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Consecration of The Elect To The Episcopate, According To The Pontificale Romanum of 1595 (Incomplete)
Consecration of The Elect To The Episcopate, According To The Pontificale Romanum of 1595 (Incomplete)
24/12/2015
Transcriber's note: The Latin text is from the Pontificale Romanum editio princeps (1595-1596), which is available from
Paxbook.com. (This edition includes a useful chart which lists the ceremonies found in the 1595 Pontifical e.g., De benedictione, et
coronatione Regis that had fallen into desuetude and hence were not included in the 1962 revision.)
The English translation is my own. The reader is kindly asked to remember that this translation is only meant as an aid in understanding
the official Latin text. In places, it is impossible to translate the Latin "word-for-word" into English, and so a general familiarity with Latin
is indispensible if one would gain a more accurate sense of the prayers and rubrics.
The Clementine pontifical went through some very minor revisions over the centuries none of them noteworthy for our purposes here.
For the most part, the rite of episcopal consecration was the same in 1595 as it was in 1962. Indeed, even the 1595 Pontifical was based
directly upon existing practice that had grown from the received tradition of preceding ages.
Now, outside the courts of Rome, there existed various liturgical "Uses" of the Roman Rite such as the Uses in England, in the dioceses
of Sarum, Bangor, Hereford, and so on. By the time of the Reformation, the Sarum Use had come into ascendancy and was adopted
throughout England. It is important to note, however, that the minor ceremonial differences between the Clemetine rite, below, and the
Sarum Pontifical for the most part do not touch upon the actual prayers themselves; the prayers were nearly identical in both
pontificals, based as they were upon the same venerable Roman and Gallican sources. (Among the more conspicuous differences were
the order of the prayers and the position of the Litany, for example. See Lowndes' Note on the Sarum Ordinal.)
For the full text of the Sarum Pontifical rite, the reader is referred to William Maskell's Monumenta Ritualia Ecclesiae Anglicanae. Cf.
also Frere's revision of Proctor's A New History of the Book of Common Prayer (Macmillan, London; 1901), pp. 294-300.
As always, I welcome all comments and corrections. The reader is kindly asked to direct all feedback to The York Forum.
Joseph Oliveri
5 April 2004
De CONSECRATIONE
ELECTI in EPISCOPUM
On the CONSECRATION
of the ELECT to the
EPISCOPATE
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for the Elect. And in the greater, upon the altar (which has been
prepared), there will be according to custom a cross in the center,
and at least four candles. On the ground near the altar steps there
will be tapestries, upon which the Elect shall lie prostrate but the
Consecrator and others shall kneel.
Eight handkerchiefs are also layed out, fashioned from two woven
linen cloths scored down the center and cut through the length. Of
these handkerchiefs, any two should be six spans [of the hand]
in length, while the other six are equal in size. Additionally there
are to be at least eight tapers, any of one-pound weight, of which
four are placed on the altar of the Consecrator, two upon his
credence table, and two on the altar of the Elect.
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Consecrator dicit:
Habemus.
We have.
Consecrator dicit:
Legatur.
Let it be read.
Then the notary of the Consecrator accepts the mandate from the
hand of the assisting Bishop and reads it from beginning to end.
Meanwhile all are seated, with their heads covered. Once the
mandate has been read in full by the notary, the Consecrator says:
Deo gratias.
Thanks be to God.
FORMA JURAMENTI
I, N., Elect of the Church of N., shall be from this hour, as I have
been formerly, faithful and obedient to Blessed Peter the Apostle,
to the Holy Roman Church, and to our lord, Lord N., Pope N., and
to his successors entering canonically. I shall not be party to any
plot, conspiracy, or exploit that they might lose life or limb, or that
they might be seized through wicked deception, or that hands
might be layed violently upon them in any way, or that they might
be brought to any injury, sought by any artful excuse whatsoever.
Indeed, whatever plan they shall entrust to me, whether through
themselves, or their Nuncios or letters, I shall knowingly reveal to
no one, to their injury.
I will treat the Legate of the Apostolic See honorably in his coming
and going, and I will help him in his necessities.
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The Consecrator, holding the book of the Gospels open on his lap
with both hands, with the lower part of the book turned towards
the Elect, accepts from him the fulfillment of this oath, with the
Elect still kneeling before him saying:
And touching the very text of the Gospels with both hands -then, and not before -- the Consecrator says:
Deo gratias.
