We are already at Twelfth Night so before we leave the main part of the Christmas season here is a quick glance back to Advent at the Oxford Oratory. I have now managed to download some photographs sent to me by a friend of the Musical Oratory held at St Aloysius in Oxford on the evening of December 17th to reflect upon Advent themes. This year the particular emphasis was on St John the Baptist as the forerunner. The Musical Oratory is a long-standing Oratorian tradition, combining pieces for the choir, congregational singing and readings, together with a sermon, and ending with Benediction.
Lighting the altar candles
Fr Nicholas Edmonds-Smith C.O. preaches the sermon
The altar ready for Benediction
The beginning of Solemn Benediction
Images:Irim Sarwar
This was a beautiful and reflective devotion, helping the congregation to focus on the real themes of Advent rather than just the pre-Christmas shopping.
2 comments:
Lovely photos. Thank You. One question, though:
A Purple Antependium and a Purple Tabernacle Veil for Benediction !!!
I don't think so.
Perhaps an oversight ?
Not so much an oversisght as the practical difficulty of changing the altar and tabernacle hangings in the middle of the service. So white vestments but violet for the fabric of the church.
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