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| Rorate Mass in Vancouver, Canada |
The bell rang for Mass to begin. Everyone stood while holding a lit vigil candle in their hand. It provided just enough light to follow the Mass in a printed program. The choir intoned the entrance antiphon taken from Isaiah 45:8: Rorate, caeili, desuper, et nubes pluant justum;... ("Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just; let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior"). How poetic are the Sacred Scriptures and the Roman Liturgy!
Thus begins the Rorate Mass, an unforgettable Advent devotion that has been fostered for centuries. Originating in Northern Europe and German-speaking lands, it is celebrated typically on a Saturday morning during Advent. White vestments are worn instead of the typical violet of the season. The Mass itself is the Votive Mass of the Blessed Mother (Missa votiva de Sancta Maria, in Sabbato, Ab Adventu usque ad Nativitatem Domini). The text can be found in the back of the Roman Missal under the section dedicated to Votive Masses (Missae de S. Maria in Sabbato).
For an excellent and printable resource for choirs, please click here and here -- courtesy of our good friends at Corpus Christi Watershed (whom we owe a great debt of gratitude for their fine work).
The Rorate Mass is rich with meaning. It takes its name from the first word of the opening Introit (entrance antiphon), sung in Latin. The Mass is celebrated by candlelight, to symbolize the people who "walked in darkness" awaiting the coming of Christ. The interplay of light and darkness speaks to the meaning of Advent and the coming of the Lux Mundi (the light of the world).
Its beautiful Epistle reading is taken from Isaiah 7:10-15 and the Gospel reading is from Luke 1:26-38. The readings foretell the prophesy of the Virgin who will bear a Son called Emmanuel and call on all to raise the gates of their hearts to allow Christ to enter; asking for the grace to receive eternal life by the merits of the Incarnation and saving Resurrection of Christ. The liturgy offers praise to God for the gift of Our Lady.
By definition, a Rorate Mass is a special Mass dedicated to Our Lady, held before sunrise during Advent. The interior of the church is typically lit entirely by candlelight only - even the choir loft. Depending on local custom, some faithful arrive at church with lit candles guiding their way in the dark.
Historically, the Rorate Mass was a popular Advent devotion going back at least to sometime before the 8th-century. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Fait is illumined by Christ. Such a beautiful way to honor the Blessed Mother as the rising sun commemorates the coming of Christ!
We can see why this lovely tradition was popular among the people in the Middle-Ages, cultivating a deeper devotion to Mary, commemorating the darkness of the world before she brought forth the Light of the World. As we honor Our Lady and prepare our hearts for Christ's coming, in a Catholic way we also mix a little "business with pleasure." The Mass is generally followed by light refreshments in the parish hall as the sun rises.
It is nice to see this revered custom being introduced again and making a comeback in many parish communities. It is part of our rich liturgical heritage and it is something to cherish that children will always remember. Celebrating by candlelight in a dimly lit setting, preparing to honor the Light who is soon to be born -- holy expectation that draws the Christian faithful into the mystery of the spiritual dawn. May this ancient Advent liturgy draw us deeper into the mystery of the season.
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| Rorate Mass in the Roman Missal |
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| The glorious Introit of the Rorate Mass |
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| The faithful follow Mass by candlelight |
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| Rorate Mass in Germany with Seminarians |
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| Rorate Mass in Vancouver, Canada |
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| Rorate Mass in Vancouver, Canada |
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| Rorate Mass advertisment |
