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Views from the Choir Loft

PDF Download • “Blessing of Epiphany Water”

Jeff Ostrowski · January 5, 2021

ATHER FORTESCUE says there are three “cardinal feasts” of the liturgical year: viz. EPIPHANY, EASTER, and PENTECOST. On the eve of the Epiphany—in other words, on 5 January (tomorrow night)—there is a special blessing of water: Benedictio Aquae in Vigilia Epiphaniae Domini. Below is the booklet we use at Saint Vitus Parish, which is run by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I’m sharing this rough draft of a booklet we use, in case anyone else needs to sing this ceremony; it contains the Gregorian chant scores reqired. I’m not saying it’s the greatest booklet in the world, but here it is:

*  PDF Download • BLESSING EPIPHANY WATER (18 pages)
—Blessing of the Waters on the Eve of the Epiphany; Gregorian Chant.

I scanned a few pages from the Rituale Romanum so you can see where Benedictio Aquae in Vigilia Epiphaniae Domini comes from. I wrote out the Tonus Solemnis (“Solemn Tone”) for the TE DEUM with a literal English translation by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles E. Spence. (The 1961 Graduale Romanum provides a total of three tones.) If you just want the TE DEUM for your congregation to sing at the end of the ceremony, print those 4 pages double-sided. Speaking of EPIPHANIA DOMINI, Ms. Eleanor Parker has posted an English “Book of Hours” (circa 1350AD) with exquisite illustrations depicting the entire narrative of the Magi and King Herod, in a series of pictures running across the bottom:

We begin with one king:

…plus two kings:

…equals three kings:

The Magi encounter the shepherds, who point the way to Bethlehem:

When we turn the page, they are arriving at Herod’s castle:

They tell Herod the purpose of their quest:

Troubled by what the Magi have told him, Herod sends letters gathering the “chief priests and scribes of the people”:

And they point out to him the prophecies which tell that Christ is to be born in Bethlehem:

Meanwhile, the Magi find the child and present their gifts, but are quickly warned by an angel—while sleeping still wearing their crowns!—to flee:

“They departed into their own country by another way,” and that’s the last we see of them. But Joseph is also warned by an angel:

…and takes his family to Egypt:

Learning that the Magi set sail from Tarsus, Herod orders the ships there to be burnt:

Having failed in his pursuit, he sends out his knights to kill children under two years old:

Katérva matrum pérsonat
conlísa deflens pígnora,
quorum tyránnus mília
Christo sacrávit víctimam.

And we see the massacre of the children, their mothers struggling against the soldiers:

This story is told on the very first pages of the Brébeuf hymnal—in Latin with a literal English translation—by the ABECEDARIUS, which is a very important Alphabetical Hymn by Caelius Sedulius, a Christian Poet who lived in the 5th century.

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

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Filed Under: Articles, PDF Download Tagged With: Benedictio Aquae, Katerva Matrum Personat, Te Deum Printable PDF, Te Deum With English, Te Deum with Latin, Vigilia Epiphaniae Domini Last Updated: January 5, 2021

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About Jeff Ostrowski

Jeff Ostrowski holds his B.M. in Music Theory from the University of Kansas (2004). He resides with his wife and children in Michigan. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Of course, the new [Easter Vigil] liturgy has greatly streamlined the symbology. But the exaggerated simplification has removed elements that used to have quite a hold on the mindset of the faithful. […] Is this Easter Vigil liturgy definitive?”

— Paul VI to Virgilio Noè (10 April 1971)

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