A Year of Anniversaries
Henry IX, whose 200th anniversary of deathwe celebrate in 2007.
Happy New Year!
Last night, as reported by the dúnadan, we had, for the first time, a Midnight Mass in the parish. Much to my amazement, there were about 400 people there - many of whom I had not seen before. The most dramatic moment was giving Benediction at the stroke of Midnight, surrounded by the sound of London's firework extravaganza. At the end of the Mass we sang the indulgenced Veni Creator - not the easiest Latin hymn to sing en masse but people seemed to know it, which is always pleasing.
The Year of Our Lord 2007 is the year of the:
- 1600th anniversary of the death of St John Chrysostom.
- Millennial celebrations of the diocese of Bamburg, founded by St Henry in 1007.
- 800th birthday of St Elizabeth of Hungary.
- 750th anniversary on 15 August of the death of St Hyacinth, OP.
- 550th anniversary on 22 May of the death of St Rita of Cascia.
- 500th anniversary on 2 April of the death of St Francis of Paola, founder of the Minims.
- 400th birthday on 10 January of St Isaac Joques, one of the North American martyrs.
- 300th birthday on 18 December of Charles Wesley (the Methodist writer of my favourite hymn, Lo! He comes with clouds descending and many more) - and on 26 March the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- for me the MAJOR anniversary of the year - on 13 July the 200th anniversary of the death of the Cardinal Duke of York, known by his supporters as 'Henry IX' (grandson of James II and brother of 'Bonnie Prince Charlie'). The Roman Miscellenist will, of course, be commemorating this anniversary!
- 150th birthday on 31 May of Pius XI (Achille Ratti) and on 2 June of Edward Elgar, the Catholic composer of Dream of Gerontius, etc.
- 100th birthday on 15 February of the organist and composer, Jean Langlais.
Labels: History
posted by Fr Nicholas at 10:06 am
7 Comments:
I had the great pleasure of taking a group of non-Catholic British and American visitors to St Peter's and introducing them to the monument to "His Majesty, Grace and Eminence, Cardinal King Henry IX". Only one of the people present (and him an American) understood that the Scots addressed their Monarch as "Your Grace".
The nice thing was that that the Scot among us took a photo for his Kirk elders.
What time, Father, do you start Mass in order to time the Benediction at the stroke of midnight?
Happy New Year Father. I managed to get to the High Mass at St. James on the 1st Jan and met your priest friend Fr. Andrew Wandsworth.
He's a brilliant rubricist. He hardly needed to be told anything on where to move, when he was sub deacon!
Have you ever visited Frascati Fr? I was there in 2005, as well as being a delightful place in its own right, it is absolutely fascinating to see the reminders of the last of the Stuarts. The Cathedral is very interesting in that respect and the clergy are very helpful. They seemed thrilled that someone had asked about Cardinal York and happily showed me the monument to Charles Edward Stuart and the Sacristy were there was a painting of the Cardinal.
roydosan - yes, I've been in Frascati many times and will be passing through the tow next week! The town is full of memories of the 'Cardinal King', including a set of vestments with his coat of arms in the Cathedral sacristy and a road named after him.
Jacob - we began adoration at 11.30am, and then waited until a server rang our church bell at midnight to give the final Benediction. And then, after the Divine Praises, etc, straight into Mass.
Andrew - glad you enjoyed St James' and meeting Fr Andrew!
There is a website which lists a lot of the places in Rome with Jacobite connections: http://www.jacobite.ca/gazetteer/Rome/index.htm
I managed to visit a few of them but there is just so much to see! The Cathedral was the highlight for me after reading 'The Cardinal King' by Brian Fothergill several years ago and his description of the requiem Mass for Charles Edward Stuart and to stand there and imagine what it must have been like. The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere was also fascinating for the various inscriptions and decoration left by Cardinal York.
Hi father.
I have seen that you are a friend of father Andrew Wandsworth.
I Know him from many years bu I lost contacts.
Please give him my regards and my best wishes.
Rosario
rr@e-e.uk.com
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