Vespers and Benediction for first Sundays.
  • If anyone can help me I would greatly apreciate it.

    The priest who offers the Traditional Latin Mass at the Cathedral in the Diocese of Raleigh would like to have the Traditional Rite Vespers and Benediction chanted after the TLM that he offers there every first Sunday of the month.
    The Mass begins at 4:30 and Vespers and Benediction would be after Mass at about 5:45-6:00.

    Is there anyone out there who can suggest how to learn this in the Gregorian Rite or Traditional Rite?
    I am completely new to Vespers, so please excuse my ignorance:
    Can Vespers be chanted by an individual, a schola, or the priest?

    Better yet, is there anyone out there within reasonable distance that could come to the Raleigh Cathedral and teach us how to do this?
    Any help would be greatly apreciated.
    If anyone cares to send me an e-mail:
    danphunter1@aol.com

    Thank you and God bless you.
  • Dan F.Dan F.
    Posts: 205
    I have looked at the music for Sunday Vespers in the extraordinary form in the Liber Usualis. The download is here: http://www.musicasacra.com/pdf/liberusualis.pdf. Look in the bookmarks under "Ordinary Chants of the Office -->Sunday at Vespers." It seems to have all the music and prayers you need but is certainly hard to just jump into. I've only attended an EF Sunday Vespers once to see how it all comes together. So you can get all the materials you need in the LU, but it would certainly help to have someone show you the ropes, or perhaps you can watch a video online and follow along in the LU.

    Usually a schola divided into two sides sings alternating parts. Chants are intoned by a priest, or other clergy, but also can be intoned by a cantor.

    What a great request to have to prepare!
  • danphunter, also consult Fortescue-O'Connell, The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described for the actions during Vespers. For solemn Vespers you will need 2 servers and the 3 clergy you use for high Mass. One of the clergy may serve as MC. It's not as complicated as Mass, but you should make note of everyone's duties.

    If you contact me at moconnor09 At comcast dot net I'll send you a copy of Vespers that we did. It's too big to post here.