Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

This prayer is similar to the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart. This prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII in 1889 and included in his encyclical Annum sacrum.

Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thine altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart.

Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to Thy Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy towards the children of the race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: "Praise be to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever." Amen.

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Blessing of the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Dayton, Ohio

On April 26, Fr. Arnaud Rostand (District Superior of the Society of St. Pius X) came to bless the new chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Dayton, Ohio. A Solemn Mass was said by Fr. Rostand, and he was assisted by the pastor, Fr. Adam Purdy (deacon), and Fr. Michael McMahon (subdeacon) from La Salette Boys Academy.

For those unfamiliar with the consecration of a Church in the traditional site, please see the first part in my series of posts on the Consecration of a Church.  This is a blessing - not a consecration.

 

Image Sources: SSPX Website

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The Ceremonies of the Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner (1962): Part III

Continuing from my post on the Consecration of a Church using the 1962 Rubrics Part II, below is Part III (the final part) of that Consecration. I encourage you to read the post and then watch the entirety of the Consecration via videos of the Consecration of the Church of Sts Peter and Paul.

The Bishop then takes the cotton and dips it into the Chrism where he signs in the manner of a cross, that is on the tomb of the altar in which the relics will rest, and on the four corners, saying:

Let this sepulcher be consecrated and sanctified:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be unto this house.

The Bishop venerates the relics.

Under the altar of God, O Saints of God, you have received your habitation; intercede for us before the Lord Jesus Christ.

V. The Saints shall rejoice in glory.
R. And they shall be joyful in their beds.

Meanwhile the Bishop incenses the enclosed relics and takes the table or stone which will close the relics. He anoints the table in the sign of the cross under the crosses, saying:

Let this stone be consecrated and sanctified through this anointing and the blessing of God, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be unto thee.

Cement is set, lining the sides of the tomb where the stone will close. Under the altar of God I heard the voices of them that were slain saying: How long dost thou not defend our blood? And they received the divine response: You should wait for a little time, until the number of your brethren is filled up.

Another Antiphon:

The bodies of the Saints have been buried in peace: their names will live in eternity. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The Bishop says:

Let us pray. O God, who from the living union of all the Saints dost establish an eternal dwelling for thy majesty, give to thy building an increase of heavenly things; and grant that, when we embrace here with pious love these relics, we may be always assisted by their merits. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The Bishop sets the stone firmly in the cement over the tomb. The Bishop then makes the sign of the cross with holy Chrism over the stone, saying:

Let this altar be signed and sanctified: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

He imposes incense in the thurible saying:

Mayest thou be blessed by him in whose honor thou art to be burnt. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And he makes the sign of the cross over all:

Close to the altar of the temple stood an angel, having a golden censer in his hand: and there was given to him much incense; and its fragrant smoke ascended up in the sight of God. Alleluia.

Meanwhile he incenses the altar. When finished, he stands at the altar saying:

Let us pray. Let our prayers, we beseech thee, O Lord, be as incense in thy sight, and let the Christian people obtain copious benefits; so that whoever devoutly has offered to thee holy offerings on this altar or has received sacred things, may he both receive the necessities of this present life and also obtain at the same time the remission of all sins, and attain the grace of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

After this the Bishop sits, and the ministers wipe off the altar table with a linen cloth and the Bishop incenses over it. This done, the Bishop hands one of the Priests the cope he is wearing. He continues to incense around the altar until the consecration is carried out, except for the time the Bishop himself is incensed.

Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, O Lord.
V. The lifting up of my hands as and evening sacrifice.

This sung, the Bishop goes around the altar three times incensing, beginning at the right.

Jacob erected a stone in pledge, pouring oil upon the top of it; Jacob made a vow to God.

Psalm 83

How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God. For the sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest for herself where she may lay her young ones:  Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, O Lord: they shall praise thee for ever and ever. Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps, in the vale of tears, in the place which he hath set. For the lawgiver shall give a blessing, they shall go from virtue to virtue: the God of gods shall be seen in Sion. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God our protector: and look on the face of thy Christ.
For better is one day in thy courts above thousands. I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners. For God liveth mercy and truth: the Lord will give grace and glory. He will not deprive of good things them that walk in innocence: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

As the antiphons and psalms are being sung, the Bishop makes-five signs of the cross with the Catechumens Oil, in the middle and the four corners of the altar.

Let this stone be sanctified and consecrated, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to the honor of God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary and of all the Saints, and to the name and memory of Saints Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta. Peace be unto thee.

Then the Bishop intones the antiphon and is followed by the schola:

Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, O Lord.
V. The lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

The Bishop incenses the altar once and returns the thurible to the Priest.

Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.
Let the goodness of thy ineffable mercy be present, O Lord, and pour over this stone the aid of thy blessing and the virtue of thy anointing; so that, by thy bestowing, recompense may be returned to whosoever will offer a prayer. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The prayer finished, the Bishop intones the antiphon, followed by the schola:

Jacob, arising early, erected a stone in pledge, pouring oil upon the top of it: he made a vow to the Lord; truly this is a holy place, and I knew it not.

