Ash Wednesday Liturgy
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I'm having a bit of confusion over the details of the Ash Wednesday Liturgy. My Missal says that the Penitential Act is omitted. Does this also mean no Kyrie?

    I've not yet settled for the music for the Ash Wednesday Mass (local parish morning mass.) At the moment I'm thinking to use "God of Mercy and Compassion" and possibly an English adaption of Attende Domine.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 997
    According to the booklet for the celebration of Ash Wednesday in Rome last year, the Kyrie was sung right after the Introit (pp. 25-27, from 20:00 in the video):

    http://youtu.be/4acrZnidFcA?t=20m

    (The greeting took place earlier in this Papal liturgy) The Kyrie isn't part of the Penitential Act, and should therefore be sung even if the Penitential Act is omitted.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    In many places in the Missal, the words "and, if appropriate, the Kyrie" are included after the instruction to omit the Penitential Act. I believe, though I don't have my Missal in front of me, that those words are not included in every instance. It's a bit confusing, but I think the fact the Kyrie is listed in a different paragraph in the GIRM than the Penitential Act, and the additional instruction to omit it in certain circumstances is an indication that it should be sung.

    The question, though, is whether or not the Roman Gradual and/or Simple Gradual say to omit it. Does anyone know? I can't check until much later this evening.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 997
    Both the Graduale Romanum and the Graduale Simplex are silent about this. They do not mention the omitting of the Penitential Act.

    The Missale Romanum simply says at Ash Wednesday: "Omittitur actus paenitentialis, cuius locum tenet impositio cinerum".

    That the Kyrie isn't part of the Penitential Act is clear from the rubrics:

    - Post actum pænitentialem incipitur semper Kýrie eléison, nisi forte locum iam habuerit in ipso actu pænitentiali. (GIRM 52)

    - Sequitur actus pænitentialis. Postea cantatur vel dicitur Kýrie, iuxta rubricas. (GIRM 125)

    - Post actum pænitentialem dicitur Kyrie, nisi facta fuerit aspersio aquæ vel adhibita sit tertia formula actus pænitentialis, vel rubricis aliter statuatur. (Cæremoniale Episcoporum 134)
    Thanked by 2ClergetKubisz teachermom24
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    The ordo is also silent on the issue, only stating that the Penitential Act is omitted. However, I believe we have omitted the Kyrie in the past at our church.
  • Earl_GreyEarl_Grey
    Posts: 904
    "and, if appropriate, the Kyrie"


    So the Kyrie may be sung or it may be omitted. Everybody's right!
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Well, I talked with Fr today about Ash Wednesday liturgy and we are singing the Kyrie.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • quilisma
    Posts: 136
    I think it's appropriate to sing the Kyrie. In the EF the imposition of ashes is done before Mass and then the Mass continues as normal from the Introit (only Psalm 42 is omitted, not the Confiteor), followed by the Kyrie.
    So, you'd be acting in a hermeneutic of continuity if you sung it.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,979
    We are also singing the Kyrie.
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