A reader in England, Mr James Turner, was kind enough to share with us some photographs of his solemn Nuptial Mass and wedding service, which was celebrated at St James’, Spanish Place, London, in the Use of the Anglican Ordinariate. The Mass was celebrated by Mgr Andrew Burnham, assisted by Fr Daniel Lloyd and Fr David Elliott, all priests of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. (All photos by Marcin Mazur)
The liturgy begins with the Admonition and Scrutiny, based on Thomas Cranmer’s famous words from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The bride and groom having declared their freedom to marry, Mass begins with the Introit Deus Israel and the Kyrie, while the altar and celebrant are incensed. The Ordinary of the Mass was Mozart’s Spatzenmesse, with the propers sung in Latin from the Graduale.
After the homily, the bride and groom made their vows to each other in the traditional English translation. The bride consents to enter into matrimony with the following words: “I, N, take thee, N, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.”
The Mass continues with the blessing and exchange of rings, and the Penitential Rite. Herbert Howell’s Salve Regina accompanied the Offertory, which may be said in the Ordinariate Use as in the Extraordinary Form, translated of course into sacral, hieratic English. The rest of the Mass continued in a similar fashion to the Extraordinary Form, with the Roman Canon, again in traditional English, said by the celebrant whilst the choir sang the Sanctus and Benedictus.
The translation of the Nuptial Blessing, following the Lord’s Prayer, is particularly beautiful. The third of the invocations reads: “O God, who hast taught us that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hadst made one, and hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church: Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this man may love his wife, according to thy Word, as Christ did love his spouse the Church, who gave himself for her, loving and cherishing her even as his own flesh, and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, and faithful to her husband, and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly women. O Lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Our congratulations and best wishes to Mr and Mrs Turner, and our thanks to them for sharing these photographs with us.
The liturgy begins with the Admonition and Scrutiny, based on Thomas Cranmer’s famous words from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The bride and groom having declared their freedom to marry, Mass begins with the Introit Deus Israel and the Kyrie, while the altar and celebrant are incensed. The Ordinary of the Mass was Mozart’s Spatzenmesse, with the propers sung in Latin from the Graduale.
After the homily, the bride and groom made their vows to each other in the traditional English translation. The bride consents to enter into matrimony with the following words: “I, N, take thee, N, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.”
The Mass continues with the blessing and exchange of rings, and the Penitential Rite. Herbert Howell’s Salve Regina accompanied the Offertory, which may be said in the Ordinariate Use as in the Extraordinary Form, translated of course into sacral, hieratic English. The rest of the Mass continued in a similar fashion to the Extraordinary Form, with the Roman Canon, again in traditional English, said by the celebrant whilst the choir sang the Sanctus and Benedictus.
The translation of the Nuptial Blessing, following the Lord’s Prayer, is particularly beautiful. The third of the invocations reads: “O God, who hast taught us that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hadst made one, and hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church: Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this man may love his wife, according to thy Word, as Christ did love his spouse the Church, who gave himself for her, loving and cherishing her even as his own flesh, and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, and faithful to her husband, and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly women. O Lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Our congratulations and best wishes to Mr and Mrs Turner, and our thanks to them for sharing these photographs with us.