Psalm 91

It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High. To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night: Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery: with a canticle upon the harp. For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings: and in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice. O Lord, how great are thy works! thy thoughts are exceeding deep. The senseless man shall not know: nor will the fool understand these things. When the wicked shall spring up as grass: and all the workers of iniquity shall appear: That they may perish for ever and ever: But thou, O Lord, art most high for evermore. For behold thy enemies, O Lord, for behold thy enemies shall perish: and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shall be exalted like that of the unicorn: and my old age in plentiful mercy. My eye also hath looked down upon my enemies: and my ear shall hear of the downfall of the malignant that rise up against me. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God. They shall still increase in a fruitful old age: and shall be well treated, That they may shew, That the Lord our God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.

At the beginning of the antiphon, the Bishop again makes five signs of the cross on the altar.

Let this stone be sanctified and consecrated. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in honor of God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary, as well as of all the Saints, and to the name and memory of Saints Auxilius, Casta and Aucta. Peace be unto thee.

Then the Bishop intones the antiphon and is followed by the schola:

Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, O Lord.
V. The lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

The Bishop incenses the altar once, returns the thurible to the Priest, and says:

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

O Lord, be present at the dedication of this thy altar table, which has been anointed by us unworthy ones with holy oil, and pour onto it the virtue of thy benediction and sanctification. Who liveth and reignith with thee, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Another Oration

O God, almighty and eternal, by the strength of thy blessing make holy this altar which we though unworthy do consecrate in thy honor and in memory of Saints Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta; and show the gift of thine aid to all those who call upon thee here and who place their hopes in thee, that thou mayest vouchsafe to make always acceptable the offerings placed upon this altar, so that on it the power of the Sacraments and the answer to prayers may always be obtained. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen. 

Then the Bishop intones the antiphon, the schola following:

God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows

Psalm 44

My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak my works to the king; My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly. Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: pace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty,
With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully. Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the heals of the king's enemies. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God. hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Myrrh and stacte and cassia perfume thy garments, from the ivory houses: out of which the daughters of kings have delighted thee in thy glory. The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety. Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.
And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore. And the daughters of Tyre with gifts, yea, all the rich among the people. shall entreat thy countenance.
All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders, clothed round about with varieties.
After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: the), shall be brought into the temple of the king. Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth. They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

At the beginning of the antiphon, the Bishop again makes five signs of the cross on the altar saying:

Let this stone be sacntified and consecrated. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in honor of God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary, as well as of all of the Saints, and to the name and memory of Saint Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta. Peace be unto thee.

Then the Bishop intones the antiphon and is followed by the schola:

Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, O Lord.
V. The lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

The Bishop incenses the altar once and returns the thurible to the Priest.

Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.

May the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, descend upon this altar, that He may both sanctify the gifts of thy people and duly cleanse the hearts of those who partake. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The Bishop intones the antiphon, the schola follows:

The Lord hath sanctified his tabernacle: because this is the house of God, in which his name will be invoked, of which it is written: and my name shall be there, saith the Lord.

Psalm 45

Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.
Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea. Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength. The stream of the river taketh the city of God joyful: the most High hath sanctified his own tabernacle. God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early.
Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled.
The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector. Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth, making wars to cease even to the end of the earth.
He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire. Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

Meanwhile, the Bishop pours and spreads oil of Catachumens and Holy Chrism over the altar, rubbing it with linen, anointing it. This done, he intones the antiphon, the schola following:

Behold the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed. May my God cause thee to flourish as the sands of the sea: and may he give to thee the blessing of the dew of heaven.

Psalm 86

The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains: The Lord loveth the gates of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob. Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God. I will be mindful of Rahab and of Babylon knowing me. Behold the foreigners, and Tyre, and the people of the Ethiopians, these were there. Shall not Sion say: This man and that man is born in her? and the Highest himself hath founded her. The Lord shall tell in his writings of peoples and of princes, of them that have been in her. The dwelling in thee is as it were of all rejoicing.

At the end of the psalm the Bishop says:

Beloved brothers, let us pray that our God may bless and consecrate this stone, on which is poured the oil of holy anointing, for receiving the prayers of his people; and let that which is anointed by us be anointed in his name, so that he may receive the prayers of the people; and by this altar perfected through holy anointing, when we place upon it the propitiation of the holy rites, may we ourselves be made worthy propitiators of God. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with him and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, world without end. R. Amen.

The schola begins the antiphon: 

All thy walls shall be of precious stones, and the towers of Jerusalem shall be built of jewels.

