Is the gospel typically sung on Good Friday?

[Butaperson]

I am just curious. I was at the Good Friday service today, and the priest sung the entire Passion according to John. I was kind of impressed.
I don’t know if this is common practice, though. On Palm Sunday (I was at a different church) we just read it.
I kind of got the impression that it is not the norm because I heard a few stifled giggles from the congregation. But who knows. It is my first Good Friday service and, I don’t know, there were probably other first-timers there. Or maybe it’s just a quirk. Do you know?

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

It’s up to the priest. I had one pastor with a beautiful voice who chanted the gospel on Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas. (On Good Friday he was joined by two cantors chanting the other parts.) It was very beautiful and moving. Many (perhaps most?) priests don’t chant whether because of their interest or their perceived vocal ability.

 

[Phemie]

Let’s just say it’s not typical. I’ve never heard it in 56 years of attending Good Friday Service in many parishes. It sounds beautiful and I know that chanting the readings can go hand in hand with progressive solemnity.

My present Pastor, God bless him, has never so much as chanted “Through him, with him and in him…” or “The mystery of faith” so the odds that he’d chant the Gospel are slim to none. I’ve never asked him why but when he’s forgotten to turn off his mic it’s been obvious that singing is not one of his great talents, so I doubt he’s comfortable chanting.

 

[Brendan]

Sung, or chanted?

 

[liturgyluver]

At the church I attended yesterday, it was sung chorally to the setting by Victoria. And it was just stunningy moving and beautiful.

 

[Mary_Ellen]

Typically? No, but when done it can be beautiful.

Our parish did this for a few years, each part sung by a different priest with the choir singing the “crowd” part. We had to stop when we ran out of priests who could carry a tune.

 

[Psalitte]

In the view of the Church, yes singing should be the norm and ideal, so it, in theory, should be the “typical” thing to do, in fact the entire Mass and every type of Liturgy, Sunday after Sunday should be sung, but in practice, at least in my experience, it’s not. So props to your Pastor for doing this.