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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.