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Sion.
Because he hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates, he hath blessed thy children within thee.
Who hath placed peace in thy borders: and filleth thee with the fat of corn.
Who sendeth forth his speech to the earth: his word runneth swiftly.
Who giveth snow like wool: scattereth mists like ashes.
He sendeth his crystal like morsels: who shall stand before the face of his cold?
He shall send out his word, and shall melt them: his wind shall blow, and the waters shall run.
Who declarers his word to Jacob: his justices and his judgments to Israel.
He hath not done in like manner to every nation: and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Responsory

This is Jerusalem, the great and heavenly city, adorned as the bride of the Lamb. * For she has become the true tabernacle, alleluia. V. Her gates shall not be closed by day, and there shall be no night in her. * For she has become.

Another Responsory

Thy streets, O Jerusalem, shall be paved with pure gold, alleluia, and there shall be sung in thee the canticle of joy, alleluia. * And all along thy streets every one shall say: alleluia, alleluia. V. With a glorious light shalt thou shine; and all the ends of the earth shall worship thee. * And all along.

The antiphon and responsory begun, the Bishop returns to the altar. He goes and anoints the twelve stone crosses in the church saying at each:

Let this temple be sanctified and consecrated: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in honor of God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary, as well as of all the Saints, and to the name and memory of [insert name of the saint for whom the Church is named]. Peace be unto thee.

After anointing each cross, he accepts the thurible and incenses it. The Bishop returns to the altar, and incenses the altar. He intones the antiphon and the schola continues

Moses built an altar to the Lord God, offering upon it burnt offerings and immolating sacrifices; he made an evening sacrifice in the odor of sweepers to the Lord God, in the sight of the children of Israel.

This finished he stands with his miter and says:

Beloved brothers, let us suppliants implore the mercy of God the Father almighty, so that he, having been implored by our voice, may sanctify by the blessing of the present service this altar which is meant to be imbued with spiritual sacrifices; and so that he may vouchsafe to bless and sanctify always the oblations of his servants placed on the altar in the zeal of holy devotion; and so that, appeased with spiritual incense, he who listens graciously and willingly may aid the prayers of his household.

Then he blesses the incense burning over the altar and says the verses:

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray. Lord God Almighty, before whom the hosts of angels stand with trembling, whose spiritual service is known to be fire, vouchsafe to regard, to bless, and to sanctify this creature of incense, so that all sickness, all infirmities, and all treacherous enemies may flee upon perceiving its odor, and may be separated from the creature formed in thine image, which thou hast redeemed by the precious blood of thy Son, so that he shall never be harmed by the bite of the wicked serpent. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

He sprinkles himself with blessed water. With his hand he fashions incenses in the five crosses of the altar, and over each of the five crosses, he places one cross made of a candle, so that the incense will burn to ashes. The candles are lit.

Alleluia. Come, O Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the tire of thy love.

From the hand of the Angel, fragrant smoke ascends up in the sight of the Lord.

Close to the altar of the temple stood an angel, having a golden censer in his hand: and there was given to him much incense; and its fragrant smoke ascended up in the sight of God. Alleluia.

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

Holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, merciful and propitious, graciously hear our humble prayers, and behold the burnt offering at this thy altar, which is not seen by visible tire, but, instilled with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, may it ascend in the odor of sweetness, and may the Holy Eucharist be a true cure for those receiving it for the attainment of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The burnt candles, incense, ashes and other things burnt are scraped off. The Bishop says:

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

Almighty God, in whose honor and also in honor of the most blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, and in the name and memory of thy Saints Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta, we though unworthy do consecrate this altar; O clement and merciful One, graciously hear our humble prayers, and grant that the offerings to thee at this altar table be acceptable, pleasing, rich, and always imbued with the dew of thy Holy Spirit; so that at all times in this place of supplication thou mayest for thy household relieve their fears, cure their illnesses, hear their prayers, receive their petitions, confirm their desires, and concede their requests. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Holy ghost, God. World without end. R. Amen.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up unto the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks unto the Lord our God.
R. It is meet and just so to do. 

It is truly meet and just, right and profitable, for us, at all times, and in all places, to give thanks unto thee, O Lord, the holy One, the Father almighty, everlasting God: and, so that we may give to thee the offices of service with more favorable care and with more attentive obedience, especially at this time, seeing that thou hast preferred the habitude of religious minds more than the decoration of wails, mayest thou deign to bless and sanctify this temple, in which mention is made of thy Saints Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta: For the reverence and honor of whom, we dedicate this altar in thy most holy name. O Lord, vouchsafe to bless and pour over this altar by means of heavenly sanctification the urgent prayers of these Saints. May thy Angels of light stand near, and may the Holy Spirit shine forth with brightness. May the altar of that grace belong to thee, whose altar was that which Abraham, the father of the Faith, built to sacrifice his son as a prefiguration of our redemption; which isaac established in the face of thy majesty; which Jacob, seeing a great vision, built to the Lord; so that here thou mayest graciously listen to prayers, here sanctify oblations, and here bless offerings, and here also distribute blessings. May this altar therefore be the eternal pledge of thy church, and may it be the table for the preparation of the heavenly and spiritual feast. Thou therefore, O Lord, bless by thine own mouth the hosts placed upon this altar and receive the sacrifices; and grant to us all, that by participating we may acquire eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us, from thy holy temple, which is in Jerusalem. Alleluia.

