void, a Law murdered with Him Whom it put to death.

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Jesus in fact greatly simplified the problem for the Sanhedrin. No one could have dared hope for a more co-operative accused. His personal claims went far beyond the original accusation. In fact, He left His judges no choice but to condemn Him to death for blasphemy or to kneel down before Him and adore Him.

~The History of Jesus Christ

Maundy Thusday - ~Fr. Bruckberger

Nietzsche used to jeer at Christian sweetness and humility. It is easier to make fun of these qualities than to practice them. Here, on this night of Maundy Thursday, face to face with Judas, Jesus’ sweetness and humility are the fruits of truly heroic self-control and love. One of the most striking traits of Jesus’ personality is that, with Him, love is never blind. In order to love, Jesus does not deliberately close His eyes, as we often do. At the very moment when He is giving Judas the most touching proofs of His friendship and His humility, Jesus denounces the betrayal and the traitor. No greater hope has even been given us: whoever we are we will never impose upon Him. We are discovered, and at the same time every way of escape is closed to us, His Heart is our only refuge. This is the truth of our human condition.

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In a few hours Jesus is going to die, and Judas’ feet, which He has just washed, will dangle under a tree above the ground. Jesus knows this. “‘The Son of Man indeed goes His way, as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It were better for that man if he had not been born.’ And Judas who betrayed Him answered and said, “Is it I, Rabbi?’ He said to him, ‘Thou hast said it’” Then Jesus holds out to Judas a morsel of bread dipped in the sauce, according to the Oriental fashion of singling out the guest of honor.

Granted, the greatest Christian Saints have all desired to die… as means of rejoining Christ, and all, beyond death, have hoped still more for the resurrection of the flesh. But let us not forget that Christ has transformed and reversed the meaning of human death: it is no longer punishment. After His own Death, it became essentially a means of rejoining Him and of identifying ourselves with Him on the Cross.

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But on this Maundy Thursday, the eve of His Death, Jesus is alone; no one before Him can extend to Him, across the gulf of death, a helping hand. He sees death approach. He sees it as it is, the violent separation of His Soul from His Body, a dreadful misery. And for the first time since the fall of Adam, this Body and this Soul are so well made for each other that they have no cause to reproach each other. Oh, how unjust that impious action that is going to separate them! Yes, what a frightful misfortune, since death is a malediction, since it is a punishment for sin and precisely in Jesus there was nothing but innocence, nothing to censure, nothing to punish. Here is the one Man without sin, and He begins to tremble at the approach of death.

Palm Sunday

Hosanna Filio David: benedictus qui venit in Nomine Domini. O Rex Israel: Hosanna in excelsis

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People buying their Palms for Palm Sunday in St. Peter's Square (Click on this "image" even if it seems it does not work to view the clip).

Coronation of Infant King by Card. George on Dec. 29th

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We saw the pictures. Now, we can see video clips of the actual ceremony of the Coronation of the Infant King by Francis Cardinal George. This event took place at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest in Chicago.

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Sanctæ Románæ Ecclésiæ Cardináles - Mgr. Nabuco

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SRE Cardinales, Summi Pontificis electores et prælati maximi ecclesiastici, qui romanas congregationes componunt ad regimen Ecclesiæ, peramplis fruuntur in toto orbe liturgicis seu pontificalibus privilegiis.

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Cardinal Deacon
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Cardinal Priest
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Cardinal Bishop
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Cardinal Gasparri

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Cardinals at a Papal Funeral service
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Funeral of a Cardinal
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Suprema cardinalium dignitas id exigit ut ad liturgicis functionibus præsidendum non invitentur nisi prius constet sacros ritus ita persolvi posse ut eorum status nullum inde detrimentum patiatur. {The dignity of Cardinals require that they should not be invited to be part of a liturgical function unless it is guaranteed that things are going to be carried out properly}.

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SRE cardinales colore rubro seu coccineo (rosso, scarlatto, ponso) semper utuntur in galero, bireto et pileolo. {A Cardinal's galero, birretta and zucchetto are always (scarlet) red}.

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Cappa ornamentum est perquam nobile, quo utuntur in ecclesiasticis functionibus prælati tantunmodo insigniores. {The use of the Cappa Magna is to emphasize the noble dignity of the Prelates}.

