The Christmas liturgy this year promises to be beautiful and fully satisfying in our first year occupying Old St. Patrick Oratory. Older members of the Oratory will remember that the last time midnight Latin Mass was celebrated in Kansas City, Missouri was fourteen years ago. This is the last time that schedules could be coordinated at Our Lady of Sorrows so that the Latin Mass community was able to celebrate the First Mass of Christmas in the extraordinary form.
But, that was then, this is now! Alleluia!!! Here's the schedule of our liturgy for the three Masses of Christmas of 2008.
Christmas Eve -
- 11:30pm Christmas Carols.
- At midnight, there will be a procession with the Christ Child and the blessing of the Creche.
- Following the procession will be High Mass, the choir will chant Mass IX "Cum Jubilo".
- After the Mass there will be the blessing of children in front of the manger scene.
Christmas Day -
- 8:00 am there will be Low Mass "in Aurora" followed by the blessing of children.
- At 10:15 there will be High Mass. The the choir will chant Mass IV, and there will be the blessing of children afterwards.
Canon Avis tells us that the crib scene at the Oratory will contain figurines that have been given by an anonymous donor. And that the nativity scene tradition was begun by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223, so as to inspire greater piety among his friars. (The photo shows a beautiful stained glass window created by F. Zettler (1878-1911) at St. Gertrude's church in Gamla Stan in Stockholm. Photo is from the collection of the blog).
