EF Easter Vigil, Music during Renewal of Baptismal Promises
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Immediately following the renewal of baptismal promises, the 1962 Missal rubric directs that the priest sprinkle the people with holy water, but nothing at all is said about music. Is it appropriate to chant the Vidi aquam here, or to play instrumental music, or is this sprinkling rite to take place in silence?
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I don't have the missal handy, but I believe we chanted the vidi last year at our '62 triduum.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    We sing "vidi" and this is for an OF mass. It is appropriate for sprinkling in either rite. We will sing it again for sprinkling at Easter morning masses, or any other time during the season when there is sprinkling.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,309
    You need to look in the OSH and the simple version of the same book in addition to the missal.
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    What is the OSH and where do I find it? I checked the Missal itself, the 1961 Liber and Gradual, and the Liber hebdomadae sanctae, all of which say that the litany is continued after the renewal of baptismal promises but which are silent on the matter of anything being sung during the sprinkling itself. The OF Missal, on the other hand, clearly states that the Vidi aquam or another suitable chant is to be sung.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,309
    Ordo Hebdomadae Sanctae. It is the official book for Holy Week promumgated for the celebrations of 1956, so it also is OHS Instauratus, “restored.” There is another version if the rite is done without deacons and subdeacons.

    A university library might have it if there is a Catholic one nearby or in the system, if you can get an ILL... Otherwise, you might have to email the ICRSS, the FSSP, or some other knowledgable folks. I can give you names if you need them.

    The reason Vidi aquam is weird is because, unlike in the Novus Ordo, it has the versicles and collect. Doing the rite in silence is also bizarre.

    I’ll refrain from going too far off topic, but this is one reason the Pian Holy Week is, in the whole, a disaster. I hope you find an answer...
    Thanked by 2tomjaw madorganist
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Amen to your last comment! There are some other differences between the "restored" vigil of Pius XII and the 1960/1962 Missals, for example the vessel of water being blessed in the sanctuary instead of the font itself (although that might also have been optional for the "restored" rite) and the interpolation of lauds instead of vespers after Communion. Most likely I'll just ask my priest's opinion on the matter and do whatever he wants. Maybe he or one of my schola members will remember what's been customary here in the past.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,782
    I have dug out one of my copies of,
    Officia Nova Hebdomadae Sanctae 1956, No. 851c
    My copies have the Latin Rubrics and a translation in English on the opposite page.

    "The Sacrament of Baptism
    22.[...] All then go back in silence to the choir, and the renewal of Baptismal promises begins.
    23. If however the Baptistry is separate from the church and it is preferable to bless the water in the baptistry itself, [...]
    The cantors and people remain in their places and continue the Litany. If necessary, they repeat the invocations from Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.
    [...]
    After the blessing all return to the church in silence, to begin the renewal of Baptismal promises.

    25. [...] Then the Priest sprinkles the people with the holy water that was put aside, as said above, [...]

    27. After the renewal [...] begin the second part of the Litany, [...]"

    Well it does not suggest that something is sung during the sprinkling, and it should be noted that it is very clear about what is done... not that I can see anything wrong with singing or playing something.

    Anyway my advice would be to use pre-1955, you know it make sense!
    Thanked by 1madorganist
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Happy Easter, everyone! It took me a year, but I've answered my own question. It was obvious to me last night that we should NOT have sung the Vidi aquam chant because of the double alleluia at the end, when the celebrant has not yet solemnly intoned the alleluia. Note that the order is different in the new rite. So for next year, the sprinkling will take place in silence.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Jes
  • mahrt
    Posts: 517
    Madorganist is correct: since the blessing of water takes place in the vigil, i.e., before the Festive Gloria and the three-fold alleluia, Vidi aquam may not be appropriate, because of its inclusion of the double alleluia at the end. The alleluia is integral to this chant, since its text ends, "and they say alleluia, alleluia."

    Clearly, the extraordinary rite does not provide for any music during the sprinkling. It would be worth it to reflect on why this is. It could be that the rite is complicated enough as it is that yet another piece of music is not foreseen, but there may be other reasons.

    The rite does provide for a procession to the font, during which the tract Sicut cervus is sung. In places where there is no separate font, there is no need for this chant; so I have always sung it during the sprinkling, and actually we sing Palestrina Sicut cervus, which lasts about the same duration as the sprinkling. The rite does not provide for this, but neither does the rite forbid the singing of a motet in addition to what the liturgy provides.
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen tomjaw madorganist Jes
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,099
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  • JesJes
    Posts: 576
    Sorry I have no answer but I would say listen to @mahrt.
    But I have a question too.
    On Sunday I sang the vidi aquam start of mass and the priest was done before I could get to the verse part. Do I still sing Gloria and back to vidi or not?
    He didn't mind, he said it was perfect but I don't think he was thinking of my singing at that point rather "where did all my servers go, I need this book here, and that candle there and the thurifer looks like he's not ready to come see me." As he was dealing with a whole team of servers and for them it was their first time serving mass.
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Yes, the verse and Gloria Patri are to be sung and the antiphon repeated, even if the priest has already returned to the sanctuary. Like the introit, that Asperges and Vidi aquam chants have a definite form that is to be followed. Our priest forgot the alleluia after the versicle. No matter how much preparation you put into things, it will rarely be 100% perfect. Keeps us humble, I suppose
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,467
    To avoid confusion: For OF Asperges it looks from GR 1974 as though only the antiphon is required, the verse is ad libitum.
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