Agnus Dei

[zorrox]

Do you know why the pope no longer blesses the Agnus Dei?(The sacramental)

I do not mean the Agnus Dei from Mass. I mean the sacramental made from the Paschal candle. Pieces from wax.

 

[jbuck919]

It is difficult to know what you mean. I do remember the Traditional Latin Mass from childhood, and we couldn’t see what the priest was doing with his back turned, of course, but I don’t remember anything like a blessing during the Agnus Dei even back then.

 

[AJV]

I believe the OP was talking about the wax sacramental with the Lamb of God and the arms of the current Pope, not the part of the Mass. This used to be blessed by the Pope on Monday with the Easter Octave and distributed on Saturday (Sabbato in Albis) every certain number of years.

On another forum, someone had remarked that they had Agnus Dei’s from Pope John Paul II. I’ll ask for more information and get back to you.

Here’s a site with information and pictures:

 

[Jaypeeto4]

The popes for some reason just stopped consecrating the Agnus Deis. I fervently hope Pope Benedict resumes the practice, as the Agnus Dei is one of the most powerful sacramentals of the church.

Still, some of the holy discs are still around, and some nuns still take bits of the wax and enclose it in lockets or in vinyl sewn coverings for distribution.

I have several new Agnus Dei’s made by Carmelite nuns in New Orleans.
You can also Google the church of Santa Susanna gift shop in Rome. They offer Agnus Deis for a small donation, mainly to cover the cost of the encasement material and postage.
Also, you can google Adoration Monastery. This is a Traditionalist order of nuns, and they offer small Agnus Deis consecrated by either Pope Pius XII or Pope Leo XIII.
Jaypeeto4 (aka Jaypeeto3)

 

[Teakafrog]

None have been made since the 60’s, but you can still obtain small lockets with just a drop of the wax in them. My usual source is out, but if you do some looking you can still come up with them occasionally! They are powerful sacramentals.

 

[Sapphire]

I’ve never come across any information as to why the Popes stopped consecrating these waxen discs, and I have really searched. I think if Pope Benedict restored this sacramental they would be in great demand. I have some old ones and they are very beautiful. One of the volumes of my Liturgy of the Hours has the prayers the Pope would say over the discs and they are very inspiring and comforting.