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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

 
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

 
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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
 
 
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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a devotional ceremony celebrated within the Latin Rite
Latin Rite

The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This particular Church developed in western Europe and north Africa, where, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance, Latin was the principal language of education and culture, and so also of the liturgy....
 of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
, as well as in some Anglican Churches, Western Rite Orthodox churches, and Latinised
Liturgical Latinisation

Liturgical Latinisation, also known as Latinisation is the process by which liturgy and other aspects of the Churches of Eastern Christianity were altered to resemble more closely the practices of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church....
 Eastern Catholic Churches.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament begins with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament

The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a Catholic devotionsal name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Old Catholic and Anglican Churches, to refer to the Host and Precious Blood after they have been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist....
 (i.e., consecrated Host) in a monstrance
Monstrance

A monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican Churches to display the consecrated Eucharist Host , during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament....
 set upon the altar
Altar

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
. The liturgy
Liturgy

A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Mass , or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish Jewish services....
 includes singing
Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the human voice, which is often contrasted with regular speech. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist....
 the ancient Latin hymn
Hymn

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities, a prominent figure or an epic tale....
s written by St Thomas Aquinas, O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia

O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office....
 and Tantum Ergo
Tantum Ergo

Tantum ergo are the opening words of the last two verses of Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium, a Mediaeval Latin hymn written by St Thomas Aquinas....
, followed by the benediction
Benediction

A benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service....
 proper.






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Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a devotional ceremony celebrated within the Latin Rite
Latin Rite

The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This particular Church developed in western Europe and north Africa, where, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance, Latin was the principal language of education and culture, and so also of the liturgy....
 of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church, officially known as the Catholic Church is the world's largest Christianity Ecclesia , representing over half of all Christians and one-sixth of the world population....
, as well as in some Anglican Churches, Western Rite Orthodox churches, and Latinised
Liturgical Latinisation

Liturgical Latinisation, also known as Latinisation is the process by which liturgy and other aspects of the Churches of Eastern Christianity were altered to resemble more closely the practices of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church....
 Eastern Catholic Churches.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament begins with the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament

The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a Catholic devotionsal name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Old Catholic and Anglican Churches, to refer to the Host and Precious Blood after they have been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist....
 (i.e., consecrated Host) in a monstrance
Monstrance

A monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican Churches to display the consecrated Eucharist Host , during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament....
 set upon the altar
Altar

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
. The liturgy
Liturgy

A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Mass , or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish Jewish services....
 includes singing
Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the human voice, which is often contrasted with regular speech. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist....
 the ancient Latin hymn
Hymn

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities, a prominent figure or an epic tale....
s written by St Thomas Aquinas, O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia

O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office....
 and Tantum Ergo
Tantum Ergo

Tantum ergo are the opening words of the last two verses of Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium, a Mediaeval Latin hymn written by St Thomas Aquinas....
, followed by the benediction
Benediction

A benediction is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service....
 proper. The celebrant holds the monstrance wearing a humeral veil
Humeral veil

The humeral veil is one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. It consists of a piece of cloth about 2.75 m long and 90 cm wide draped over the shoulders and down the front, normally of silk or gold....
 covering his shoulders, arms and hands, and then bless
Bless

Bless may refer to:* Blessing, a religious pronouncement* Bless , a hip-hop artist from Montreal* Bless , a hip-hop artist from Brooklyn, NY...
es the faithful with the Blessed Sacrament by tracing the sign of the cross
Sign of the cross

The Sign of the Cross is a ritual hand motion made by members of most but not all branches of Christianity. It may be accompanied by the trinitarian formula....
 with the monstrance held steadily upright before him. The liturgy concludes with the Divine Praises
Divine Praises

The Divine Praises or Laudes Divin? is a Roman Catholic prayer and, in some Dioceses, is traditionally recited following the liturgy of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament....
 and Psalm 117 with the antiphon
Antiphon

An antiphon is a response, usually sung in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or some other part of a religious service, such as at Vespers or at a mass ....
, "Let us forever adore the Most Holy Sacrament."

