Chants for Dedication of a Church (OF)
  • JonLaird
    Posts: 245
    I have not researched extensively yet, so my confusion may be premature. But I would appreciate assistance as we prepare for a new church to be dedicated this coming summer. I have prepared music for the dedication of an altar before, but not the dedication of a church and altar. I couldn't find whether these particular questions have been discussed on the forum already, but if so please direct me to the proper discussion.

    I don't have my hands on a Roman Pontifical at the moment, but I do have a Caeremoniale Episcoporum (CE below). So I am getting my information from that for the outline of the ceremony.

    The CE lists three options for entering the church. All of them prescribe Psalm 121 with the antiphon In domum Domini ("vel alius aptus cantus," of course, goes without saying for everything listed below). One option also prescribes Psalm 23 with antiphon "Elevamini."
    I can't find these antiphons, and the Ordo Cantus Missae gives Terribilis est as the introit. (The Missal has Deus in loco sancto suo.)

    CE prescribes more antiphons during the placing of the relics, anointing of the altar, etc., etc., etc., none of which are included in the OCM/GR, which only gives options for In/Gr/Al/Of/Co:
    Sub altari Dei (could not locate)
    Corpora Sanctorum
    Ecce tabernaculum
    Templum Domini
    Stetit angelus
    Ascendit fumus
    Venit lumen tuum

    Do the links above go to the correct antiphons? Or is there some place these are found all together?
  • liampmcdonough
    Posts: 297
    We just did this. This should have everything. Refer to the appendix for the chants.
    Dedication of Church and Altar.pdf
    11M
    Thanked by 3JonLaird CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn
  • JonLaird
    Posts: 245
    Excellent. Thank you very much!
  • liampmcdonough
    Posts: 297
    For our dedication (Divine Worship Missal, but basically NO in shape) we basically followed the prescribed antiphons from the P.R. The only alius aptus cantus option we used was at the clothing and lighting. This occurred in a fashion similar to Easter Vigil, where as the final candles and lights of the sanctuary were lit I improvised an organ sortie on chants to Christ the Light (Te Lucis, Phos Hilaron, Lumen ad Revelationem) which built to full organ by slow crescendo, and then the congregation sang the hymn Splendor Paternae Gloriae to PUER NOBIS as the lamps were lit fully. It worked very well, and served as a way to make sure the music ended at just the right time.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn JonLaird
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    Did this, Bishop complained, "Too much music the people didn't know." The strongest singing was the Chant Gloria.

  • Cantus67Cantus67
    Posts: 208
    I posted what we used at OLMC back in 2013.
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eRQVcQptAQoIHyWV9xHbr7pY7lBIumdX/edit
    Rick
  • Cantus67Cantus67
    Posts: 208
    Sounds to me what you need is a Bishops Pontificalis, it used to be that they'd have the ceremonies and the chants in there but I'm not sure what Bishops use now for such an occasion. I think you seem to have a handle on the chant that you need. If you have a choir that can handle it there's always this piece.
    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FIQU3W-vUQgaUCwBVtOoglzXT75v4hEP/view
    Thanked by 1JonLaird
  • PLTT
    Posts: 150
    The USCCB has music for English chants online from the Rite of Dedication

    https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/odca-music



    Thanked by 1JonLaird
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,887
    You might like to watch the recent dedication of the new Shrine to Blessed Fr. Stanley Rother that took place last week for a few ideas. It was very well done.

    https://www.youtube.com/live/cwEwlsvxO70?feature=share&t=2236
    Thanked by 1JonLaird
  • Richard R.
    Posts: 776
    Jon, you might talk to Kurt Poterack, who is preparing for Christendom's dedication. I'm helping to engrave the program, and he sent along the attached.
    ordo_dedicationis.pdf
    11M
    Thanked by 1JonLaird
  • JonLaird
    Posts: 245
    PLTT -- thank you, that is very helpful! I'm not sure how I missed that.
    Richard -- good point, I will get in touch with him.
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,084
    You could also watch the video of the recent dedication of a new church in the Diocese of Fresno, CA. They chanted all the propers in English. PLTT provided a link to the USCCB's website with all the music for the chants above. Here's a link to the video of the Mass at which they sang those chants:
    https://dioceseoffresno.org/st-charles-borromeo
    Thanked by 1JonLaird
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 864
    I composed these chants based on the melodies of the Latin originals in the rite.
    new anointing chant 2019.pdf
    412K
    Dedication Chants.pdf
    89K
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen JonLaird
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