Six years ago I wrote a post about the traditional blessing by Popes in their first Eastertide of the wax Agni Dei made from the wax of the previous year’s Paschal Candles in the churches of Rome, and their distribution as sacramentals. That article linked to one on the Liturgical Arts Journal website and can be viewed at The Paschal Blessing of the “Agnus Dei”
The tradition was cast aside in the wake of Vatican II, but had it survived, or been revived, last week would have witnessed the ritual being celebrated by the Pope in his first year. Maybe if he had he could have sent one to Mr Trump.
The New Liturgical Movement website now has an article with archive film about the Agnus Dei which can be seen at Pope St John XXIII Blessing the <i>Agnus Deis</i>
The journal Catholic History has a detailed, and well illustrated, article from 2018 about the place of the Agnus Dei in the devotional life of English Catholics in the Elizabethan persecution - their import was prohibited and possessing one could cost someone their life on the scaffold - and it can be accessed at The agnus dei, Catholic devotion, and confessional politics in early modern England
It will be no surprise to my readers to add that I cannot in all conscience see why this ancient tradition was jettisoned, and would very much like to see it revived.
2 comments:
I too would like to see the custom revived. If all devotions or sacramentals are to be derived from the liturgy, then what could be more appropriate than a reminder for prayer by a wac medallion made if Mass candles from the Triduum.
Another riveting Article, John. Many thanks.
Reference your comment: “ . . . I cannot in all conscience see why this ancient tradition was jettisoned . . .”, one could expostulate that there was, at the time, a co-ordinated campaign of eliminating all things Traditional and implementing all things Modern.
The results have been obvious to all observers since Vatican II.
Disaster.
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