"Benedictine Altar Arrangement" Question

[R_H_Benson]

My home parish is considering adopting the “Benedictine Arrangement” for the altar.

A quick Google Image search of “Benedictine Arrangement” will yield many pictures. For those who may not know what it is, the Benedictine Arrangement was popularized by Pope Benedict XVI, and consists of six candles being placed upon the altar with a central standing crucifix facing the priest. It is meant for Liturgies celebrated in the versus populum orientation.

Anyway, my question is about weekday Masses. The candlesticks on the altar and the crucifix are 18 inches tall and are made of high polish brass. I can’t imagine that all six candles should be lit for a weekday Mass (this, I imagine, is reserved for Sunday Mass and solemnities)? So, what is the procedure? Should all 6 of the large candlesticks be removed from the altar for daily Mass and replaced with 2 smaller ones? Or can all six remain but only 2 be lit (though I feel that would look a bit odd)? Or, the final option I could think of would be leaving all six candles unlit on the altar and placing 2 smaller lit candles behind them (this idea is reminiscent of the Extraordinary Form, where only two candles are lit for Low Mass, while the six High Mass candles remain in their places unlit)?

Does anyone know if there is an official guideline for this arrangement?

Thanks!

 

[NPC]

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following about candles:

1. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: at least two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a holy day of obligation. If the diocesan Bishop celebrates, then seven candles should be used.

So the minimum number is two, but the GIRM doesn’t seem to rule out lighting all six during the week. However, I think for the solemnity of a Sunday Mass or holy day of obligation a contrast might be good - i.e. only lighting two or four during the week, and then lighting all six on the Sunday.

All six candles could remain on the altar even if one is only going to light two of them - I don’t think there is any need to take the unlit ones away. That’s probably the option I would go for. However, I don’t think there would be any problem with adding two smaller candle-sticks and lighting them.

By the way, I think it’s great that your parish is thinking of adopting this set-up - I hope it goes ahead!

 

[edward_george]

As far as I’m aware there is no regulation on the practice; the only liturgical legislation on candles specifies that they be on the altar, and that there be at least two of them. What I have seen in practice varies from place to place. In my seminary, we have six on the altar in the main chapel at all times, as they are quite massive and hard to move. If it is a Sunday, solemnity, or during Eucharistic adoration, all six are lit. Other times, only two are; the sacristans light a different pair alternately each time so they burn evenly. In the parish to which I’m assigned for the summer, six are used for Sundays and solemnities, and two for other days. Of course, everything I’ve said here applies to the Ordinary Form.

-ACEGC

 

[TimothyH]

Two for ferial days.
Four for feast days
Six for solemnities and Sundays
Seven for Mass with a bishop on major occasions.

This is customary, not a requirement.

-Tim-

 

[R_H_Benson]

Thank you all for your quick and helpful responses.

Tim - thanks for that break down. That will be a very helpful reference and I think that it makes a lot of sense.

I also like the idea of rotating which two candles are burned at daily Mass so that they remain even.

The idea of lighting different amounts of candles depending on the particular Mass will certainly help to bring contrast and distinguish levels of solemnity.

NPC - I too am very hopeful that the congregation receives this idea warmly. I know that our pastor is enthusiastic about it, as are many of my fellow parishioners.

 

[GoGoDiego]

Two for ferial days.
Four for feast days
Six for solemnities and Sundays
Seven for Mass with a bishop on major occasions.

This is customary, not a requirement.

-Tim-

I thought seven if the DIOCESAN bishop celebrates.

Anyways, I have heard that churches in the Archdiocese of Cebu (Philippines) and apparently all archdioceses and dioceses are forbidden to use the benedictine altar arrangement.

Link: rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2015/01/philippine-bishops-liturgy-commission.html

Controversial?

 

[TimothyH]

Thank you all for your quick and helpful responses.

Tim - thanks for that break down. That will be a very helpful reference and I think that it makes a lot of sense.

I also like the idea of rotating which two candles are burned at daily Mass so that they remain even.

The idea of lighting different amounts of candles depending on the particular Mass will certainly help to bring contrast and distinguish levels of solemnity.

NPC - I too am very hopeful that the congregation receives this idea warmly. I know that our pastor is enthusiastic about it, as are many of my fellow parishioners.

FYI, the resources most used for these types of liturgical questions is of course the GIRM and also Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: A Manual for Clergy and All Involved in Liturgical Ministry by Peter J. Elliot. Bishop Elliot is an expert on the liturgy and very respected by his fellow Bishops. His books are widely used by Roman Catholic priests.

books.google.com/books/content?id=E6aBepPSKCwC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&edge=curl&imgtk=AFLRE73T5C4Q5HuwMDkabBq9wGQKWPog7qo1FtBVeIkF97BcYvLREfdRE2eorpnPZvCniglNfXe1xVfR8GN5qBVpbnp_MkNzVwr-3BaLwnRREy4QC0V17DN3iPwo2hWktgSUqIAyr-3E

The best version of the GIRM is at ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/13/08/26/12-32-45_0.pdf.

-Tim-

 

[AngelusDomini]

There are lots of different options available. The size of the altar should also be taken into consideration, if it’s a relatively small altar extra candles may leave little room for anything else and lead to a cluttered look (some people may actually like that but in my opinion it’s not aesthetically pleasing).

If the ‘big six’ are left in place permanently and the altar is big enough, two or four smaller candlesticks may be placed in between the larger giving a more uniform look.

One of the joys of the Benedictine arrangement on a large altar (with the candles and crucifix placed along the centre of the altar is that it also allows for a celebration of Mass *ad orientem *should it be desired with very little rearrangement required.

 

[TimothyH]

I thought seven if the DIOCESAN bishop celebrates.

Anyways, I have heard that churches in the Archdiocese of Cebu (Philippines) and apparently all archdioceses and dioceses are forbidden to use the benedictine altar arrangement.

Link: rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2015/01/philippine-bishops-liturgy-commission.html

Controversial?

You are right about it being a diocesan bishop. Thanks for the clarification.

My experience with that particular website is that they are quick to assume motives and tend toward stating opinion as fact. I read the first paragraph and the word polemic came to mind. Feel free to use the article as a basis for a discussion but the OP asked about candles and I think the question has been answered.

-Tim-

 

[R_H_Benson]

FYI, the resources most used for these types of liturgical questions is of course the GIRM and also Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite: A Manual for Clergy and All Involved in Liturgical Ministry by Peter J. Elliot. Bishop Elliot is an expert on the liturgy and very respected by his fellow Bishops. His books are widely used by Roman Catholic priests.

books.google.com/books/content?id=E6aBepPSKCwC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&edge=curl&imgtk=AFLRE73T5C4Q5HuwMDkabBq9wGQKWPog7qo1FtBVeIkF97BcYvLREfdRE2eorpnPZvCniglNfXe1xVfR8GN5qBVpbnp_MkNzVwr-3BaLwnRREy4QC0V17DN3iPwo2hWktgSUqIAyr-3E

The best version of the GIRM is at ccwatershed.org/media/pdfs/13/08/26/12-32-45_0.pdf.

-Tim-

Awesome, I will check that out. Thanks.

One of the joys of the Benedictine arrangement on a large altar (with the candles and crucifix placed along the centre of the altar is that it also allows for a celebration of Mass *ad orientem *should it be desired with very little rearrangement required.

Yes, I had already thought of that. My parish seems to be leaning more and more towards traditional liturgical practices. Perhaps ad orientem Masses are not far off.