Psalm 67

Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face. As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness. Sing ye to God, sing a psalm to his name, make a way for him who ascendent upon the west: the Lord is his name. Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence, Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. God in his holy place: God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house: Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchers. O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert: The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sina, at the presence of the God of Israel. Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect. In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor. The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power. The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils. If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of gold. When he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon. The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain. Why suspect, ye curdled mountains? A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell: for there the Lord shall dwell unto the end. The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God. Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us. Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death. But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins. The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea: That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies; the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same. They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary. Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels. In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of israel. There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali. Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us. From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee. Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter thou the nations that delight in wars: ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power: give ye glory to God for israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds. God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Meanwhile, the Bishop anoints the front of the altar with Chrism.

Let us pray. O Lord, we humbly implore of thy majesty that thou vouchsafe to bless and sanctify powerfully this altar anointed by the pouring of holy unction for receiving the gifts of thy people, so that this altar, which has now been anointed by us unworthy ones, under the invocation of thy name, in honor of the most blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, and in memory of thy Saints Auxilius, Casta, and Aucta, may be pleasing to thee, and maintained in perpetuity; so that henceforth whatever holy oblation is placed thereon will become a worthy offering to thee; and so that the sacrifices here of all offerings may be graciously received by thee, holy Lord, and through them the bonds of our sins may be released, our stains blotted out, pardons obtained, and graces acquired, so that we may be worthy, in unity with thy Saints and the elect, to attain eternal life. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The Bishop anoints the sides of the altar table in the manner of a cross, and the inscripton, without the posts, the four corners as the sides, saying:

In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray. We humbly beseech thee, almighty and eternal God, through thy only begotten son Jesus Christ our Lord, that thou mayest sanctify by thy heavenly benediction this altar prepared for holy use; and even as thou hast accepted with wonderful graciousness the offering of Melchisedech the extraordinary Priest, in the same way vouchsafe to make always acceptable the gifts placed upon this new altar, so that thy people, who will assemble in this holy house of the Church, may obtain salvation through these offerings by heavenly sanctification and may also obtain the eternal health of their souls. Through the same Christ, our Lord. R. Amen.

The Subdeacon then diligently cvers the main altar with a cloth; and the Bishop goes to his seat near the altar. This done, the Subdeacon, or acolyte, presents the Bishop with the new altar cloths and ornaments, vases and other items for the cult of God and the Church, and which pertain to the consecrated altar. The Bishop says the following:

Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord be with you.
R. And also with you.

Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, who hast created from the beginning all mannerly things useful and necessary for men, and who hast desired temples made by the hand of men to be dedicated to thy holy name and to be called places of thy habitation, and who hast decreed through thy servant Moses to be made Pontifical, Priestly and Levitical vestments, and other diverse decorations for cult and for decorating thy tabernacle and altar: graciously hear our prayers, and vouchsafe to purify, bless, sanctify, and consecrate through our humble service all these diverse types of ornaments for the use of this thy church and altar prepared for thy honor and glory; so that they may be fitting for the divine cult and holy mysteries of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, and so that they may worthily be useful for the servants confecting the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. R. Amen.

All aresprinkled with holy water. Those things to be used on the altar and blessed are set on it. The Bishop intones the first antiphon, followed by the schola:

Surround, O Levites, the altar of thy Lord God, and clothe it with white raiment, and ye shall be singing a new hymn, saying Alleluia. V. God is wonderful in his Saints, and holy in all his works. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Surround Sion and encompass her, tell ye her wonders in her towers. V. Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

The Lord hath clad thee with a garment of joy, and hath set a crown on thy head. * And he hath adorned thee with holy ornaments. V. Thou shalt shine with a glorious light, and all the ends of the earth shall worship before thee. * And he hath adorned. V. Nations from afar shall come to thee, and bringing gifts shall adore the Lord; and they shall esteem thy land as holy, and shall call upon thy great name. * And he hath adorned. V. Blessed shall they be that build thee up; but thou shalt rejoice in thy children. because they shall be all blessed, and shall be gathered together to the Lord. * And he hath adorned.

Under the covert of thy wings, protect us, O Lord, and let us glory in thy praise.

Psalm 62

O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways! In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory. For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise. Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands. Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning: because thou hast been my helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings: my soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me. But they have sought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth: They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes. But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things. Glory be, etc. As it was, etc.

Let all the earth adore thee, and sing to thee: let it sing a psalm to thy name, O Lord.

