For the opening of the Populus Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage, His Grace Archbishop Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, presided over the celebration of a Votive Vespers of St Raphael the Archangel, one of the patrons of pilgrims and travelers. The music was provided by a choir of seminarians of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, directed by Fr Matthieu Raffray, accompanied also by organ and recorder. Here is a small portion of the Vespers, the fifth antiphon and psalm, and the chapter. (Pictures below).
Aña Peace be with you, fear ye not; bless God, and sing ye unto him. Psalm O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. Glory be. Aña Peace be with you Chapter When thou didst pray with tears, and didst bury the dead, and didst leave thy dinner, and hide the dead by day in thy house, and bury them by night, I offered thy prayer to the Lord. (Tobias 12, 12)
The church was packed (this photo was taken before the ceremony began, a lot more people came in before the Vespers started.) Everyone sang the psalms and the hymn, alternating with the choir; the Magnificat was done in a particularly good polyphonic setting with recorder and organ.
The altar decorated with a picture of St Raphael and Tobias, which is normally in the sacristy.
One of the coped assistants brings the text of an antiphon to be intoned by a priest in the choir.
The incensation of the altar during the Magnificat.
The concluding prayer
The Pontifical blessing at the end of the ceremony.
