I am looking at the Gregorian Missal and the 1961 Graduale Romanum side-by-side. Am I reading correctly that "Sicut Cervus" accompanies a procession to the font in the EF, as opposed to its placement between readings in the OF?
Yes, Doug, you are correct. In the EF (1955 Ordo Hebdomadae Sanctae) Sicut cervus was sung while the baptismal water that had been blessed in the sanctuary was carried in a "vessel" to the font. In the OF it is the canticle following the VIIth Reading from Ezekiel 36.
In the pre-1955 Holy Saturday liturgy, Sicut Cervus was sung during the procession to the font, where the blessing of the baptismal water was to take place. If the church has no font, the rite is omitted.
In the pre-1955 Holy Saturday liturgy, Sicut cervus was sung in the procession to the font, and only after that was the water blessed at the font. If there was no font, the blessing was omitted.
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