Friday, August 22, 2008

"Benedictine" Altar Arrangement in Chile

Last Sunday, the Bishop of San Bernardo (Chile), Msgr. Juan Ignacio González Errázuriz, ordained five priests for his diocese (thanks to a Chilean reader for this tip). The Pontifical Mass featured an excellent example of the "Benedictine" altar arrangement (the meaning and importance of which was recently again explained by Shawn), as well as other exemplary elements of liturgical tradition. It should be mentioned that Msgr. González is a member of Opus Dei, which is famous for its impeccable liturgy and its hermeneutic of continuity avant la lettre - Sancte Josephe Maria, ora pro nobis.

The altar with large Cross and seven candles (click on pictures to enlarge them):


The Bishop received with a Crucifix and holy water:


Everyone wearing cassocks and vesting amices:


Six torchbearers:


The Bishop with a very nice mitre and crosier, and wearing the pontifical dalmatic:




Instituted lectors reading the lessons:




The newly ordained vested in quite decent chasubles:



Lastly, for those interested in such things, while reading a bit about the Bishop on the diocesan website, I found that he has also a very well-done episcopal coat-of-arms; the crosses and roses, as well as the motto, alluding to St. Josemaría:

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