Compendium of the 1961 Revision of the Pontificale Romanum - Part 6: The Consecration of a Chalice and Paten (1595 & 1961)

After the blessings and dedication of sacred places such as churches and cemeteries, the Pontifical places the blessing of objects used for divine worship, beginning with the chalice and the paten. The consecration of each of the two consists of an exhortation addressed by the bishop to those present, a prayer addressed to God, and a second prayer said while he anoints the object with chrism. There follows a concluding prayer for the two together, after which they are sprinkled with holy water. Illustrations of the various editions of the Pontifical (both pre- and post-Clementine) show the bishop vested in cope, stole and mitre; the actual rubric of the Pontifical itself, however, mandates only the stole and mitre, and does not mention the cope, stating furthermore that “whenever he performs the proper offices of a bishop, he should be dressed in pontifical, not priestly vestments.” The mitre is removed when he says the prayers, but left on when he addresses those present and when he anoints or sprinkles the objects. At each cross in red in the text of these prayers, he makes the sign of the Cross over them with his hand. The bishop beings with the versicle “Adjutorium nostrum” and this exhortation.

Let us pray, dearest brethren, that the blessing of divine grace may consecrate and sanctify this paten, that there may be broken upon it the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who bore the suffering of the Cross for the salvation of us all.

He then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, who didst institute the sacrifices of the Law, and among them, did command that wheat flour sprinkled (i.e. with oil; see Exodus 29,2) be brought on dishes (“in patenis”) of gold and silver to Thy altar, deign Thou to bless + , sancti+fy and conse+crate this paten, for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ Thy Son, who for our salvation and that of all men chose to be sacrificed to Thee, God the Father, on the gibbet of the Cross; and with Thee liveth and reigneth etc. (long conclusion)

The bishop makes a cross over the paten with the Holy Chrism, which he then spreads over the whole of its surface with his thumb, saying:

Deign Thou, Lord God, to conse+crate and sancti+fy this paten through this anointing, and our bless+ing , in Christ Jesus our Lord, who with Thee etc. (long conclusion)

He now addresses those present again:

Let us pray, dearest brethren, that our God and Lord may sanctify this chalice that is to be consecrated for the use of his ministry by the inspiration of heavenly grace, and add the fullness of divine favor to human consecration. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The bishop then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.

Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to bless + this chalice, made for the use of Thy ministry by the holy devotion of Thy servants, and fill it with that sanctifi+cation with which Thou didst fill the sacred Chalice of Thy servant Melchisedech, and may that which cannot be made worthy of Thy altars by art or by the nature of metal, become sanctified by Thy bless+ing. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The bishop makes a cross within the chalice with the Holy Chrism from one edge of the cup to another; he then spreads the Chrism throughout the cup with his thumb, saying:

Deign Thou, Lord God, to conse+crate and sancti+fy this chalice through this anointing, and our bless+ing , in Christ Jesus our Lord, who with Thee etc. (long conclusion)

It should be noted that this formula here used for the paten and chalice is the same used at the anointing of the priest’s hands at ordination, “Deign Thou, Lord God, to consecrate and sanctify these hands through this anointing, and our bless+ing.” He then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, pour forth, we ask Thee, by our hands the richness of Thy blessing, that through our bless+ing this vessel and paten may be sanctified, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit become a new sepulcher for the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Through the same our Lord etc. (long conclusion)

The bishop sprinkles them both with holy water; a priest then cleans them by wiping the oil off with bread, which is then burnt, or put in the sacrarium of the church.

The blessing of a paten and chalice; illustration from a 1595 edition of the Pontifical. (Permission to use this image has been very kindly granted by the Pitts Theological Library, Candler School of Theology at Emory University.)

In the 1961 revision, provision is made to bless several patens and chalices at once; the plural forms of “paten” and “chalice” are added to the prayers in parentheses after the singular forms. The rubric direct that the bishop wear a rochet, rather than a cope, as well as the stole and mitre.

At the first prayer, (“Almighty and everlasting God, who didst institute the sacrifices of the Law…), the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “bless” and “consecrate”. The rubric no longer directs the bishop to spread the Chrism over the paten. The conclusion of the prayer is shortened.

At the second prayer, (“Deign Thou, Lord God, to consecrate and sanctify this paten…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “consecrate” and “sanctify”; it ends with the short conclusion.

At the third prayer (“Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to bless this chalice…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “sanctification” and “blessing”.The rubric no longer directs the bishop to spread the Chrism throughout the cup.

At the fourth prayer (“Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to consecrate and sanctify this chalice…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “consecrate” and “sanctify”. It ends with the short conclusion.

The fifth prayer also ends with the short conclusion. The text of the prayers is not otherwise changed. Holy water is not used.