Rubrics Regarding Prelude Hymns on Good Friday?
  • contemporaryworship92
    Posts: 316
    The parish where I am the current director of music has a pre-existing tradition of singing several prelude hymns on Good Friday. Theses end some time before the service begins, with the priest(s) then processing in silently.

    Do the rubrics allow for congregationally sung prelude hymns at this time?
  • GerardH
    Posts: 648
    How long is 'some time'? There needs to be very clear separation between this - a devotion - and the solemn liturgy. Paschale Solemnitatis (1988) has this to say:
    72. Devotions, such as the Way of the Cross, processions of the passion, and commemorations of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary are not, for pastoral reasons, to be neglected. The texts and songs used, however, should be adapted to the spirit of the liturgy of this day. Such devotions should be assigned to a time of day that makes it quite clear that the liturgical celebration, by its very nature, far surpasses them in importance.

    I would recommend moving the hymn-singing to the morning, perhaps alongside a Stations of the Cross.
    Thanked by 1Liam
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,576
    And you don't include the hymns in the liturgical program if you have one. It's not Christmas carols before Midnight Mass....
    Thanked by 1GerardH
  • GerardH
    Posts: 648
    Here's an idea: arrange a celebration of the second rite of reconciliation (I think that's the right number?) and sing hymns while the individual confessions are being heard
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