While this is sung, the Bishop incenses over the altar three times. Then he says:

Let us pray. May the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, descend upon this altar, that He may both sanctify the gifts of thy people and duly cleanse the hearts of those who partake. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Let us pray. Almighty, eternal God, sanctify by the power of Thy heavenly blessing this altar, dedicated to Thy name, and show the blessing of Thine assistance unto all who hope in Thee, that both the power of the sacraments and the effect of prayer may here be obtained. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.

The Bishop returns to the sacristy where he or a priest begins to vest for Mass. Meanwhile the ornaments of the church are put in their proper places and the candles over the altar are lit.

Introit: Gen. 28: 17

Terrible is this place: it is the house of God, and the gate of heaven; and shall be called the court of God. Ps. 83, 2, 3. How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts: my soul longish and faintish for the courts of the Lord. V. Glory.

Collect

O God, Who dost invisibly contain all things, and yet dost visibly show the signs of Thy power for the salvation of mankind, illumine this temple by the virtue of Thine indwelling, and grant that all who assemble here to pray, from whatsoever tribulation they shall call upon Thee, may obtain the blessings of Thy consolation. Through our Lord.

Epistle: Apocalypse 21: 2-5

In those days, I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God with men; and He will dwell with them: and they shall be His people, and God Himself with them shall be their God: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away. And He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

Gradual

This place was made by God a priceless mystery, it is without reproof. V. O God, before Whom stands the choir of angels, hear the prayers of Thy servants.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia. V. Ps. 137: 2. I will worship toward Thy holy temple; and I will give glory to Thy name. Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 19: 1-10

At that time, Jesus entering in, walked through Jericho. And behold there was a man named Zachaeus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich; and he sought to see Jesus Who He was, and he could not for the crowd, because he was of low stature. And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore-tree that he might see Him, for He was to pass that way, And when Jesus was come to the place, looking up, He saw him, and said to him, Zachaeus, make haste and come down, forties day I must abide in thy house. And he made haste and came down, and received Him with joy. And when all saw it, they murmured, saying that He was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner. But Zachaeus standing, said to the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wronged any man of anything, I restore him fourfold. Jesus said to him, This day is salvation come to this house; because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Offertory: 1 Paral. 29: 17, 18

O Lord God, in the simplicity of my heart, I have joyfully offered all these things; and I have seen with great joy Thy people, which are present: O God of Israel, keep this will. Alleluia.

Secret

O God, Who art the author of the gifts that are to be consecrated to Thee, pour forth Thy blessing upon this house of prayer, that the help of Thy defense may be felt by all who here invoke Thy name. Through our Lord.

Communion: Matt. 21: 13

My house shall be called the house of prayer, saith the Lord; every one that asks therein, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.

Postcommunion

We pray Thee, O almighty God, that in this place, which we, unworthy, have dedicated to Thy name, the ears of Thy loving-kindness may be inclined unto all who make their petitions. Through our Lord.

Image Sources: Photos in this post are from the Consecration of our Lady of the Assumption in 2011 by Bishop Fellay from the website of the SSPX

Related Posts:

• Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner: Part I
• Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner: Part II
• Consecration of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter's Seminary Chapel in the Traditional Rite

Read more >>

The Ceremonies of the Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner (1962): Part II

Continuing from my post on the Consecration of a Church using the 1962 Rubrics Part I, below is Part II of that Consecration. Instead of incorporating images of the ceremony into the post, I encourage you to read the post and then watch the entirety of the Consecration via videos of the Consecration of the Church of Sts Peter and Paul.

I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

Psalm 42

Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.
For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off?
And why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?
Send forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.
And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.
To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad,
O my soul? And why dost thou disquiet me?
Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Intoning the beginning of the antiphon, the Bishop blesses himself with the Gregorian water and makes the sign of the cross in the middle cross of the altar, saying:

Let this altar be sanctified to the honor of God almighty, of the glorious Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, and to the name and memory of Saints Auxilius, Casta and Aucta. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be unto thee.

Then he does the same with the water on the crosses on the four corners of the altar. Sanctificetur hoc altare etc. He makes the first cross on the right rear side of the altar, that is where the gospel is said, the second on the left part before the first transverse, the third on the opposite side and the fourth on the left rear transverse, in this manner:

Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.

That singular atoning offered on the altar of the cross for redeeming us, in prefiguration of which Patriarch Jacob erected a stone in pledge, in order that a sacrifice be made and an oracle of the gate of heaven be opened above it; as supplicants to Thee, Lord, we pour out our prayers, so that the polished material of this stone, to be imbued with the supernal sacrifices, Thou Thyself command to be endowed with the fruitfulness of Thy sanctification, who once wrote the law on stony tablets. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The prayer finished, the Bishop sprinkles the altar table seven times.

Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, O Lord, and I shall be cleansed: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Psalm 50

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.
And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.
Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the second antiphon:

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee:
that thou mayst be justified in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art judged.
For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the third antiphon:

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the fourth antiphon:

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the fifth antiphon.

