We are happy to share this notice of the republication of one of the classic ceremonial manuals of the Roman Rite, Fr Pio Martinucci’s Manuale Sacrarum Caerimoniarum, in a simplified edition suitable for parish use.
In the recent annals of the Roman liturgical tradition, one name stands out among the great ceremonial writers, that of the papal Master of Ceremonies Fr Pio Martinucci. His Latin Manuale Sacrarum Caerimoniarum meticulously documented the details of the sacred ceremonies as practiced in Rome in his time, providing a compendium highly valued for its precision, from the arrangement of vestments to the orchestration of processions, and became the definitive guide for clergy worldwide. It also provided the foundation of several other works on ceremonies, such as those by Fortescue and Strecky.
After being out of print for over a century and a half, his legacy has now been revived in a new edition, carefully curated by Mr Nicholas Morlin. This editio simplex distills Martinucci’s work to the essential rituals, exploring the intricacies of all forms Mass and Vespers, as well as Benediction, the role of the cantor and much more, enhanced with diagrams and illustrations.
You can order a copy of Martinucci’s masterwork at:
“The republication of the most important and frequently-used portions of the classic liturgical manual by Martinucci is yet another sign of the slow, quiet, but irreversible return of the Roman Rite into churches long bereft of the blessings of immemorial tradition. All that a parish might need can be found in these expertly written pages: Solemn Masses, Low Masses, Requiem Masses, Masses before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed, and much more; in addition the reader will find invaluable information on the roles of cantors and organists, as well as how to deal with common problems that can occur during the celebration of the liturgy. While obviously a specialist’s work, being entirely in Latin, the ready availability of this new edition (when original copies are either nonexistent or overpriced) is a boon to masters of ceremonies, major event planners, professors of liturgy, and students of liturgical science.”
– Dr Peter A. Kwasniewski, author of The Once and Future Roman Rite
