J
Jegudiel
Guest
My experience of attending attending the Easter Triduum liturgies at the Catholic of Our Lady of the Angels (COLA) was awesome. All three liturgies were celebrated in a wonderful and solemn manner by ABp. Jose Gomez.
My wonderful experience began with the Maundy Thursday Mass. The chanting of the Gloria Excelsis Deo (in Latin) was the best I have ever heard in person. The cantor and the choir were absolutely superb but what gave me goosebumps and tears where the four (I think) handbell ringers who artfully rang their bells during the Gloria. The pristine clarity of those bells perfectly interwoven within the Gloria is impossible to describe. Something to be said for professional musicians ringing handbells. It was also nice to experience incense being copiously used at all of the liturgies.
The noon time Good Friday service was extremely solemn and the cathedral was filled. Such a treat to hear what were obviously professionally-trained voices reading the Passion. Once again you just had to be there. The procession of the cross into the cathedral led by the archbishop was beautiful.
The Vigil Mass began outside of the cathedral in the courtyard with the ceremonial fire. Then all 2,000++ processed into the dark cathedral which was an amazing experience. Then we lit our candles and the entire cathedral was illuminated. Indescribably gorgeous.
The eight baptisms were very reverent and beautiful as was the Mass which was celebrated in both English and Spanish. Once again we were treated to the beautiful voices of those handbells. I wish I would have been able to video a few bits of the liturgies to share with those in charge at my parish but I seriously doubt they would have grasped the beauty and reverence of what I witnessed in person. I think they would have also wondered about the influence of the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress which was noticeably (and thankfully) absent.
All in all the liturgies were just about perfect. Nothing irreverent, nothing profane and also no unneeded complexity that would have detracted from the liturgies. All in all a wonderful and grace-filled experience. See you all in Los Angeles next year!
My wonderful experience began with the Maundy Thursday Mass. The chanting of the Gloria Excelsis Deo (in Latin) was the best I have ever heard in person. The cantor and the choir were absolutely superb but what gave me goosebumps and tears where the four (I think) handbell ringers who artfully rang their bells during the Gloria. The pristine clarity of those bells perfectly interwoven within the Gloria is impossible to describe. Something to be said for professional musicians ringing handbells. It was also nice to experience incense being copiously used at all of the liturgies.
The noon time Good Friday service was extremely solemn and the cathedral was filled. Such a treat to hear what were obviously professionally-trained voices reading the Passion. Once again you just had to be there. The procession of the cross into the cathedral led by the archbishop was beautiful.
The Vigil Mass began outside of the cathedral in the courtyard with the ceremonial fire. Then all 2,000++ processed into the dark cathedral which was an amazing experience. Then we lit our candles and the entire cathedral was illuminated. Indescribably gorgeous.
The eight baptisms were very reverent and beautiful as was the Mass which was celebrated in both English and Spanish. Once again we were treated to the beautiful voices of those handbells. I wish I would have been able to video a few bits of the liturgies to share with those in charge at my parish but I seriously doubt they would have grasped the beauty and reverence of what I witnessed in person. I think they would have also wondered about the influence of the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress which was noticeably (and thankfully) absent.
All in all the liturgies were just about perfect. Nothing irreverent, nothing profane and also no unneeded complexity that would have detracted from the liturgies. All in all a wonderful and grace-filled experience. See you all in Los Angeles next year!
Sounds great.