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.
Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the sixth antiphon:

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.
For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it:
with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.>

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the altar, sprinkling it. Finishing the verses, the Bishop begins the seventh antiphon.

Thou shalt sprinkle me....

Deal favorably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion;
that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings:
then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around a seventh time, sprinkling.

Afterwards he goes around the interior of the church three times, sprinkling at the same time with the blessed water. At the end of the verse the schola sings the Antiphon:

This is the house of the Lord firmly built: it has been well founded upon a firm rock.

Psalm:
I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.

After beginning the Antiphon, the Bishop goes to the rear of the main altar, proceeding to the right part. He goes around the inside of the church, sprinkling the lower part near the floor, returning to the altar whence he started.

The schola begins the next antiphon:

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.

Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.

For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.
Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love thee.
Let peace be in thy strength: and abundance in thy towers.
For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbors, I spoke peace of thee.
Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee.
Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; and let them that hate him flee from before his face.

Psalm 67

In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel. There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali. Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us. From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee. Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter the nations that delight in wars: ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God. Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power: give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds. God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.

Meanwhile, the Bishop sprinkles the walls a second time, at face level.

The schola sings the Antiphon:

He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.

Psalm 90

He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust. For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word. He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust. His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night. Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked. Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge. There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling. For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon. Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him. I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.

Meanwhile the Bishop goes around the church a third time, sprinkling the walls, higher than the second time, returning to the place where he started. This done, he sprinkles on the floor of the church, beginning at the altar and going through the middle of the church to the principle door, then through both transverses.

The schola sings the following three antiphons with verses:

My house shall be called the house of prayer. V. I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house. V. And the place where thy glory dwelleth. This is no other than the house of God, and the gate of heaven.

When the antiphon and sprinkling are finished, the Bishop in the middle of the church facing the main altar, the schola begins the following antiphon:

Jacob saw a ladder, touching the heights of heaven, and angels descending from it, and he said: Truly this place is holy.

The Bishop sprinkles water on the floor in the middle of the church, turning east, west, north, and then south. When the antiphon is finished, the Bishop says:

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

O God, who sanctifiest the places dedicated in thy name, pour thy grace upon this house of prayer, and let the aid of thy mercy be felt by all here who invoke thy name. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

O God of sanctification, almighty ruler, whose goodness is perceived to be without limit; O God, who encompasses at the same time both heavenly and earthly things, preserving thy mercy for thy people walking before the sight of thy glory; hear the prayers of thy servants, that thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night; and also dedicate, O most clement one, this basilica in honor of the holy and most victorious Cross, and as a memorial of thy Saint Francis de Sales instituted for the purpose of the sacred mysteries; illumine it, O merciful one; make it bright with fitting splendor; and be pleased to admit every man coming to adore thee in this place; deign to look upon us mercifully; and, by thy great name, and thy strong hand, and thy lofty arm, freely protect the supplicants in this thy tabernacle; deign to hear them; and save them with thy eternal defense: so that always happy and always rejoicing in thy religion, in the constant confession of the Holy Trinity, they may preserve the Catholic Faith. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God.

The Bishop stands facing the door and says the preface:

World without end.
R. Amen.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up unto the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is meet and just so to do.

It is truly meet and just, right and profitable, for us, at all times, and in all places, to give thanks to thee, O Lord, the holy One, the Father almighty, everlasting God; be present through our prayers; be present through the sacraments; be present also through the pious works of thy servants, and through our entreaties for thy mercy. Upon this thy church, which we though unworthy consecrate under the invocation of thy holy name, in honor of the holy cross on which thy coeternal Son our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to suffer for the redemption of the world, and in memory of thy [insert name of saint in whose honor the Church is named], let thy Holy Spirit also descend, redounding in the fruitfulness of his sevenfold grace; so that, as often as thy holy name is invoked in this house, the prayers of those who call upon thee may be graciously heard by thee, holy Lord. O blessed and holy Trinity, who purifies all, cleanses all, and adorns all. O blessed majesty of God, which fills all, contains all, and orders all. O blessed and holy hand of God, which sanctifies all, blesses all, and enriches all. O God, Holy of Holies, we beseech thy mercy by the most humble devotion, so that thou may vouchsafe to purify, bless, and consecrate by the perpetual fullness of thy holiness this thy church through our humble service, in honor of the holy and most victorious cross and in memory of thy Saint Francis de Sales. Here also may priests offer sacrifices of praise to thee. Here may the vows of the faithful people be offered. Here may the burdens of sins be released, and the fallen faithful restored. In this thy house, we therefore beseech thee, O Lord, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, may the sick be healed, the infirm recuperate, the lame walk, the lepers be cleansed, the blind illuminated, and the demons cast out. Here, let the discomforts of all infirmities be driven away by thee, O Lord, and the bonds of all sins be absolved; so that all, who enter this church righteously praying for benefits, may rejoice in all that which they seek; so that, thy mercy having been granted, for which they pray, they may glory in the perpetual gift of thy compassion. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

The Bishop proceeds to the altar, where he blesses the cement that is mixed with the blessed water.

