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Hoc in situ interretiali ordinantur responsiones, explanationes, et decreta ex « Notitiae » aliisque interdum fontibus (ut AAS) deprompta. Finis est praestare textum originalem, versionem anglicam, et exemplar PDF paginarum pertinentium ex « Notitiae » vel alio fonte. Praesens igitur inceptum opusculum « Ordo Missae locis correspondentibus illustratus » aliquatenus extendit. Est enim labor imperfectus quem, cum operae mihi est, suscipio. Denique Reverendo domino Danieli Gill, domino Radosław Gosiewski, et domino Abram Córdova y Muenzberg, qui nonnullas ex responsionibus transcripserunt, gratias refero, item etiam domino Ioanni Oliveire dominaeque Cristae Mootz, qui in linguam anglicam responsiones quasdam verteri adiuvaverunt. Exemplaria PDF exstant etiam textuum nondum transcriptorum. This website organizes responses, explanations, and decrees from Notitiae and sometimes from other sources (such as AAS. The goal is to provide the original text, an English translation, and a PDF scan of the relevant pages from Notitiae or other source. In some ways, the project is a further development of my Cross-Referenced Ordo Missae. This is an ongoing prject which I work on in my spare time. I am also grateful for the help of Rev. Daniel Gill, Mr. Radosław Gosiewski, and Mr. Abram Córdova y Muenzberg in transcribing some of these responses and also to Mr. Johan Oliveire and Miss Crista Mootz for helping to translate certain responses into English. PDFs are available even for texts that have not yet been transcribed.
Fac Patrem Dylanum Schrader certiorem si habes proposita vel corrigenda. Contact Father Dylan Schrader with suggestions and corrections.
N.B. In « Notitiae » 1 (1965) et 2 (1966), supra responsa, invenitur monitio: Solutio quae proponitur nullam induit vestem officialem. Solummodo habet valorem orientativum: solutiones enim ex officio publici iuris fient, si casus fert, a competenti Auctoritate in « Acta Apostolicae Sedis ». N.B. In Notitiae 1 (1965) and 2 (1966), this notice appears above the responses: The solution which is proposed takes on no official character. It has only an orientative force; solutions will be published officially, if the case warrants, by the competent Authority in « Acta Apostolicae Sedis ».

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TextUnofficial English TranslationCitationTagsPDF of the original document

4. Utrum cerei seu candelae, quae in celebratione Missae super candelabra accensae ponendae sunt, congrua parte cerae apum vel olei olivarum aliarumque plantarum confici debeant.

℟. Institutio generalis Missalis romani cereos pro Missa praescribit « venerationis et festivae celebrationis causa » (nn. 79, 169), attamen nihil presius determinat circa materiam quibus confici debent, nisi pro lampade iuxta tabernaculum ponenda, quae oleo vel cera nutrienda est (cf. De sacra Communione et de cultu mysterii eucharistici extra Missam, Praenotanda generalia, n. 11).

Ergo valet pro cereis durante Missa accendendis facultas qua gaudent Conferentiae Episcopales seligendi materias aptas pro sacra supellectile, dummodo sint nobiles ac dignae iuxta mentem cuiusve populi et usui sacro apte respondeant. In cereis usui liturgico destinatis conficiendis materias [sic] adhibeantur quibus obtineri possit flamma viva, non fumosa nec faetida neque tobaleae aut stratus maculentur. Insuper ut rei veritas et plenior significatio lucis habeatur, vitandae sunt lampades vi electrica accensae.

4. Whether the candles which are to be placed upon candlestands and lighted in the celebration of Mass have to be made from an appropriate amount of beeswax or of olive oil or the oil of other plants.

℟. The Institutio generalis Missalis romani prescribes candles for Mass « venerationis et festivae celebrationis causa » (nn. 79, 169), but it does not make any more precise determination concerning the material from which they should be made, except for the lamp to be placed near the tabernacle, which should burn oil or wax (cf. De sacra Communione et de cultu mysterii eucharistici extra Missam, Praenotanda generalia, n. 11).

Therefore the faculty which the Episcopal Conferences enjoy of selecting appropriate materials for sacred furnishings applies also to candles lighted during Mass, as long as they are noble and worthy in the estimation of each people and correspond appropriately to sacred use. In making candles destined for liturgical use, materials should be used which produce a living flame without excess smoke or unpleasant odor and without staining the altar cloths. Moreover, in order to provide for the truth of the matter and the fuller significance of light, electric lights should be avoided.

Notitiae 10 (1974): 80, n. 4candlesPDF of Notitiae 10 (1974): 80

Utrum in offertorio ad altare ferri possint linteamina eiusdem cum candelabris in processione donorum?

℟ Negative.

Quoad celebrationis praeparationem, iuxta Institutionem Generalem Missalis Romani, n. 79: « Altare una saltem tobalea cooperiatur. Super ipsum vero aut circa ipsum duo saltem, vel etiam quattuor, aut sex, vel, si Episcopus dioecesis celebrat, septem candelabra cum cereis accensis ponantur ». Ex quo deducitur quod haec praeparata minime ad offertorium differenda sunt.

Ad offertorium (cf. n. 49 eiusdem Institutionis): « Imprimis altare, seu mensa dominica, quae centrum est totius liturgiae eucharisticae, praeparatur, cum corporale, purificatorium. [sic] Missale et calix, nisi ad abacum paratur, in eo collocantur. Oblationes deinde afferuntur: panis et vinum laudabiliter a fidelibus praesentantur, a sacerdote autem vel a diacono loco opportuno accipiuntur et super altare deponuntur comitantibus formulis statutis ». Notetur hic de tobalea ponenda nihil dicitur.

Animadvertitur in celebratione tantum Feriae VI Hebdomadae Sanctae altare, per exceptionem, sine ornamentis initio celebrationis, sit oportere; cf. Missale Romanum, Feria VI in Passione Domini, n. 2: « Altare omnino nudum sit: sine cruce, sine candelabris, sine tobaleis ». Post adorationem crucis, « super altare extenditur tobalea, et ponitur corporale et liber » (ibidem, n. 21).

Whether at the offertory, the altar linens with candles can be brought to the altar in the procession with the gifts?

℟ In the negative.

With regard to the preparation for the celebration, according to the Instiutio generalis Missalis romani, n. 79: « The altar should be covered with at least one cloth. And upon it or near it at least two, or even four or six, or, if the Bishop of the diocese celebrates, seven candle stands with lit candles should be placed ». From this it can be deduced that these preparations should not be defered to the offertory.

At the offertory (cf. n. 49 of the same Institutio): « Firstly, the altar, the table of the Lord, which is the center of the whole eucharistic liturgy, is prepared: a corporal, purificator, Missal, and, unless it is prepared at the credence table, the chalice are placed upon it. Then the offerings are brought forward. It is praiseworthy for the bread and wine to be presented by the faithful and received by the priest or by the deacon in an opportune place and placed upon the altar with the accompanying formulas ». It should be noted that nothing is said here about placing the cloth.

We should also pay attention to the fact that in the celebration of Good Friday alone would this be necessary, by way of exception, since the altar would be without decorations from the beginning of the celebration; cf. Missale Romanum, Feria VI in Passione Domini, n. 2: « The altar should be altogether bare: without cross, without candles, without cloths ». After the adoration of the cross, « the cloth is spread upon the altar, and the corporal and book are placed upon it » (ibidem, n. 21).

Notitiae 35 (1999): 456candles, linens, offertory, processionPDF of Notitiae 35 (1999): 456