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SRE cardinales speciales vestes prælatitias adhibent rubri vel violacei coloris, et iure supellectili inaurata et in auro in vestibus.

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Sede Vacante, Sacrum Collegium rubeis vestibus depositis, violaceis tantum utitur et quidem laneis... rochetum erit simplex non rugatum {When the Pope dies, the Cardinals should wear, traditionally, purple instead of scarlet and their rochets should not have a lot of lace}.

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Episcopal Gloves - Chirothecæ

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Liturgical gloves (chirothecœ, called also at an earlier date manicœ, wanti,) are a liturgical adornment reserved for bishops and cardinals. They are worn only at a Pontifical Mass, never at any other function, and then only to the washing of the hands before the Sacrifice.

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The colour of the gloves must correspond with the liturgical colour of the feast or day in the services of which they are worn; episcopal gloves, however, are never black, as they are not used on Good Friday nor at the celebration of Masses for the dead. The chief reason for the introduction of the usage was probably the desire to provide a suitable adornment for the hands of the Bishop, rather than practical considerations such as the preservation of the cleanliness of the hands, etc.

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Episcopal gloves are symbolical of purity from sin, the performance of good works, and carefulness of procedure.

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The Cæremoniale Episcoporum, as revised in 1984, no longer imposes on Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church the use of episcopal gloves when celebrating Mass solemnly, but they are still used in such celebrations of the Tridentine Mass form of the Roman Rite.

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The pontifical gloves are made of silk, and variously ornamented according to the solemnity of the occasion and the wearer’s rank and dignity. For Cardinals, Prelates invested with the episcopal character and Abbots, the back of the glove is embroidered with a more or less elaborate cross or monogram; and the Protonotaries Apostolic of the first two classes (di numero and supernumerary) may wear pontifical gloves of silk bordered with a strip of gold braid; but for all other Protonotaries, Prelates and Canons, who may be allowed, by law or privilege, the use of the pontificals, the gloves must be of plain silk without any special ornament.

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(Source for previous information: Catholic Encyclopedia on-line)
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According to Mgr. Nabuco, the liturgical gloves and the sandals always go together and when it is not permitted to wear the chirothecæ, then it is not permitted to wear the episcopal sandals, either.

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He also says that the chirothecæ of protonoraries should not have any kind of ornamentation except a simple golden braid on the (border of the) cuffs. (It seems, though, that these rule was not followed and all liturgical gloves were decorated regardless of who was going to wear them).

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And here is what Nainfa has to say:

"The pontifical gloves are made of silk, and variously ornamented according to the solemnity of the occasion and the wearer s rank and dignity. For Cardinals, Prelates invested with the Episcopal character and Abbots, the back of the glove is embroidered with a more or less elaborate cross or monogram; and the Protonotaries Apostolic of the first two classes (di numero and supernumerary) may wear pontifical gloves of silk bordered with a strip of gold braid; but for all other Protonotaries, Prelates and Canons, who may be allowed, by law or privilege, the use of the pontificals, the gloves must be of plain silk without any special ornament. (Sort of like this picture, but without the circle in the back of hand)."

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The Papal Fanon (Latin, Italian, English)

DE FANONE PAPALI

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(Hallowedground)

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“Romanus Pontifex post albam et cingulum assumit orale [fanon], quod circa caput involvit et replicat super humeros, legalis pontificis ordinem sequens, qui post lineam strictam et zonam induerunt ephod id est super-humerale.” Innocentius III, De Myst. Missæ, I, c. 53.

Materia et color: Fano conficitur e serico albo tenui non undulato et sine subsuto.

Forma: Fano fabricatur ad modum pallioli humeralis altitudinis dimidii metri et cum tribus circiter metris circumferentiæ et fit duplex cum parte interiore aliquantulum longiore. Partes duæ per uniones firmantur circumcirca collum et retro fit scissura ut possint per caput poni cum sint circulum clausum.

Ornamentatio: Fano papalis in utraque parte ornatur circumcirca virgis aureis, rubinis et albis interpositis, et ante pectus additur crux ex opere phrygio in perte superiore. Ad collum et ad utramque oram aureum torulum additur.