Thanks be to God.
EXAMEN
EXAMINATION
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Then the Elect, rising slightly with his head uncovered, responds:
Interrogat Consecrator.
Will you teach, by word and example, those things which you
discern from divine Scriptures to the people for whom you are
about to be ordained?
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Vis beato Petro Apostolo, cui a Deo data est potestas ligandi, ac
solvendi; ejusque Vicario Domino nostro, Domino N. Papae N.
suisque Successoribus, Romanis Pontificibus, fidem, subjectionem,
et obedientiam, secundum canonicam auctoritatem, per omnia
exhibere?
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Will you keep your ways from every evil, and as far as you are
able, God being your helper, will you change them towards every
good?
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Will you, with God's help, observe and teach chastity and
sobriety?
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Volo.
I will.
Interrogatio.
Question:
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Volo.
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I will.
May the Lord grant you all these, and other goodly things; and
may he preserve you and strengthen you in every goodness.
Interrogatio.
Question:
Interrogatio.
Question.
Credo.
I do believe.
Interrogatio.
Question.
Do you believe that the very Son of God, the Word of God
eternally born of the Father [is] consubstantial, co-omnipotent,
and co-equal to the Father in all things in His divinity; born in
time through the Holy Spirit to Mary ever Virgin, with a rational
soul and having two wills: one eternal from the Father, the other
temporal from His mother; that He is True God and true man, in
both natures distinct and perfect, neither grafted nor ghostly, but
the one and only Son of God in and from two natures yet in the
singularity of one person; that He is unsusceptible to pain and
immortal owing to His divinity, but in His humanity, for us and for
our salvation, He suffered true torment of the flesh, was buried,
and on the third day He rose again from the dead in a true
resurrection of the flesh; that on the fortieth day after the
resurrection, with His spirit and the flesh in which He had arisen,
He ascended into heaven and took his place at the right hand of
the Father, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead;
and that He shall render to each man according to his works,
whether such be good or evil?
Question.
Do you further believe that the Holy Spirit [is] full, perfect and
true God, proceeding from the Father and the Son; co-equal and
co-essential, co-omnipotent and co-eternal to the Father and the
Son in all things?
Credo.
I do believe.
Interrogatio.
Question.
Credis hanc sanctam Trinitatem, non tres Deos, sed unum Deum
omnipotentem, aeternum, invisibilem, et incommutabilem?
Do you believe that this Holy Trinity [is] not three Gods but one
God, almighty, eternal, invisible and unchangeable?
Credo.
I do believe.
Interrogatio.
Question.
Do you believe that the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is the
one true Church, in which is conferred one true baptism, and true
remission of all sins?
Credo.
I do believe.
Interrogatio.
Question.
Anathematizo.
Interrogatio.
I anathematize them.
Question.
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Interrogatio.
Question.
Credo.
I do believe.
Interrogatio.
Question.
Do you also believe that God, the Lord almighty, is the sole author
of the New and Old Testaments, of the Law, and of the Prophets
and the Apostles?
Credo.
I do believe.
If however the Mass is read, after the altar and Gospel are kissed,
the censing being omitted, he reads all of the above at the altar;
and once these have been said, whether the Mass is read or sung,
he returns wearing his mitre to his seat at the faldstool, which is
restored before the middle of the altar for him.
The assisting Bishops however conduct the Elect to his chapel; and
there, once he has put off the cope, Acolytes place sandals on his
feet, assuming he had not taken the sandals earlier for the reading
of the customary Psalms and Prayers. Then he takes the pectoral
cross, and the stole is fitted for him so that it may hang down from
the shoulders. Thereupon he is vested with the tunic, dalmatic,
chasuble and maniple; and having been so vested, he goes to his
altar where, standing in the middle between the assisting Bishops,
with his head uncovered, he reads the entire Office of the Mass as
far as the Alleluia, or up to the last verse of the Tract or Sequence
exclusively; nor does he turn towards the people when he says,
The Lord be with you, as is usually done at other Masses.
Oratio.
Prayer.
Amen.
Finito Graduali, si Alleluia dicitur, alioquin dicto Tractu vel
Sequentia, usque ad ultimum Versum exclusive, Consecrator
accedit ad faldistorium ante medium altaris, et ibi sedet cum
mitra; assistentes vero Episcopi iterum ducunt Electum ad
Consecratorem, cui Electus, deposito bireto, caput profunde
inclinans humilem reverentiam facit: Assistentes vero cum mitris
se aliquantulum inclinantes, etiam Consecratorem venerantur.
