Para-liturgy for the Burial of Christ
  • PLTT
    Posts: 174
    Has anyone here had any experience with Good Friday para-liturgies around the "Burial of Christ"? If so, what prayers and especially songs, were used? [I am speaking here of the Latin Church, not the Eastern Churches where this is a common liturgical practice].

    Generally, such practices may be common in areas with Spanish/Portuguese influence (often under devotion to the "Santo Entierro/Enterro). It is like a funeral procession of Christ.

    The version used in the Holy Sepulchre consists of Gospel readings in multiple languages, with several chants/responsories from Lent/Tenebrae interspersed. In Braga, it seems they mix a lament chant with the Stabat Mater or some other hymn. The other ones I have experienced thus far as very minimal with regard to prayer, featuring mostly the rosary and Stabat Mater, or instrumental music (like funeral marches) accompanying a procession. Nothing against those, but I am hoping to find something a little more thematic, focusing on the descent from the Cross/burial/entombment of the Lord.

    I found an old thread on this forum where someone described a Polish custom, burying the Paschal Candle and featuring some Scripture readings. I'm hoping to get more information (if any) around practices like this.

  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 3,212
    @Charles_Weaver is in a parish that includes the Hispanic customs for Good Friday in addition to many other wonderful things for that day.
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 508
    @PLTT The Franciscans of the Holy Land in Washington DC do a liturgy for that. If you asked them, they could prob. point you in the direction of legitimate sources.
  • PLTT
    Posts: 174
    @monasteryliturgist: I have that..... It is basically the reading of the Gospel and a sermon, and several musical pieces accoompanying the ritual actions and processions. Odf course they benefit from the setting. I'm looking for something a tad more extended....
  • Charles_Weaver
    Posts: 150
    At our parish, we have a beautiful procession with our dead Christ statue, followed by a burial ceremony. Attached is the paraliturgy we do before the procession. We have done different musical selections over the years.

    During the procession itself, a marching band plays. In some years we have attempted a more complicated version of the procession where the statue of our Lady of Sorrows goes out a different way and then meets the body, with the Stabat Mater being sung. After the procession returns to the church, we have done various different things in different years, including tenebrae of Saturday, compline (recto tono), and just an assortment of motets and the like. This has generally been followed by a ceremony of anointing the body and covering it. Usually we sing the Lotti miserere at some point during this.
    Good Friday Procession 2025-combined-revised.pdf
    1M
    Thanked by 3CHGiffen Richard Mix MatthewRoth
  • PLTT
    Posts: 174
    Thanks a lot - do you also have any handout/leaflet for the anointing/covering of the corpus?
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