Rite of Benediction


The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a solemn service, and as such the priest vests
Vestment

Vestments are liturgy garments and articles associated primarily with the Christianity religions, especially the Latin Rite and other Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutheran Churches....
 in cope
COPE

COPE may refer to:*The Council of Pacific Education , a regional branch of Education International , the global federation of teachers' trade unions....
 and stole
Stole

The stole is a liturgy vestment of various Christianity religious denomination. It consists of a band of colored cloth, formerly usually of silk, about seven and a half to nine feet long and three to four inches wide, whose ends may be straight or may broaden out....
. Altar server
Altar server

An altar server or Acolyte is a laity assistant to a member of the clergy during a religious service. Acolytes attend to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell, etc....
s will vest in cassock
Cassock

The cassock, an item of clerical clothing, is a long, close-fitting, ankle-length robe worn by clerics of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and some clerics of the Reformed, and Lutheran churches....
 and Surplice
Surplice

A surplice is a liturgy vestment of the Western Christianity Christian Church. The surplice is in the form of a tunic of white linen or cotton fabric, reaching to the knees or to the ankles, with wide or moderately wide sleeves....
.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament


The priest or deacon takes the consecrated host out of the tabernacle
Church tabernacle

A Tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . It is to be distinguished from a less obvious container, set into the wall, called an aumbry....
 and places it in the monstrance
Monstrance

A monstrance is the vessel used in the Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, and Anglican Churches to display the consecrated Eucharist Host , during Eucharistic adoration or Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament....
 (which has already been placed on the altar
Altar

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
) while the faithful sing O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia

O salutaris Hostia, "O Saving Host", is a section of one of the Eucharistic hymns written by St Thomas Aquinas for the Feast of Corpus Christi. He wrote it for the Hour of Lauds in the Divine Office....
. The faithful kneel at the moment of exposition.

Opening Prayer

When there is an extended adoration over the course of the day or days, an opening prayer suitable for the occasion collecting and offering the praise and the prayers of the faithful may be offered by the priest or deacon.

Adoration


Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is almost always done in silence. Where readings, songs, psalms, devotional prayers (such as the rosary
Rosary

The Rosary is a popular traditional Roman Catholic devotion. The term denotes both a set of prayer beads and the devotional prayer itself, which combines vocal prayer and meditation....
, litany
Litany

A litany, in Christian worship, is a form of prayer used in church services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes from the Latin litania, from the Greek language ??t? , meaning "prayer" or "supplication"....
 or a novena
Novena

Novena is the feminine form of the Medieval Latin word, novenus, "ninth", which is the ordinal number from novem, nine.In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of prayer said on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces....
 prayer) or a homily
Homily

A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In the Catholic Churches, the Anglican Communion, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word....
 are incorporated, there are still usually lengthy periods of sacred
SACRED

SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. It was the product of the work of about 50 students, ranging from college freshmen to Ph....
 silence
Silence

Silence is a relative or total lack of audible sound....
 for the faithful to be present to Christ in the Eucharist without distraction. Solemn Vespers
Vespers

Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Liturgy of the canonical hours....
 or Evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)

Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as Evensong, especially when the office is rendered choir ....
 is often sung in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Incensing


Bringing adoration to a close and in preparation for the benediction while all kneel, the priest or deacon incenses the exposed host while the faithful sing the Tantum Ergo
Tantum Ergo

Tantum ergo are the opening words of the last two verses of Pange Lingua Gloriosi Corporis Mysterium, a Mediaeval Latin hymn written by St Thomas Aquinas....
. This is followed by a versicle and response:

V/ Panem de Caelo praestitisti eis.
R/ Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

or

V/ Thou gavest [or You gave] them bread from heaven.
R/ Containing within itself all sweetness.

Benediction


After the incensing the priest prays the Collect
Collect

In Christianity liturgy, a collect [k?l?kt; kol-ekt'] is both a liturgical action and a short, general prayer. In the Middle Ages, the prayer was referred to in Latin as collectio, but in the more ancient sources, as oratio....
 of Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi (feast)

Corpus Christi is a Christianity Religious festival. Its purpose is to honour the Eucharist, and as such it does not commemorate a particular event in Jesus' life....
, then stands and dons the humeral veil
Humeral veil

The humeral veil is one of the liturgical vestments of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. It consists of a piece of cloth about 2.75 m long and 90 cm wide draped over the shoulders and down the front, normally of silk or gold....
, ascends to the altar and lifting the monstrance above his head traces a large cross.

Divine Praises


After the benediction the priest removes the humeral veil and, while kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, leads the faithful in the recitation or chanting of the Divine Praises
Divine Praises

The Divine Praises or Laudes Divin? is a Roman Catholic prayer and, in some Dioceses, is traditionally recited following the liturgy of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament....
.

Psalm


Psalm 117 is sung with the antiphon "Let us adore forever the most holy sacrament" while the priest returns the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle.