The Lord be with thee. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. O most high God, who guards the heights, and the middle, and the depths, and who encloses every creature encircled within, sanctify and bless these creatures of limestone and sand. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The blessed cement is reserved, but the residual water is poured out of the basin around the foot of the altar.

The Bishop then proceeds to the place where the relics were kept from the previous night

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

Take away from us all our iniquities, we beseech thee, O Lord; that, being made pure in heart we may be worthy to enter into the Holy of Holies. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Then the Bishop goes into the same place with the priests and the clergy, while the schola sings the following antiphons:

O how glorious is the kingdom, wherein all the Saints rejoice with Christ; clothed in white robes, they follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.

Another Antiphon:

Be moved, you Saints of God, from your abodes, and hasten to the places which have been prepared for you.

Another Antiphon:

Behold the people keeping judgment and doing truth; in thee have they hoped, O Lord, unto eternity.

Another Antiphon:

The way of the Saints has been made straight, and their path has been prepared.

Psalm 94

Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our savior.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his.
For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us.
For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
To day if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts:
As in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Where your father tempted me, they proved me and saw my works.
Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart.
And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. 

Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
R. Arise.

Make us, we beseech thee, O Lord, worthy to touch the parts of thy Saints especially consecrated to thee, whose patronage we desire continually to have.
R. Amen.

The procession with the relics goes out. The Bishop sings the incipit of the Antiphon; the schola continues and all join in:

With cheerfulness, you will go out, and with joy you will be led: for the mountains and hills will spring up, expecting you with joy. Alleluia.

Another Antiphon:

Arise, Saints of God, from your abodes; and sanctify these places, bless the people, and watch over us sinners in peace.

Another Antiphon:

Walk, Saints of God, and enter into the city of the Lord, for a new church has been built for you, where the people ought to worship the majesty of the Lord.

Another Antiphon:

For this is the kingdom of the heavens, where they despised the life of the world, and they looked forward to the rewards of the kingdom, and they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

At the door of the church to be consecrated, the schola remains, singing the preceding antiphons. The Bishop and others process around the outside of the church with the relics. The people follow and say:

When this is done, the Bishop sits before the doors of the church where a sermon is spoken to the people.

Dearly beloved brethren:

The Sacred Canons, the civil laws, the religious sense of the generality of the faithful, sufficiently declare what reverence is due to churches and places consecrated to God. For it is in consecrated Basilicas only that sacrifice may be offered to the Lord, by Whose command Moses consecrated the Tabernacle with the altar and table, the brazen vessels, and other utensils for the purposes of Divine worship, and we further learn from Holy Writ, that not only did he consecrate the Tabernacle, but that he anointed it with oil. In this Tabernacle none others but the consecrated Priests and the Levites, clad in sacred garments, performed their mystic functions, and offered sacrifices for the people. In after times the Christian Roman Emperors showed no less reverence for the Basilicas they had founded than did the Jewish Kings for the Temple of Solomon, excluding therefrom the noise and bustle of secular business, so that the house of prayer might be devoted to no other purpose. They further attached to them such privileges and immunities, that every sacrilegious violation thereof was visited with the most severe punishments. For it did not seem to them right that the dwelling of the Most High God should be exposed to sacrilegious outrage, or that, to use the words of very Truth, it should become a "den of thieves." It is a place of refuge, a harbor for the shipwrecked, where they may ride at anchor in safety from the storm. Hither do they come that ask for favors, and their lawful prayers are granted. Hither do those doomed to die flee for refuge, and by the entreaties of the Priests obtain the pardon of their evil deeds. You will, therefore, dearest brethren, enter the churches dedicated to God with great reverence, and offer therein to the Lord the sacrifice of a heart cleansed from guilt. This church you have founded, to which the Supreme Pontiffs have granted privileges, and which you have humbly besought us to consecrate, is one of these Basilicas. Now we, yielding to your reasonable petition, do consecrate it in honor of God Almighty, of Blessed Mary ever Virgin, and of all the Saints, and in the memory of St. Francis de Sales. In the altar thereof we have determined, with God's blessing, to place the Relics of Saints Auxilius, Casta and Aucta, and all who devoutly visit them may obtain a partial indulgence.

