ELABORATE RITES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 856, 30 June 1910, Page 5

ELABORATE RITES.

WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL. MANY PRELATES ATTEND CONSECRATION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, June 2S. In connection with the consecration of the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Westminster there were elaborate rites today. Fourteen prelates participated in tho consecrating ceremony. Numerous services were held in tho Cathedral throughout tho day. The ritual observed is stated to bo identical with the service followed at the consecration, of Westminster Abbey on Holy Innocents' Day, 10G5.

THE CEREMONIAL DESCRIBED. The consecration, or, rather, solemn dedication of tho "Westminster Cathedral will be (says ''The Times") one of the most important functions of tho kind that has taken place in England since tho breach with Rome. Tho existing rito of consecrating— which, by the way, is to be found almost identical with the present form in the Pontifical of Egbert, Archbisiiop of York (d. 7(i7J—may bo briefly described as follows:—(1) The consecrating prelate, who should be lasting from the day before, solemnly sets apart in an adjacent tent over night the relics to 1m used in the ceremony. These are placed on an altar with lighted candles, while tho choir chants Matins and Lauds in honour of the saints ivlioso relics they are. (2) Twelve crosses aro marked on tho wails of tho church with candles before them •which are lighted at the commencement of the consecration ceremony, a "use" which, according to Rabanus Mourns, tho liturgist (758-SSU), recalls tho walls of tho heavenly Jerusalem (Itov. xxi 11). (3) The bishop and his clergy then go in procession round the outside of the church three- times, sprinkling ' the walls and boundaries with holy water. (4) The bishop knocks three times with his pastoral stall' at the main entrance of the church while repeating (in Latin) the words.: "Lift up your gates, yo Princes, and bo yo lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall como in." After tho deacon at the porch has asked, "Quis est isto Bex gloriae?"—Who is tho King of Glory?—and received for reply, "The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle," the door is opened and the bishop with his immediate assistants enters tho church, leaving tho rest of the procession outside. (5) The consecrator describes on the ash-strewn nave of tho church a cross composed of the letters of the Latin and Greek alphabets arranged saltirowise. This curious ceremony symbolises tho union of the Latin and Greek Churches and the instruction in matters of faith imparted to the catechumens. (C) The consecration of tho high altar and of tho side altars (if any) next proceeds. The consecrator, having first dipped his thumb into a preparation of water, ashes, salt, and wine, duly blessed, marks the altar stones with five crosses, tho choir meantime chanting tho antiphon, "Introibo ad altaro Dei," etc. (I will go unto the altar of God.—Ps. 43). (7) The consecrating bishop next goes in procession round tho interior of tho church three times, during which tho walls and floor are aspersed and blessed. (8) At the conclusion of tho procession llio aforesaid relics are borno into tho church, and at this stage of tho ceremony a sermon on the event of tho day usually follows. (9) Tho doors of tho church are next anointed with chrism (or holy oil), as also are the "sepulchres" or recesses in the altar stones for the reception of tho relics. The "sepulchres" are then closed and cemented, 'and tho plains or tables of tho altars anointed and incensed. Incense is also burnt on the live crosses at the centre and angles of tho stones, and tho twelve crosses round the walls of tho church marked with chrism. Finally, tho sanctuary vessels and ornaments arc consecrated to the accompaniment of tho "Circumdato Levitae," "Circumdato Sion," and other appropriate chants, which faring to a conclusion a ceremony of unusual length and solemnity.