Yakking It Up During Holy Exposition...A Rant

[Phemie]

From DIRECTORY ON POPULAR PIETY AND THE LITURGY – PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES Vatican City, December 2001

Holy Thursday

Visiting the Altar of Repose

1. Popular piety is particularly sensitive to the adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the wake of the Mass of the Lord’s supper(145). Because of a long historical process, whose origins are not entirely clear, the place of repose has traditionally been referred to as a “a holy sepulchre”. The faithful go there to venerate Jesus who was placed in a tomb following the crucifixion and in which he remained for some forty hours.

It is necessary to instruct the faithful on the meaning of the reposition: it is an austere solemn conservation of the Body of Christ for the community of the faithful which takes part in the liturgy of Good Friday and for the viaticum of the infirmed(146). It is an invitation to silent and prolonged adoration of the wondrous sacrament instituted by Jesus on this day.

In reference to the altar of repose, therefore, the term “sepulchre” should be avoided, and its decoration should not have any suggestion of a tomb. The tabernacle on this altar should not be in the form of a tomb or funerary urn. The Blessed Sacrament should be conserved in a closed tabernacle and should not be exposed in a monstrance(147).

After mid-night on Holy Thursday, the adoration should conclude without solemnity, since the day of the Lord’s Passion has already begun(148).

 

[BlyssfulDreamer]

But the Blessed Sacrament was not (or should not have been) exposed – such as in a monstrance. Instead, it was (or should have been) in a tabernacle, closed.

I was at my scheduled Holy Hour at 10AM and sometime between then and 7PM the Blessed Sacrament was no longer exposed in the monstrance.

 

[jmcrae]

They did everything exactly right at our parish, for both Holy Thursday and Good Friday. It was really, really nice.

 

[thomasf]

I was told last year that they could only display it until midnight, and after that they had to put it away out of sight. And I know that my sis-in-law’s church did the same thing. Now I’m confused.

 

[japhy]

I was told last year that they could only display it until midnight, and after that they had to put it away out of sight. And I know that my sis-in-law’s church did the same thing. Now I’m confused.

That is the correct practice; the Blessed Sacrament can be kept in adoration (although in a closed tabernacle) until midnight, at which point it is put away in a different safe place.

 

[thomasf]

Nope, both places it’s placed on an altar for adoration. Not in the tabernacle.