Palm Sunday Door Knocking

[Leo_Peace]

Hello-

I have a question that I am hoping someone can answer. On Palm Sunday after blessing the palms at a side altar the priest (followed by congregants) processed to the vestibule of the church. Then, after one or more prayers/, the priest took the processional cross and using the bottom end of the processional cross he knocked three times on the door to the church. My question is where does this rubric come from? I cannot find it in my Novus Ordo or 1962 Missal, and I am wondering if it dates from the pre 1955 revisions of Holy Week attributed to Archbishop Annibale Bugnini and Cardinal Ferdinando Antonelli and promulgated by His Holiness Pius Xll ? Also an explanation for the significance of this ritual would also be appreciated.

Laudetur Jesus Christus!

 

[andrewstx]

I don’t know where it comes from. But I have seen pictures of Bishops knocking on the door that way when a church is dedicated or consecrated.

 

[Chatter163]

The pre-1955 rubrics say that after the blessing of palms, the procession leaves the main body of the church. When it returns to the entrance of the church there are cantors inside the church doors, and when the processional cross, carried by the subdeacon, reaches the doors, he is to strike the door three times with it. The cantors open the doors and continue singing the Gloria, Laus et Honor. This little ceremony does not appear in the 1955 reforms, though some EF communities still strike the door with the cross.

 

[dans0622]

… On Palm Sunday after blessing the palms at a side altar the priest (followed by congregants) processed to the vestibule of the church. Then, after one or more prayers/, the priest took the processional cross and using the bottom end of the processional cross he knocked three times on the door to the church. My question is where does this rubric come from? I cannot find it in my Novus Ordo or 1962 Missal, …

Hello,

I am under the impression that this was in the pre-1955 rubrics, was not included in the post-1955 revisions, but is still included (at least sometimes, in some places) anyway.

I’ve seen it done in 1962 Missal Masses, but not in 1970/1975/2002 Missal Masses. Were you at an “ordinary form” Mass?

Dan

P.S. Found a link detailing differences pre and post 1955: newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/03/compendium-of-1955-holy-week-revisions.html#.U2FQtSTD8dU

 

[Leo_Peace]

Dear Andrewstx-

Thanks for your kind reply. I have heard that there was the knocking on the door at a consecration/dedication of a church, but I did not know if it was done by the end of a processional cross. Of course on the opening of the Holy Year the Pontiff uses a hammer.

Thanks

Dear Chatter163-

Many thanks for your kind reply. I appreciate your clarifying the rubric. I guess I will have to purchase “Holy Week the Complete Pre 55 Rites” via the sedevacentists if I want an available copy: sggresources.org/products/holy-week-complete-pre-55-rites.

Thanks

Dear Dan-

Many many thanks to you for your kindness in sending the link for the detailing the differences in the Pre 55 and the subsequent rites.

The Mass I attended was a Missa Cantata in the Extraordinary Rite.

Thank you also for your help.

I am still wondering what is the significance of using the stem of the processional cross and the knocking of the door three times. Why not once? etc.

 

[FrDavid96]

… I guess I will have to purchase “Holy Week the Complete Pre 55 Rites” via the sedevacentists if I want an available copy: sggresources.org/products/holy-week-complete-pre-55-rites.
…

I thought you were kidding. Really and truly, I thought you were kidding.

 

[Leo_Peace]

Hi Fr. Dave-

Sorry if that sounded scandalous. I cannot think of another source to obtain a copy of the pre-1955 rites for Holy Week. I understand that this only a reprint of the original work published in 1927. My understanding is that Dom Abbot Cabrol was a lwell known and leading authority of liturgy. Would not the original Imprimatur and Nihil obstat still be valid?
Do you know of another source where I might find a pre-1955 Holy Week Missal?

Just to clarify I am not condoning the sedevacentists.

Thanks,
Mark

P.S. I still am interested in the symbolism of the knocking and its origin.

 

[M-Dent]

I still am interested in the symbolism of the knocking and its origin.

Psalm 24[23], which speaks of the ascent, ends with an entrance liturgy in front of the temple gate: “Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in”.

In the old liturgy for Palm Sunday, the priest, arriving in front of the church, would knock loudly with the shaft of the processional cross on the door that was still closed; thereupon, it would be opened. This was a beautiful image of the mystery of Jesus Christ himself who, with the wood of his Cross, with the power of his love that is given, knocked from the side of the world at God’s door; on the side of a world that was not able to find access to God. With his Cross, Jesus opened God’s door, the door between God and men. Now it is open.

