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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

 

Benediction KNEEL
If Benediction follows Mass, the MC helps the priest put on the vestments for Benediction in the Sacristy, and the thurifers ready the thurible and incense. The book and altar cards are removed, and the other candles are lit. When all are ready, then priest and servers walk to the altar in the same positions as is done for the start of Mass (see Figure I). The First Thurifer carries both incense and thurible. After all genuflect in unison at the foot of the altar, the servers walk to their positions for Benediction, as shown in Figure XXXII, and kneel.

Figure XXXII

The priest ascends the altar, opens the tabernacle, and places the sacred host into the monstrance. He then returns to the foot of the altar and kneels, while the choir begins singing O Salutaris Hostia.


Shortly, the priest stands up, and the MC and First Thurifer stand up with him, and all genulfect. The First Thurifer comes around to the right side of the MC and hands him the thurible, as shown in Figure XXXIII. The First Thurifer opens the incense container, and the priest spoons incense into the thurible.


Figure XXXIII

The MC handsthe thurible to the priest, and the First Thurifer returns to his position, as shown in Figure XXXII. The priest then incenses the Blessed Sacrament.


When the priest finishes incensing the Blessed Sacrament, he hands the thurible back to the MC. The MC reaches behind the priest, hands the thurible back to the First Thurifer, and all kneel
When the choir has finished singing O Salutaris Hostia, the priest leads a solemn litany, to which all servers recite the appropriate responses. When he is finished with the litany, the choir and people begin singing Tantum Ergo.


In a while, the priest, MC, and thurifer repeat incensing as before. When the choir has finished singing Tantum Ergo, the priest leads a short chant to which all respond:

P) Panem de coelo praestitisti eis.
S) Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

The priest then continues to chant a prayer asking God that we may ever feel the fruits of redemption. As the priest leads this chant, the MC retrieves the humeral veil. The MC stands behind the priest holding the veil until the priest finishes. The MC then places the veil over his shoulders, and then kneels at his position.


The priest ascends the altar and proceeds to elevate the monstrance facing the people. As the priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the monstrance over the people, the MC rings the bells three times, and the thurifer incenses the Blessed Sacrament three times.
(3 Bells)


The priest then descends to the foot of the altar. The MC takes the humeral veil from his shoulders and returns it the priest's chair.


The priest then leads the people in the Divine Praises. When he is finished, he ascends the altar, places the sacred host back into the tabernacle, and returns to the foot of the altar. All servers stand and walk to their final positions, as shown in Figure XXXIV.


The choir then begins to sing Laudate Dominum. When the priest turns toward the sacristy, all servers postion themselves as shown in figure XXXIV and proceed into the sacristy.

Figure XXXIV

After Benediction, the book is placed on the altar, the candles are extinguished, and the altar cards are placed back on the altar.

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