Question on EF Good Friday St. John Passion
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 397
    My pastor wants to use a layman as 'straw subdeacon' for the Passion, singing the Chronista, not the Synagoga. Can this layman (properly vested) enter and exit the sanctuary for the Passion, and remain in the schola (upstairs) afterwards? Can he chant the Chronista from the loft? Or must he stay in the sanctuary for the whole Three-Hour Liturgy?

    The problem is that the tenor he wants for the Chronista is the only reliable tenor in the schola, and we sing the Palestrina Popule meus later in the liturgy.

    I know that the Synagoga may be sung by the schola from the loft if there is no subdeacon, and I am assuming that that would only be the adult men of the schola.

    I need references (rubrics) if at all possible. Thank you for any help you can give.
  • Arthur Connick
    Posts: 494
    Alcuin Reid in the 2009 edition of The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described is emphatic that There is no authority for anyone below the rank of deacon to sing the Passion. He includes this exact text as a footnote in no less than 6 places.
    Thanked by 1Patricia Cecilia
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Msgr. McManus' book gives similar guidance:
    http://www.sanctamissa.org/en/faq/holy-week.html

    On the other hand, the topic has been discussed previously here, with people reporting that lay cantors have been used.

    http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/1543/singing-the-passion-in-the-extraordinary-form/p1

    If this is a long-standing practice, it may have the status of an approved custom, even though it's contrary to the rubrics. But by the nature of things, that's not documented. On questions like this, I ask people who were active in church music in the old days what was done.
    Thanked by 2Patricia Cecilia Andris Amolins
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    On Palm Sunday we once again had the sung Passion EF, + was our parish Priest acting as subdeacon for the day, C was the deacon for the Mass (who is a permanent Deacon) and the S was one of our Cantors who entered the sanctuary after singing the Tract with the rest of the choir he returned to sing the Credo with us.

    We will also have sung Passion on Tuesday, and the C and S parts will be sung by Cantors (lay Lectors). On Friday we will be doing the same. The cantors will be singing with the choir off the sanctuary for the rest of the Mass.

    The use of Laymen to sing these parts is a long standing custom here in London, UK.

    I will ask the experts if they know any exception to the rubrics, and post replies here;
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Patricia Cecilia
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 468
    I know that the Synagoga may be sung by the schola from the loft if there is no subdeacon, and I am assuming that that would only be the adult men of the schola.

    Not exactly.

    The authority here is S.R.C. 4044. The deacon who represents the Synagoga sings the sentences of single individuals and the part of the turba may be taken by a lay
    choir (which I don't think would be limited to men, given the other rules about lay choirs.) I'm not aware of any precedent for the entire Synagoga part being sung by the choir.


    Thanked by 2Patricia Cecilia Andris Amolins
  • Patricia Cecilia
    Posts: 397
    Nevermind.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    We have sung last few year for Palm Sunday and this year will sing the Good Friday, Tomas Luis de Victoria Responsories, the upper parts are usually now sung by women.
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