But the Lord also knocks with his Cross from the other side: he knocks at the door of the world, at the doors of our hearts, so many of which are so frequently closed to God. And he says to us something like this: if the proof that God gives you of his existence in creation does not succeed in opening you to him, if the words of Scripture and the Church’s message leave you indifferent, then look at me – the God who let himself suffer for you, who personally suffers with you – and open yourself to me, your Lord and your God.

Vatican translation - ** homily Benedict XVI Palm Sunday 2007**

 

[Leo_Peace]

Dear M-Dent-

Gracias! His Holiness is truly a man full of grace.

Resurrexit sicut dixit! Alleluiah!

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi Fr. Dave-

Sorry if that sounded scandalous. I cannot think of another source to obtain a copy of the pre-1955 rites for Holy Week. I understand that this only a reprint of the original work published in 1927. My understanding is that Dom Abbot Cabrol was a lwell known and leading authority of liturgy. Would not the original Imprimatur and Nihil obstat still be valid?
Do you know of another source where I might find a pre-1955 Holy Week Missal?

Just to clarify I am not condoning the sedevacentists.

Thanks,
Mark

P.S. I still am interested in the symbolism of the knocking and its origin.

I didn’t think it was scandalous (not on your part at least).

I did think that you were joking though by making up a book “The Rites before 1955” for those who think that going back to 1962 isn’t far enough. I just did not think that such a thing would exist as a re-print.

You might not know the dates offhand. The current Extraordinary Form (which is perfectly legitimate) allows the use of the rites as they were in 1962, that’s why the year itself, pre-1955, made me laugh. People saying “not only do we reject Vatican II, but we reject things that happened before Vatican II.”

I don’t doubt the author, but he wrote it in 1927 when that was the legitimate form of the Holy Week services. The Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat would still be technically legitimate because they apply to the book at the time it was published. Such things do not expire, unless they are withdrawn. However, that doesn’t mean that the rites themselves can be legitimately practiced—they’ve been abrogated beyond doubt.

The door knocking is a very ancient ritual in the Church. It appears in several places, not just Holy Week. It is also a practice shared among Eastern and Western Churches. The Byzantine usage also has it (I think Palm Sunday or Easter, or both), but the priest uses the hand cross to knock.

On Palm Sunday, it reflects the Gospel readings. Christ “entered into his own city.” The priest knocking at the door, symbolizes Christ entering the gates of Jerusalem (both the literal Jerusalem, and the spiritual one symbolized by the church-building). Christ is knocking to gain entrance to His own city. The gates are then thrown open in welcome. Opening the doors of the Church reminds us of the opening of the gates of Jerusalem to welcome Christ on that first Palm Sunday. Remember that ancient cities (by definition) were surrounded by walls, and so had gates.

It’s a shame really, that this simple, yet profoundly symbolic gesture has been dropped from the current rite.

 

[malphono]

It’s a shame really, that this simple, yet profoundly symbolic gesture has been dropped from the current rite.

Beyond the restoration of the timings, what was done to the Holy Week rites in the so-called “reforms” of 1955 in general (particularly Palm Sunday and Good Friday, as they were the two most seriously affected) is, to me at least, a shame.

 

[dans0622]

… I guess I will have to purchase “Holy Week the Complete Pre 55 Rites” via the sedevacentists if I want an available copy…

I am still wondering what is the significance of using the stem of the processional cross and the knocking of the door three times. Why not once? etc.

Hello,

You can find older versions of the Roman Missal online. Here, for example, is the 1920 edition: sanctamissa.org/en/resources/missale-romanum.pdf

On page 178, the pertinent rubric is stated. I’m far from an expert in Latin but I note that the rubric does not give a number of times the door is to be struck, only that it is to be struck (hard) and then the door is to be opened at once. If three strikes are not demanded, I suppose that number was used both for practical and symbolic reasons and became customary.

If you have some facility in Latin, you can get a good start on the older rubrics by looking at the above link and without having to buy anything. I also suspect that if you search pretty hard, you can find a book comparable to what you mentioned on google books or similar online libraries.

Dan

 

[FrDavid96]

Beyond the restoration of the timings, what was done to the Holy Week rites in the so-called “reforms” of 1955 in general (particularly Palm Sunday and Good Friday, as they were the two most seriously affected) is, to me at least, a shame.

I really have no idea.
The only thing I do know about was that the Good Friday petition that referenced the Jewish people was revised (both the words and the actions). It would be revised again later, by the way. Of course, you already said the time was changed.

Although it was never actually meant to be that, it was a rather hateful thing to say, objectively. The point was to pray for them, but the form and words it took were, to say the least, extremely insulting. Why anyone would want to restore these, while still claiming to be a Christian, is beyond me.

