What is the meaning of "O Sacred Feast"
  • MysticalHymnsMysticalHymns
    Posts: 3
    On my way to sing at the Holy Thursday mass I noticed in the program that "O Sacred Feast" was one of the songs. As many of you know the song has the A word in it (al...le...lu...ia) We obviously told our conductor to take it off, but why sing this song on Holy Thursday. What meaning does this song portray... Is it because of the last supper or the consecration of the body and blood of our lord?
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,156
    That's the Magnificat antiphon on Corpus Christi. Like all of St. Thomas's texts for the Feast, it proclaims and celebrates the faith and dogmas of the Mass. In so far as Corpus Christi as a feast exists to celebrate the establishment of the Sacrament on a liturgically free day (the first free Thursday, actually, after all Easter celebrations are finished) it seems counter to purpose to sing it on Holy Thursday. Especially since you have to excise the Alleluias!
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Casavant Organist
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    It was on our programme too. I told our conductor to take it off and we replaced it with Deck Thyself, My Soul.

    Holy Thursday would appear to me to have more of a purpose than to celebrate just the institution of the Eucharist, such as the washing of the feet.
  • MysticalHymnsMysticalHymns
    Posts: 3
    Yes, thank you so much, I would agree with the fact that the writings proclaims and celebrates the faith.
  • rollingrj
    Posts: 344
    Holy Thursday would appear to me to have more of a purpose than to celebrate just the institution of the Eucharist, such as the washing of the feet.


    From a local priest on a Facebook post: "The rubrics of this evening's Mass are the only one that dictate the subject(s) of the homily: 1) the institution of the Eucharist 2) the institution of the priesthood 3) the command to humble service."
    Thanked by 2hilluminar eft94530
  • Casavant Organist
    Posts: 800
    Interesting. Good to know.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,295
    FWIW, we DID sing it on Thursday. We change the word "Alleluia" to "Amen" and go about our business.
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