Ascéndit Simon Petrus, et traxit rete in terram, plenum magnis píscibus centum quinquagínta tribus...

Today is Easter Wednesday, the fourth day within the Octave of Easter. For the first time in ages Dawn hasn't appeared with a cloak of rainshowers, although a band of cloud in the East has obscured much of her glory. I shall try the audio at Barroux again in the hope that it 'works' i.e. without lots of ambient noise and some organ-playing leading to a delayed beginning of the Mass which results in the Communion being unrecorded-- secure however in the knowledge that the video recording is eminently serviceable for the hearing of the chant.

I left the monastery over thirty years ago and only have vague recollections of the liturgical arrangements therein but do recall that today's Introit is one of the more beautiful in the repertoire: Venite benedicti patris mei, percipite regnum, alleluia, quod vobis paratum est ab origine mundi, alleluia, alleluia. This is from the Proper of the diocese of Angers, the Introit of Saint Maurice. 

Statio ad S. Laurentium extra muros

Today we honour St Lawrence, the Cross-bearer of the Roman Church, as though to express our gratitude for the favour shown by him to the catechumens in bringing them to the grace of holy baptism. The Introit and the Offertory of the Mass bear special reference to these new sons of the Church, the Benedicti of the divine Father, now brought into the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ and admitted to the participation of the bread of angels.

The Introit is from St Matthew (24,34), and joyfully acclaims the neophytes. They are the Benedicti, those to whom the benediction of the Father is promised as a heritage. To this blessing is attached the possession of a kingdom, that is to say, the Church of Christ in its three aspects, the militant, the purificative, and the triumphant. The being admitted into the Church by baptism signifies that we have
taken the first step on the way of our predestination. It rests then with us in no way to thwart God’s wondrous design towards us.
"Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom, alleluia, which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia." Psalm 95: "Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle; sing to the Lord all the earth." (Liber Sacramentorum)

M l'Abbé is celebrating Holy Mass at Saint-E. this morning.

Introitus. Matth. 25, 34. 19:50 Veníte, benedícti Patris mei, percípite regnum, allelúja: quod vobis parátum est ab orígine mundi, allelúja, allelúja, allelúja. Ps. 95, 1. Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: cantáte Dómino, omnis terra. ℣. Glória Patri.

The Kyrie at Barroux begins at 23:10, and the Gloria at 25:10.

Oratio. Deus, qui nos Resurrectiónis Domínicæ ánnua solemnitáte lætíficas: concéde propítius; ut per temporália festa, quæ ágimus, perveníre ad gáudia ætérna mereámur. Per eúndem Dóminum.

Léctio Actuum Apostolorum.
Act. 3, 13-15 et 17-19. 29:15
In diébus illis: Apériens Petrus os suum, dixit: Viri Israelítæ, et qui timétis Deum, audíte. Deus Abraham et Deus Isaac et Deus Jacob, Deus patrum nostrórum, glorificávit Fílium suum Jesum, quem vos quidem tradidístis et negástis ante fáciem Piláti, judicánte illo dimítti. Vos autem sanctum et justum negástis, et petístis virum homicídam donári vobis: auctórem vero vitæ interfecistis, quem Deus suscitávit a mórtuis, cujus nos testes sumus. Et nunc, fratres, scio, quia per ignorántiam fecístis, sicut et príncipes vestri. Deus autem, quæ prænuntiávit per os ómnium Prophetárum, pati Christum suum, sic implévit. Pænitémini ígitur et convertímini, ut deleántur peccáta vestra.

Graduale. Ps. 117, 24 et 16. 31:45 Hæc dies, quam fecit Dóminus: exsultémus et lætámur in ea. ℣. Déxtera Dómini fecit virtútem, déxtera Dómini exaltávit me.

Allelúja, allelúja. ℣. Luc. 24, 34. 34:49 Surréxit Dóminus vere: et appáruit Petro.

The Sequentia at Barroux is begun at 36:12.

Víctimæ pascháli laudes ímmolent Christiáni.
Agnus rédemit oves: Christus ínnocens Patri reconciliávit peccatóres.
Mors et vita duéllo conflixére mirándo: dux vitæ mórtuus regnat vivus.
Dic nobis, María, quid vidísti in via?
Sepúlcrum Christi vivéntis et glóriam vidi resurgéntis.
Angélicos testes, sudárium et vestes.
Surréxit Christus, spes mea: præcédet vos in Galilǽam.
Scimus Christum surrexísse a mórtuis vere: tu nobis, victor Rex, miserére.
Amen. Allelúia.

