Fri/Sat Morning Prayer Question

[pilots13]

We recently changed pastors at my parish and our pseudo-assistant pastor is doing morning prayer on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. I’m in charge of the liturgical environment at the church any I’m a bit confused as to the proper look our chapel should have.

Here’s a bit more detail on my dilemma. I know in the main church I have simple decorations around the Altar for Thursday, then those all come down and I have nothing in the sanctuary for Friday, then we go to town on decorations for Saturday. Well, morning prayer is going to be held in chapel, which is also where our Altar of Repose is. For Thursday I have that decorated as shown in the photo at the link at the bottom of this post.

So for morning prayer the next couple days, what is the appropriate look? Should that too be stripped bare as the main church is? Should there be maybe some red or white left? Being unfamiliar with morning prayer, is this something that our priest can do from the pulpit or should it be done from behind the Altar, or doesn’t it matter? My thought was to strip it bare except for a small white cloth in front of the Tabernacle door, but like I said, just due to how our past few pastors did things a formal Altar of Repose and morning prayer on Fri/Sat is a new thing.

Any (name removed by moderator)ut is appreciated. Thanks!

stpatsdeco.weebly.com/uploads/6/6/9/2/6692581/4392906_orig.jpg

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I started and organized Morning Prayer for Thurs, Fri, Sat in our Parish for several years. Age caught up with me so I passed it on this year.

I never found any instruction on how to set it up. We do it in the main church. I just kept it as simple as possible and tried to stay out of the way of those who had the heavy duties for the rest of the Triduum. I put one candle by the presider’s chair and one by the lectern, and left the altar as dark as possible.

No one ever complained; so I guess it was reasonably right - or they were afraid I would give them the job.

 

[phil19034]

I could be very wrong, but I thought that if LOTH is being done in church (main church or chapel) that the “decorations” should match what would be done for Mass at that time. Meaning if you are going to have Morning Prayer at 8am, the “approparate look” would be the same as if you were having Mass at 8am.

However, I also believe that there is no reason why it could not be “decorated” in the same manner it would be “decorated” for Adoration (minus the host).

Anyone have any thoughts?

Regarding where the priest stations himself, that may depend. I’ve been to some where the priest uses a kneeler in front of the altar, facing the altar the whole time. I’ve also been to some where the priest is at the lecturn or behind the altar. (All at the same Church).

Good luck and God bless.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

At our parish a priest or deacon used the presider’s chair when leading the prayer. If a sister or layperson led they used a chair beside the presider’s chair.

I had a lector at the lectern to introduce the antiphons, do the reading, and the petitions. I divided the congregation to alternate on the psalms.

A choir member led the hymn and the Our Father from within the congregation as she usually did at morning mass.

We usually have 100-150 at Morning Prayer, about half the number who come to that mass on weekdays.