I further remind you, dearest brethren, that you should pay to the full to the Priests and churches the tithes which are a tribute to God. The Lord claims them for Himself, in token of His universal dominion. Listen to St. Augustine:

Tithes are a tribute paid for the need of our souls. If you pay tithes, you shall be rewarded, not only with increase of store, but with health of soul and body. For it is not gain, but a token of subjection God requires at our hands. He, our God, Who has been pleased to bestow upon us all we have, is content to receive from us a tenth in return, not for His own, but for our advantage. But if it be sinful to be slow in paying, how much greater the guilt of withholding them? Pay the tithe of what accrues to you from military service, from your trade or handicraft. For as by paying tithes you ensure to yourself both earthly and heavenly rewards, why should you suffer covetousness to rob yourself of a twofold blessing? For God's dealings are most fair; if you refuse Him the tithe, He will strip you of all but a tithe. You shalt yield perforce to a brutal soldier what you withhold from the Priest; the public treasury will swallow up what has been refused Christ. 'Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord,' by the Prophet, 'and I will turn to you. And you have said, wherein shall we turn? Shall a man rob God? Yet do you rob Me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and first- fruits. Ye are cursed with dearth, for you have robbed Me, even the whole nation of you. Bring all the tithes into My storehouse, let there be food in My house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord, if I will not open unto you the flood-gates of the heavens and pour out unto you a blessing until there be not room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your land, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of Armies. And all nations shall call you blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, saith the Lord of Hosts."

Let us then beware of God's anger, and pay tithes as the tribute due to God, nor forego the rewards we look for, for a momentary profit. Allow, then, dearest brethren, these truths to sink deep into your minds, and cheerfully put them into practice, that so ye may deserve eternal good things in reward of temporal benefactions.

The Archdeacon reads the following decree of the holy Council of Trent: Session XXV., Chap. XII., On Reformation

"Those are not to be borne who, by various artifices, endeavor to withhold the tithes accruing to the churches; nor those who rashly take possession of, and apply to their own use, the tithes which have to be paid by others, whereas the payment of tithes is due to God; and they who refuse to pay them, or hinder those who give them, usurp the property of another. Wherefore, the holy Synod enjoins on all, of whatsoever rank and condition they be, to whom it belongs to pay tithes, that they henceforth pay in full the tithes, to which they are bound in law, to the cathedral church, or to whatsoever other churches or persons they are lawfully due. And they who either withhold them, or hinder them from being paid, shall be excommunicated; nor be absolved from this crime, until after full restitution has been made. It further exhorts all and each, that, of their Christian charity, and the duty which they owe to their own pastors, they grudge not, out of the good things that are given them by God, to assist bountifully those Bishops and Parish Priests who preside over the poorer churches; to the praise of God, and to maintain the dignity of their own pastors who watch for them."

Lord, have mercy.

The Bishop stands and turns to the east, saying:

Let us pray.
Let us kneel. R. Arise.

We beseech thee, O Lord, to come into thy house with mercy; and build for thyself a perpetual abode in the hearts of thy faithful people; and grant that this house, which exists with solemnity by thy dedication, may be made exalted by thy habitation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Bishop dips cotton in the Holy Chrism and signs the door of the church in the manner of a cross, saying:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. O Door, be blessed, sanctified, consecrated, sealed, and commemorated to the Lord God; O Door, be an entrance of salvation and of peace; O Door, be a peaceful entrance, through Him, who called Himself the Door, Jesus Christ our Lord, who together with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, God, world without end. R. Amen.

The priests lift the bier with the relics and enter in the church processing with the clerics and people. The Bishop begins the following antiphon and is joined by the schola:

Enter in, O Saints of God, for a dwelling-place for you has been prepared by God: and indeed, the faithful people joyfully follow your way; that you may pray for us before the majesty of the Lord. Alleluia.

Another Antiphon:

The souls of the saints rejoice in heaven, who followed the footsteps of Christ; and because they shed their blood for love of him, thus with Christ they rejoice exceedingly without end.

When coming to the altar where the relics will be set, the relics in the bier are set near the altar with lit torches near them. The Bishop stands before the altar and begins the following antiphon:

The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.

Psalm 149

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
The high praises of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
To execute vengeance upon the nations, chastisements among the people:
To bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron.
To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints.

Psalm 150

Praise ye the Lord in his holy places: praise ye him in the firmament of his power.
Praise ye him for his mighty acts: praise ye him according to the multitude of his greatness.
Praise him with sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy:
let every spirit praise the Lord.

The Bishop turns to the altar and says:

Let us pray. O God, who in each place of thy dominion dost stand near as a merciful and benign consecrator, graciously hear us, we beseech thee, and grant that the consecration of this place may remain inviolable; and may the community of the faithful, which prays to thee, be deemed worthy to receive the benefits of thy gifts. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

Related Posts:

• Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner: Part I
• Consecration of a Church in the Traditional Manner: Part III
• Consecration of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter's Seminary Chapel in the Traditional Rite

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I wish to make available to my readers the following series of videos. These videos include commentary throughout by EWTN reporters allowing you to observe and better understand the ceremonies surrounding the Consecration of a Church. The following series of videos depict the Consecration of the Seminary Chapel of Ss. Peter and Paul in the Traditional Rite.

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Update: View the videos here!

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