The day's first rain began at some point during the chanting of the Gospel at Barroux, and was done by its end.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangéliisecúndum Joánnem.
Joann. 21, 1-14. 37:53
In illo témpore: Manifestávit se íterum Jesus discípulis ad mare Tiberíadis. Manifestávit autem sic. Erant simul Simon Petrus et Thomas, qui dícitur Dídymus, et Nathánaël, qui erat a Cana Galilǽæ, et fílii Zebedǽi et álii ex discípulis ejus duo. Dicit eis Simon Petrus: Vado piscári. Dicunt ei: Venímus et nos tecum. Et exiérunt et ascendérunt in navim: et illa nocte nihil prendidérunt. Mane autem facto, stetit Jesus in lítore: non tamen cognovérunt discípuli, quia Jesus est. Dixit ergo eis Jesus: Púeri, numquid pulmentárium habétis? Respondérunt ei: Non. Dicit eis: Míttite in déxteram navígii rete, et inveniétis. Misérunt ergo: et jam non valébant illud tráhere præ multitúdine píscium. Dixit ergo discípulus ille, quem diligébat Jesus, Petro: Dóminus est. Simon Petrus cum audísset, quia Dóminus est, túnica succínxit se (erat enim nudus), et misit se in mare. Alii autem discípuli navígio venérunt (non enim longe erant a terra, sed quasi cúbitis ducéntis), trahéntes rete píscium. Ut ergo descendérunt in terram, vidérunt prunas pósitas, et piscem superpósitum, et panem. Dicit eis Jesus: Afférte de píscibus, quos prendidístis nunc. Ascéndit Simon Petrus, et traxit rete in terram, plenum magnis píscibus centum quinquagínta tribus. Et cum tanti essent, non est scissum rete. Dicit eis Jesus: Veníte, prandéte. Et nemo audébat discumbéntium interrogáre eum: Tu quis es? sciéntes, quia Dóminus est. Et venit Jesus, et áccipit panem, et dat eis, et piscem simíliter. Hoc jam tértio manifestátus est Jesus discípulis suis, cum resurrexísset a mórtuis.

The Credo is begun at Barroux at 43:30.

Yesterday the Offertory reminded the neophytes of the holy font in which they were regenerated; today, on the other hand, it calls to their minds the eucharistic banquet to which they have been admitted. Psalm 77,44: "The Lord opened the doors of heaven, and rained down manna upon them to eat: He gave them the bread of heaven: man ate the bread of angels, alleluia." The bread of angels becomes the food of man; not that heavenly things should be formed after the pattern of earthly ones, but in order that man through its life-giving power may be raised to emulate the sanctity of the angels. (Liber Sacramentorum)

Offertorium. Ps. 77, 23-25. 48:00 Portas cœli apéruit Dóminus: et pluit illis manna, ut éderent: panem cœli dedit eis: panem Angelórum manducávit homo, allelúja.

Secreta. Sacrifícia, Dómine, paschálibus gáudiis immolámus: quibus Ecclésia tua mirabíliter et páscitur et nutrítur. Per Dóminum.

The Sanctus is begun at Barroux at 56:02 and the Agnus Dei at 1:08:10.

The rain has begun yet again-- as the Barroux recording reached the Christus resurgens-- with Phoebus having disappeared in mild dudgeon behind the screen of grey cloud.

An appropriate place to note that I have heard (and seen, I guess, although I chiefly listen rather than watch the video recordings from Saint-E.) new voices in the Schola, which is a good thing! so long as  'old voices' haven't disappeared without good cause (inter alia, responsibilities of family and work change, people move to different towns, and so forth). 

Communio. Rom. 6, 9. 1:13:25 Christus resúrgens ex mórtuis jam non móritur, allelúja: mors illi ultra non dominábitur, allelúja, allelúja.

Postcommunio. 1:16:01 Ab omni nos, quǽsumus, Dómine, vetustáte purgátos: sacraménti tui veneránda percéptio in novam tránsferat creatúram: Qui vivis et regnas.

LDVM