Adoration outside of Mass

Adventincense
The Blessed Sacrament is also adored by Roman Catholics and Anglo-Catholics outside of any liturgical rite. Some have cited reference to St. Basil in the fourth century , but Franciscan archives credit Saint Francis of Assisi
Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi was a friar and the founder of the Order of Friars Minor, more commonly known as the Franciscans.He is known as the patron saint of animals, the Natural environment and Italy, and it is customary for Catholic Church es to hold ceremonies honoring animals around his feast day of 4 October....
 (who died in 1226) for starting this devotion in Italy. The lay practice of adoration in France formally began in Avignon
Avignon

Avignon is a Communes of France in the Vaucluse Departments of France in southeastern France with an estimated mid-2004 population of 89,300 in the city itself and a population of 290,466 in the aire urbaine at the 1999 census....
 in September 1226. The adoration may also be nightly; e.g., the Venerable Leo Dupont
Leo Dupont

Venerable Leo Dupont , also known as "The Holy Man of Tours," or the "Apostle of the Holy Face", was a religious figure in the Roman Catholic faith who helped spread various Catholic devotions such as the devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and nightly Eucharistic Adoration....
 initiated nightly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Tours
Tours

Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire Departments of France.It is located on the lower reaches of the river River Loire, between Orl?ans and the Atlantic Ocean coast....
 in 1849, whence it spread within France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. There are religious orders of monks and nuns committed to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; some of their number (on a roster) always present in the chapel before the exposed Host.

The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass (extra-eucharistic devotion) is attested in numerous Catholic writings and inspirations; e.g., significant portions of the writings of the Venerable
Venerable

The Venerable is used as a style or epithet in several Christianity. It is also the common English language translation of a number of Buddhist titles....
 Concepcion Cabrera de Armida
Concepcion Cabrera de Armida

The Venerable Concepci?n Cabrera de Armida was a Mexican Roman Catholic mystic and writer.She is also referred to as Mar?a Concepci?n Cabrera Arias de Armida, sometimes as Conchita Cabrera de Armida or Conchita Cabrera Arias de Armida, and often simply as Conchita....
 are reportedly based on her adorations of the Blessed Sacrament . Cabrera de Armida did not represent her writings as interior locution
Interior locution

An interior locution is a mystical concept used by various religions, including the Roman Catholic Church. In an interior locution a person reportedly receives a set of ideas, thoughts, or visions from an outside spiritual source....
s or visions of Jesus and Mary
Visions of Jesus and Mary

Since the Crucifixion of Jesus of Jesus Christ in Calvary until today, a number of people have claimed to have had visions with Him and with the BVM in person....
 but as her meditations and inspirations during Eucharistic adoration
Eucharistic adoration

Eucharistic adoration is a practice in the Roman Catholic Church and in some Anglican churches, in which the Blessed Sacrament is exposed to and adored by the faithful....
.

Eastern Practice

Although the concept of the adoration of the Sacred Mysteries
Sacred Mysteries

The term sacred mysteries generally denotes the area of supernatural phenomena associated with a divinity or a religious belief....
 (Blessed Sacrament) outside of the context of Holy Communion is foreign to Eastern Christian
Eastern Christianity

Eastern Christianity refers collectively to the Christianity traditions and churches which developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Christianity in Africa and southern India over several centuries of religious antiquity....
 (Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic) sacramental theology
Theology

Theology is the study of the existence or attributes of a deity or gods, or more generally the study of religion or spirituality. It is sometimes contrasted with religious studies: theology is understood as the study of religion from an internal perspective , and religious studies as the study of religion from an external perspective....
, veneration takes place during the Divine Liturgy
Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine church tradition of Christian liturgy. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic Churches....
 even by those who are not receiving Communion. When the deacon
Deacon

Deacon is a role in the Christianity that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions....
 brings the chalice
Chalice (cup)

A chalice is a goblet intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for quaffing during a ceremony....
 out before the Communion of the Faithful, all either make a full prostration or bow
Bowing (social)

Bowing is the act of lowering the torso and head as a social gesture in direction to another person or symbol. It is most prominent in Oriental cultures but it is also typical of nobility and aristocracy in many countries and distinctively in Europe....
, depending upon the day. A second veneration may be said to take place after Commuion when the priest elevates the chalice
Elevation (Liturgy)

In Christian liturgy the Elevation is the ritual of raising the consecrated elements of Body of Christ and Blood of Christ during the celebration of the Eucharist....
 before taking it to the Table of Oblation.

Also, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, informally Presanctified Liturgy, is an Eastern Christianity liturgical service for the distribution of Eucharist on the weekdays of Great Lent....
, during the Great Entrance, as the priest carries the chalice and diskos (paten) to the Holy Doors, everyone prostrates themselves in veneration before the consecrated Gifts.

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