Tum sedent omnes, ut prius; et Consecrator sedens cum mitra,
versus ad illum, dicit:
Episcopum oportet judicare, interpretari, consecrare, ordinare,
offerre, baptizare, et confirmare.
Amen.
Once the Gradual is finished -- if the Alleluia is said -- or else once
the Tract or Sequence have been read up to the last verse
exclusively, the Consecrator approaches the faldstool before the
middle of the altar, and there he takes his seat and resumes his
mitre. The assisting Bishops however conduct the Elect once again
to the Consecrator, to whom the Elect, having put off his biretta,
makes a sign of humble reverence, bowing his head profoundly;
but the assisting Bishops, also paying respect to the Consecrator,
incline themselves slightly, wearing their mitres. Then all are
seated as before; and the Consecrator, seated with his mitre,
turning towards him says:
A Bishop ought to judge, interpret, consecrate, ordain, offer,
baptize and confirm.
Then, once all have risen, the Consecrator, standing with his
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ad circumstantes:
Amen.
Amen.
Then the cantor -- or, if the office is to be read, the Consecrator -begins the Litany:
Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Sancta Maria,
/ Ora pro nobis
Sancta Dei Genitrix, /
Sancta Virgo virginum, /
Holy Mary,
/ Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God /
Holy Virgin of virgins, /
Sancte Michael,
/ Ora pro nobis
Sancte Gabriel, /
Sancte Raphael, /
St. Michael,
/ Pray for us.
St. Gabriel, /
St. Raphael, /
Sancte Petre,
/ Ora pro nobis.
Sancte Paule, /
Sancte Andrea, /
Sancte Jacobe, /
Sancte Joannes, /
Sancte Thoma, /
Sancte Jacobe, /
Sancte Philippe, /
Sancte Bartholomaee, /
Sancte Matthaee, /
Sancte Simon, /
Sancte Thaddaee, /
Sancte Matthia, /
Sancte Barnaba, /
Sancte Luca, /
Sancte Marce, /
St. Peter,
/ Pray for us.
St. Paul, /
St. Andrew, /
St. James, /
St. John, /
St. Thomas, /
St. James, /
St. Philip, /
St. Bartholomew, /
St. Matthew, /
St. Simon, /
St. Thaddeus, /
St. Matthias, /
St. Barnabas, /
St. Luke, /
St. Mark, /
Sancte Stephanae,
/ Ora pro nobis.
Sancte Laurenti, /
Sancte Vincenti, /
Sancte Fabiane et Sebastiane,
/ Orate pro nobis.
Sancte Joannes et Paule, /
Sancte Cosma et Damiane, /
Sancte Gervasi et Protasi, /
St. Stephen,
/ Pray for us.
St. Lawrence, /
St. Vincent, /
Sts. Fabian and Sebastian,
/ Pray for us.
Sts. John and Paul, /
Sts. Cosmas and Damian, /
Sts. Gervase and Protase, /
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Sancte Silvester,
/ Ora pro nobis.
Sancte Gregori, /
Sancte Ambrosi, /
Sancte Augustine, /
Sancte Hieronyme, /
Sancte Martine, /
Sancte Nicolae, /
St. Sylvester, /
/ Pray for us.
St. Gregory, /
St. Ambrose, /
St. Augustine, /
St. Jerome, /
St. Martin, /
St. Nicholas, /
Sancte Antoni,
/ Ora pro nobis.
Sancte Benedicte, /
Sancte Bernarde, /
Sancte Dominice, /
Sancte Francisce, /
St. Anthony,
/ Pray for us.
St. Benedict, /
St. Bernard, /
St. Dominic, /
St. Francis, /
Propitius esto,
/ Parce nobis, Domine.
Propitius esto,
/ Exaudi nos, Domine.
Ab omni malo,
/ Libera nos, Domine.
Ab omni peccato, /
Ab ira tua, /
Be merciful,
/ Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful,
/ Graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil,
/ Deliver us, O Lord.
From all sin, /
From Thy wrath, /
Ab insidiis diaboli, /
A spiritu fornicationis, /
A fulgure et tempestate, /
A flagello terraemotus, /
A morte perpetua, /
In die judicii,
/ Libera nos, Domine.
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Peccatores,
/ Te rogamus, audi nos.
