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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • Chant Notation—Nuptial Blessing (EF)

Fr. David Friel · September 8, 2019

NuptialBlessing_Top EFLECTING on the “musical shape of the liturgy” (in his book of the same title), Prof. William Mahrt explains that the various parts of the Mass can be distinguished in a number of ways. Distinctions can be drawn, for example, on the basis of texts. Alternatively, the parts can be categorized according to the person who gives voice to them. Still another way to differentiate the parts is on the basis of their musical character. 1  In other words, the musical form of an introit is different from the musical form of a gradual; an alleluia is not a tract, nor is an offertorium a collect. The varied melody and structure of each part matters.

One of the richest musical structures in the Mass is the tone for the preface. As Mahrt notes, this melody employs two reciting notes and takes an AAB form that results in an extended periodicity. It is a beautiful tone—one that naturally triggers your mind and heart to recognize that you are listening to a preface. 2

Except when you’re not.

The preface tone is actually appointed for several other prayers. It is used, for example, in the prayer for blessing the water of the baptismal font, the prayers of ordination, and in the nuptial blessing. The ancient Roman prayer for the reconciliation of penitents on Holy Thursday utilized the preface tone, as well. The present-day tone for the Exsultet, while distinct, is also related. Despite the fact that some of these prayers are preceded by what we commonly call the “preface dialogue,” they are not, strictly speaking, prefaces, as their texts and contexts reveal. The melodic affinity established between the preface and these blessings has theological significance that could be drawn out in a longer article. For now, however, I would simply like to present a practical permission that has recently been clarified for the singing of the nuptial blessing. 3

NuptialBlessingEF RIOR TO the Council of Trent, numerous ritual books included chant notation for the nuptial blessing, suggesting that this prayer could be sung on more solemn occasions. Similarly, in the 2016 English edition of the marriage ritual book (Order of Celebrating Matrimony), musical notation is provided for each of the three versions of the nuptial blessing. So, it is clear that the chanting of the nuptial blessing was permissible in earlier periods, and it is equally clear that it is permitted now in weddings celebrated in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. What had been less clear until now is the permissibility of chanting the nuptial blessing at sung Masses in the Extraordinary Form. In the 1962 Missale Romanum, 1957 Rituale Romanum, and 1962 Parish Ritual, one finds neither musical notation for the nuptial blessing nor any rubrical instruction on the permissibility of singing the text. Earlier this year, a dubium was sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) by Fr. Leo Camurati, O.P. seeking clarification about this matter (see the full text of his letter). The wording of his question is as follows:

Is it permitted to sing the Nuptial Blessing
(Deus, qui potestate virtutis) and accompanying prayers
(such as Propitiare Domine supplicationibus nostris
and Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, etc.) during a sung Mass
offered for a newly-married couple in the Extraordinary Form?

The response from the CDF came back in the affirmative, with the stipulation that a particular melody be used. That melody is found in the 1835 Missal of Le Mans in France, a copy of which was included with the CDF’s response. A scan of the letter from the CDF is available here:

    * *  PDF Download • CDF Permission to Chant Nuptial Blessing at EF Weddings

This permission, naturally, presumes that all requirements for imparting the nuptial blessing are otherwise met and that the Mass being offered is a Missa in cantu.

In order to facilitate practical use of this permission, we have put together a clean engraving of the text with the stipulated melody. (Special thanks to fellow blogger, Veronica Brandt, for her Gregorio expertise!) This engraving has been produced with convenient pagination in mind. It may be freely printed, shared, and used.

    * *  PDF Download • Notated Text for Nuptial Blessing at EF Weddings

82731 nuptial

INDSOR Latin Mass community has long provided a treasure trove of resources to help priests chant the Mass according to the Extraordinary Form. Check out their website for pointed lessons and orations for many of the Masses in the missal, including the nuptial Mass.

For help learning to chant the nuptial blessing at an Ordinary Form celebration, see this very helpful article by Richard Clark, which features excellent practice videos.


NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   William P. Mahrt, The Musical Shape of the Liturgy (Richmond, VA: Church Music Association of America, 2012), 3–16.

2   Mahrt, 8.

3   For a very complete historical study of the nuptial blessing (across the centuries and the various rites), see Kenneth Stevenson, Nuptial Blessing: A Study of Christian Marriage Rites (New York: Oxford UP, 1983).

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Catholic Wedding Nuptial Mass Music, Missa pro sponso et sponsa, Missa votiva pro sponsis, Nuptial Mass, William Mahrt Gregorian Chant Last Updated: March 30, 2021

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas
    Last Sunday, a children’s choir I’m teaching sang with us for the very first time at Sunday Mass. Females from our main choir sang along with them. If you’re curious to hear how they sounded, you can listen to a ‘live’ recording. That’s an English version of TANTUM ERGO by Saint Thomas Aquinas. That haunting melody is called GAUFESTRE and was employed for this 2-Voice Arrangement of a special hymn for 9 November (“Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome”) which replaces a Sunday this year.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “Reminder” — Month of September (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

He stood firm against nepotism, rebuking his predecessor Pope Pius IV to his face when he wanted to make a 13-year-old member of his family a cardinal and subsidize a nephew from the papal treasury.

— Re: Pope Saint Pius V (d. 1572)

Recent Posts

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  • “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
  • Kids’ Choir Sings Thomas Aquinas

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