A snap from yesterday's Mass of Advent III known as Gaudete Sunday. Rose-coloured vestments were worn, with the Deacon and Subdeacon wearing Dalmatic and Tunicle to lighten to the mood of Advent.
This set of Vestments (a complete High Mass set with humeral veil, cope and additional choir stoles) was a donation. As you can see, the Dalmatic and Tunicle are distinguished from each other as they ought be: the tunicle being slightly longer and bearing only one horizontal band. They both have the flap-sleeves common in French and Belgian vestments. The chasuble features an Agnus Dei embroidered motif and a large cross orphrey. The humeral veil is embroidered with IHS.
The Mass was served by the Rector, Fr Warner, with Fr Craig Barber as Deacon. Mr Jason Groves served as Subdeacon, celebrating his 20th Anniversary serving in that role. Twenty years ago he first served as Subdeacon Crucifer for Solemn Evensong of Advent III in Australia.
After the Liturgy, the people of S. Magnus retired as usual to the crypt, where refreshments were offered, including pink beetroot waffles, a beetroot and mackerel pate and "pink" cocktails (pink gin and cosmopolitans). Every single member of the congregation wore an item of pink (or rose-coloured) clothing to celebrate Gaudete Sunday, including the Premier Sacristan, Ex Fide, who was stunning in a pale pink Oxford shirt, it must be said.
It's very encouraging to see S. Magnus continuing in its strong and steady growth. It's a joy to receive visitors to the church from all over the world (owing to our location next to the Monument) and it's very satisfying to see so many people return Sunday by Sunday. I believe 2010 has broken the record for Weddings solemnized at S. Magnus, and next year's calender is looking full already (so book now!), with more weddings and baptisms scheduled. Perhaps the reason S. Magnus folk have gone all out to celebrate Gaudete Sunday is because there really is something to celebrate. Gaudeamus, because we are part of a community of witness that has flourished in an unlikely place, and which seems to defy all the doom and gloom stories of plummeting attendance and the death of the orthodox, catholic faith in the Church of England.
Marvellous news about parish growth! And these house customs, such as wearing clothing of a particular colour, can be fun, (though a casual viaitor wandering in through the door may be slightly confused at first :-D ).
ReplyDeleteI'm less sure about the vestments. The seem more Barbie-pink to me. ;-) Mind you, I suppose roses come in different hues.
You can definately get roses in that colour.....
ReplyDeleteThe wearing of rose-coloured vestments is not mentioned in the Roman books until relatively recently. The older practice was having the ministers wear violet dalmatic and tuncicle rather than folded chasubles.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Cardinals wore rose watered silk cassocks, with mantelletum and mozzeta (in Rome) on Gaudete and Laetare Sundays rather than their winter violet dress.
Hmmm. It does seem odd to be in festal pink and use Dalmatic & Tunicle when the Mass is still of the season, with no Gloria etc.
ReplyDeleteIt all sounds wonderful. We didn't get a 100% participation rate in the wearing of pink, I'm afraid (although many of us were doing our part). I played to both sides of the perpetual debate over what shade is intended by wearing bright red-pink socks and a deep purple-pink tie.
ReplyDeleteI wore a tunicle under my Oxford shirt........if only!
ReplyDeleteIf the subdeacon is a layman, how does he wear a biretta?
ReplyDeleteNot sure CatholicRitualist, but local custom and a healthy disregard for the edicts of the SCR might have some part in it!
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