Now, what would a canonization be like using the 1962 Missale?
It would definitely be a Papal Mass, especially for someone as influential as St. Thomas Aquinas. I don’t know how a canonization would be different from a Papal Mass, though. If you go to
this website and click on “The Holy Sacrifice”, there is a section on the ceremonies for a Solemn Pontifical High Mass at the Throne (according to the Tridentine Mass). The Papal Mass has some peculiar ceremonies of its own (if you need me to define or describe something, just let me know):
The Dean of the College of Cardinals was the asst. priest, a Cardinal-Deacons were the deacon of the Mass and the asst. deacons, and an auditor of the Roman Rota was the subdeacon. There was also an Eastern Catholic deacon and subdeacon vested in their Eastern vestments and following their own customs. Other positions were filled by other prelates; let me know if you need specifics.
The Pope entered being carried on the sedia gestoria, wearing the amice, falda, alb, pectoral cross, cincture, stole, mantum, gloves, ring of the fisherman, and papal tiara. Two flabella (ceremonial fans) were carried on either side of hime, and a canopy was carried over him. Like any other bishop, he blessed people as he was carried through the church. When he entered St. Peter’s Basilica, the noble guard (doesn’t exist anymore) played the Silveri Symphony. This is often misconceived to mean that they played silver trumpets.
He was then let off at the Altar of St. Gregory the Great, on which the Blessed Sacrament was reserved, to pray for a bit. He then went to the small throne for Terce. Like a bishop, he washed his hands and vested during the psalms of Terce.
The pope, during mass, wore the falda, alb, pectoral cross, cincture, stole, subcinctorium, tunicle, dalmatic, gloves, chasuble, fanon, pallium, ring of the fisherman, and mitre. He put on his maniple after the prayers at the foot of the altar like all bishops would. The pope’s maniple is specially decorated with intertwined red and gold threads, symbolizing the unity between Western and Eastern Catholicism.
Beyond that, there were not much differences from a regular Pontifical High Mass. The epistle and gospel were always chanted in Greek by the Eastern subdeacon and deacon after being chanted in Latin by the Western subdeacon and deacon. The Silveri Symphony sounded at the elevations as the Pope turned toward the people. There was never any Sanctus bell. The paten was covered by a twelve-rayed asterisk, similar to the four-rayed asterisk used to cover the diskos in the Eastern rites. After the postcommunion but before the Last Gospel, he published a plenary indulgence. After the Last Gospel, he donned the tiara and left on the sedia just like he entered.
Unfortunately, I don’t know of any additional ceremonies within the Papal Mass except for a Papal Coronation. Papal Coronation Masses, by the way, were probably the longest Masses ever celebrated in the history of the Church. John XXIII’s coronation lasted FIVE HOURS. I assume the liturgical color for Thomas Aquinas’s canonization would be white, since that is the color for non-martyr saints.
I hope this helps.