We sinners,
/ We beseech You, hear us.
Ut nobis parcas, /
Ut nobis indulgeas, /
That You might deign to govern and preserve Your Holy Church,
/
That You might deign to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all
orders of the Church in holy religion, /
That You might deign to humble the enemies of the Holy Church,
/
That You might deign to give peace and true concord to Christian
kings and princes, /
That You might deign to grant peace and unity to all Christian
people, /
That You might deign to call every wanderer back to the Church,
and to guide all unbelievers to the light of the Gospel, /
Now after "...to all the faithful departed," is said, followed by the
response "We beseech You, hear us," the Consecrator rises from
his kneeler and turns towards the Elect, and holding the pastoral
staff in his left hand, he says first, under the tone of the Litany:
Secundo dicit:
He says secondly:
Tertio dicit:
He says thirdly:
Fili Dei, /
Son of God, /
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Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison.
Once this is finished, all rise; and with the Consecrator standing
before the faldstool, wearing his mitre, the Elect genuflects before
him.
Be pleased with our prayers, O Lord; and with the horn of priestly
grace inclined over this your servant, pour out the power of your
blessing upon him. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
Amen.
Amen.
Dominus vobiscum.
Sursum corda.
Habemus ad Dominum.
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Hymnum:
Tu septiformis munere,
Digitus paternae dexterae,
Tu rite promissum Patris,
Sermone ditans guttura.
Amen.
Amen.
After the first Verse is finished, the Pontiff rises and takes his seat
upon the faldstool before the middle of the altar. He receives his
mitre; he puts off his ring and gauntlets; he then resumes his ring
and is vested with an apron by the assistants. Thereupon he dips
his right thumb in the holy Chrism and anoints the head of the
Elect genuflecting before him, first tracing the sign of the Cross
over the entire crown, then by anointing the rest of the crown,
saying meanwhile:
And extending his right hand, he traces the sign of the Cross over
the head of the Elect a third time, saying:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit.
Amen.
Amen.
Pax tibi.
Peace be with you.
Et cum spiritu tuo.
And with your spirit.
Et si plures sint consecrandi, hoc in persona cujuslibet singulariter
repetit.
With the anointing completed, the Pontiff wipes his thumb with a
few breadcrumbs; and once the aforesaid Hymn is done, he puts
off his mitre, rises, and continues in a clear voice, saying:
May this, O Lord, flow abundantly upon his head; may it course
down upon his mouth; may it sink into the uttermost parts of his
whole body, so that the power of Your Spirit might replenish him
inwardly as well as shield him outwardly. May constancy of faith,
purity of love, and sincerity of peace abound in him. Through your
gift, may his feet be fair to carry a message of peace and to
proclaim your good works. Grant him, O Lord, a ministry of
reconciliation in word and in deeds, in the power of signs and of
wonders. May his word and his preaching be, not in the convincing
words of human wisdom, but rather in the display of spirit and
power. Give him, O Lord, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that
he might not use for boastfulness that power which You grant for
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Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns
with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and
ever.
Amen
Post haec Consecrator inchoat, schola prosequente Antiphonam:
Unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron,
quod descendit in oram vestimenti ejus: mandavit Dominus
benedictionem in saeculum.
Amen
After these things, the Consecrator begins the Antiphon, with the
choir following:
...the ointment upon the head, which ran down upon the beard,
the beard of Aaron; which went down to the hem of his vestment.
The Lord entrusted His blessing forever.
Psalmus 132.
Psalm 132.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it
was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
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Oremus.
Deus, omnium fidelium pastor, et rector, hunc famulum tuum,
quem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei,
quaesumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus praeest proficere; ut ad
vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per
Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.
His dictis, Consecrator, detecto capite, manet ad cornu Evangelii
altaris, apud quem Assistentes stant sine mitris.
Consecratus vero surgit, et accedens cum mitro, et baculo
Pastorali ante medium altaris, versus ad illud, signans se cum
pollice dexterae manus ante pectus, dicit:
Sit nomen Domini benedictum.
Ex hoc nunc et usque in saecula.
Deinde faciens signum crucis a fronte ad pectus, dicit:
Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
Qui fecit coelum et terram.
Tum elevans, ac jungens manus, et caput inclinans, dicit:
Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus.
Et cum dixerit Deus, vertit se ad populum et tertio super eum
signans benedicit, dicens: Pa ter, et Fi lius, et Spiritus Sanctus.
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