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Regulæ quoad usum: Summus Pontifex fanone utitur super planetam quoties se vestit in pontificalibus. Illum induit Papa, prius crucem deosculans, super albam et crucem pectoralem; deinde partem superiorem super caput reponit ad instar amictus dum ceteras induit vestes, et accepta planeta, super illa reponitur, et ultimo sacro induitur pallio. APC, 1900, p. 106; Braun, I Paramenti Sacri, p. 69.**

**Recentissime totus ritus fanonis immutatus est, nam non amplius ornatur virgis superpositis sed conficitur e serico ad hoc fabricato cum virgis in ipso serico textis trium colorum. Præterea partes duæ separantur ita ut sint revera duæ vestes, et pars superior pontifici imponitur post casulam.

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~Mgr. Nabuco, Ius Pontificalium

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Il FANONE PAPALE

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Nella sua forma attuale [il Fanone] è un ornamento proprio del solo Sommo Pontefice, che lo assume quando celebra solennemente, dopo l'ora canonica di terza. Consiste in una doppia mozzetta di seta finissima e oro, tessuta in strisce perpendicolari, una bianca, l'altra d'oro, congiunte fra loro da una terza più piccola di colore amaranto: un palloncino d'oro ne borda l'estremo sia superiore che inferiore: la mozzetta esterna ha inoltre ricamata una croce d'oro con raggi. Queste due mozzette sono cucite nella parte che circonda il collo, allacciandosi con un bottone le aperture corrispondenti alle spalle; ora non più, perché Pio X per comodità le fece separare. Nelle Messe pontificali, quando il papa ha preso il succintorio e la croce pettorale, il cardinale diacono ministrante gli impone la prima mozzetta del fanone, poi la stola, le dalmatiche, la pianeta, e sopra di essa la seconda mozzetta: in ultimo il pallio.

È molto difficile rimontare alle origini di questo ornamento. Confuso forse in principio con il manipolo, o con l'amitto (anabolagio), o con gli oralia, specie di fazzoletti o tovaglioli, che servivano ad asciugare il sudore del capo e perciò portati intorno al collo, passò nella forma attuale verso il sec. XIII. Innocenzo III (nel De mysteriis Missæ, l. I, cap. 13) parla esplicitamente di questo ornamento che chiama orale: si è dunque al principio del sec. XIII.

Vari autori vogliono che l'uso dei vescovi greci di coprirsi la testa con un velo, quando hanno assunto gli ornamenti principali, abbia dato origine al fanone del papa; ma è cosa incerta. Altri, invece, e con essi lo stesso Innocenzo III, intendono far derivare il fanone dall'ephod del sommo sacerdote ebreo, anch'esso tessuto di strisce d'oro e colorate, ma di diversa forma. Con questa parola si designava anticamente un velo pendente da un'asta a guisa di bandiera, chiamato appunto gonfalone, stendardo, vessillo; oppure, secondo l'etimologia ecclesiastica, il velo pendente dal braccio dei ministri sacri detto manipolo, sudario, orale.

~Enrico Dante, da Enciclopedia Cattolica

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THE PAPAL FANON

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The Papal Fanon (an old Germanic word for cloth) is a vestment reserved only for the Pope for use during a pontifical Mass.

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It consists of a doubled shoulder-cape (somewhat like a mozzetta) of white silk ornamented with narrow woven golden stripes, so that the colors alternate white and gold. The first end of the fanon is placed under the stole and the second over the chasuble, under the white pallium. The two pieces of it are nearly circular in shape but somewhat unequal in size and the smaller is laid over and fastened to the larger one. To allow the head to pass through there is a round opening in the middle with a vertical slit running down farther. The front part of the fanon is ornamented with a small cross embroidered in gold.

The fanon is similar to an amice; it is, however, put on not under but above the alb. The pope wears it only when celebrating a solemn Pontifical Mass, that is, only when all the pontifical vestments are used. The manner of putting on the fanon recalls the method of assuming the amice universal in the Middle Ages and still observed by some of the older religious orders. After the deacon has vested the pope with the usual amice, alb, the cingulum and sub-cinctorium, and the pectoral cross, he places the fanon on the pope by means of the opening, and then folds half of the upper piece towards the back over the pope's head. Then he vests the pope with the stole, tunicle, dalmatic, and chasuble, after which he turns down that part of the fanon which had been placed over the head of the pope, draws the front half of the upper piece above the chasuble, and finally arranges the whole upper piece of the fanon so that it covers the shoulders of the pope like a collar. The pallium is placed over the fanon.

~Wikipedia

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