As I’m typing this, I just found something that might help you…

Here is a link to a rather lengthy (9 parts) article that describes in probably every possible detail, the changes made in 1955.
newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/03/compendium-of-1955-holy-week-revisions.html#.U2J_HK0iiHk

I haven’t actually read it, but at a quick glance, it seems that it will tell you everything.

 

[FrDavid96]

Here is a better link because the article is in 9 parts

newliturgicalmovement.org/search/label/1955%20Holy%20Week%20Revisions#.U2KBZq0iiHk

 

[Leo_Peace]

Hi Fr. Dave, Dan, & Malphono-

First many thanks for your explanation and for the resources.

I agree wholeheartedly with you both in that it is a shame that this simple, yet profoundly symbolic gesture has been dropped from the current rite. I believe that it is likewise shameful that there are many more symbolic gestures that have been dropped.

Of happy memory is Saturday the 7th of July in 2007 when Pope Benedict XVl issued his Apostolic Letter “Summorum Pontificum " the Moto Proprio which in his words: " It is known, in fact, that the Latin liturgy of the Church in its various forms, in each century of the Christian era, has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints, has reinforced many peoples in the virtue of religion and fecundated their piety.” [This proclamation] permitted the 1962 version of the Roman Missal.

My understanding is that the sedevacentists reject any pope after Pius Xl as they consider St. Pope John XXlll (and his successors) to not be valid popes (which is ironic because the first changes happened during the pontificate of Pius Xl. But these separated Catholics is another story all in itself.

Ironically, just yesterday I had read in the April 2014 edition of “Inside the Vatican” a monograph by John F. Rothmannn titled “An Incomparable Pope John XXlll and the Jews” that reads: "… On Good Friday, March 27, 1959, John took an important first step in changing that relationship (between the Church and the Jews) In the words of Cardinal Augustin Bea, "it was on that day, during the solemn liturgy, that he had read out the order to omit the adjective ‘perfidious’ from the customary prayer for the Jews. Although to modern ears, this adjective had a pejorative ring, in the Medieval Latin of the time of the prayers composition it simply meant ‘unbelieving.’ This gesture excited Jewish public opinion and raised high hopes.’
He goes on to say that in September 1959 he (St. Pope John XXlll) ordered that the words: “Abhor Jewish unbelief (in Christ) and reject the Hebrew error (that the Messiah has not yet come).” be purged from the baptismal payer from the Catholic ritual of Baptism.

Thanks again for the resources as they are good documents to study so as to understand more fully some of the various rituals and rubrics.

Laus tibi Christi!

Leo

 

[malphono]

I really have no idea. …

Here is a link to a rather lengthy (9 parts) article that describes in probably every possible detail, the changes made in 1955.
newliturgicalmovement.org/2009/03/compendium-of-1955-holy-week-revisions.html#.U2J_HK0iiHk

I haven’t actually read it, but at a quick glance, it seems that it will tell you everything.

Actually I didn’t mean that one particular prayer, but I agree that it was a bit over-the-top. Rather, what I was remarking on was the butchering of the rites themselves. BTW, I’m very familiar with that series of articles from NLM (I’ve referenced it several times over the years in various forum posts here), and it really is quite excellent. When you have the chance, give it a read. I think it’d be worth it.

 

[FrDavid96]

Actually I didn’t mean that one particular prayer, but I agree that it was a bit over-the-top. Rather, what I was remarking on was the butchering of the rites themselves. BTW, I’m very familiar with that series of articles from NLM (I’ve referenced it several times over the years in various forum posts here), and it really is quite excellent. When you have the chance, give it a read. I think it’d be worth it.

I plan to read it all the way through. So far, I’ve read the first and the last installments.

What I find interesting is that many of the changes made by Pope Paul VI were actually changes BACK to the rite of 1570. Much of what was being done pre-1955 were, at the time, “modernist innovations” that would have to wait for Paul VI to come along and set things right again. Oooh the irony of it!

 

[malphono]

I plan to read it all the way through. So far, I’ve read the first and the last installments.

Note in particular the comparison of Palm Sunday where the axe fell the hardest. The pre-1955 rite had some elements that were actually quite similar to certain Oriental practices. They did quite a job on Good Friday as well. Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil were less affected, but still did not escape the axe.

What I find interesting is that many of the changes made by Pope Paul VI were actually changes BACK to the rite of 1570. Much of what was being done pre-1955 were, at the time, “modernist innovations” that would have to wait for Paul VI to come along and set things right again. Oooh the irony of it!

A certain “AB” was, of course, the éminence grise behind 1955, and indeed it is interesting that the very same person retracted some (but no where near enough) of his own handiwork in the Novus Ordo.