by Fr. Daniel Alloy, FSSP

J.R.R. Tolkien hated when people drew shallow religious allegories from his works. Tolkien’s stories are about the heroes, villains, and “honest folk” you meet on your journey from cover to cover. He was a master-builder of myth, one who faithfully observed the laws of storytelling. Indeed, he himself reiterated said laws more eloquently than any of his forbears.¹

They say that every word before the “but” does not matter, so I will cut to the chase. But…there is a three-fold allegory that I have long found compelling in the works of Tolkien. I humbly offer this little reflection to you, hoping that Mr. Tolkien is not scowling at me from whatever lofty mansion in Heaven he may occupy. I crave his indulgence, and yours. If this little article be tried and found wanting, let it be calmly set aside without worry or care.

So, here it goes.

There are three heroes in Tolkien’s magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings. There is Frodo, the Ring-bearer, who journeys with Sam even unto the fires of Mt. Doom. There is Gandalf, the wise guide of the Fellowship, the counselor of kings, the “man behind the curtain” for so much of the story, and the one who rises from the dead. (If this last bit was a spoiler for you, then you should stop reading this and start reading Tolkien.) And finally, there is Aragorn, the hidden king who reclaims the throne of his fathers.

Our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled three offices during His earthly ministry. Christ is a priest, a prophet, and a king.² Christ is the eternal High-Priest at the sacrifice of Calvary, and He remains the same High-Priest at every Mass. Christ is the prophet par excellence, the fulfillment of all who went before Him. And Christ solemnly confessed His kingship before Pontius Pilate.³

I believe there is a connection between Tolkien’s three heroes and Christ’s three offices. I believe Tolkien divided these three offices between his three heroes. Did Tolkien actually intend to do this? I plan to ask the man myself, provided St. Peter admits me through the pearly gates after my particular judgment. Believe me, this is high on my heavenly to-do list (right up there with checking for C.S. Lewis, and having a beer with St. Philip Neri).

Until then, assuming this alleged connection is not simply a feverish dream, or worse, a reckless affront to the legacy of the 20th century’s greatest author, what are the details? How does work? And why? Well, my dear reader, I am glad you asked.

Frodo – Christ the Priest

“For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins.”⁴   A priest lives to offer sacrifice for sin.  A priest, therefore, lives on a plane set aside from men, wherein he stands as a mediator, offering sacrifices up to God, and drawing down blessings upon men.  This separation is highlighted by the gift of celibacy, which gives a man the interior freedom to offer himself wholly to Christ for the Church.  And yet, for all that, a priest remains a man and a sinner.  “[The priest] can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because he himself also is compassed with infirmity.”⁵

This is the life of Frodo in a nutshell.  He freely accepts the burden of the Ring in order to save the Shire (and later, to save Middle-Earth).  He continues to choose this sacrifice through cold, hunger, betrayal, loss, and almost certain death.  He walks into the valley of death with a priestly understanding of the sacrifice’s cost, its worth, and its supreme importance.

And yet, Frodo is far from an immaculate hero.  He makes bad choices.  The Ring slowly corrupts him.  In the end, he fails.  It is only by “chance”, (really the inscrutable designs of Ilúvatar) that the Ring is finally destroyed.  He is a hobbit encompassed by infirmity.

Consider this scene between Frodo and Sam from end of The Return of the King:

[Sam] ‘And I can’t come.’

‘No, Sam. Not yet, anyway, not further than the Havens. Though you too were a Ring-bearer, if only for a little while. Your time may come. Do not be too sad, Sam. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.’

‘But,’ said Sam, and tears started in his eyes, ‘I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done.’

‘So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them. But you are my heir: all that I had and might have had I leave to you. And also you have Rose, and Elanor; and Frodo-lad will come, and Rosie-lass, and Merry, and Goldilocks, and Pippin; and perhaps more that I cannot see. Your hands and your wits will be needed everywhere. You will be the Mayor, of course, as long as you want to be, and the most famous gardener in history; and you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger, and so love their beloved land all the more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part in the Story goes on.

‘Come now, ride with me!”⁶

If you do not have a lump in your throat, then read it again.  Frodo is a priest.

Speaking of Sam, does he not deserve a spot the list of three heroes? Of course, Sam is a hero, and “Frodo would not have gotten far without Sam.” And yet, in this paradigm, I consider Sam to be part of Frodo’s role as priest. Perhaps I am biased, being a member of a society of apostolic life. But the friendship of one’s priestly confreres is not optional: it’s essential. A priest needs his brother priests to walk with him into the valley of death. Sam’s friendship allows Frodo to carry out his priesthood. And I think it only fitting that we leave the good gardener with his beloved friend. He would not want a pedestal apart for himself.

Frodo walks the frightening road of priestly sacrifice. But even in his darkest moments, his friend sustains him and (literally) carries him on. And yet, Christ, the High-Priest was abandoned even by His friends. Is this not a poignant reminder to us who follow Christ? I looked for one who would grieve together with me, and I found none.⁷

Gandalf – Christ the Prophet

A prophet is a wise man.  For those who will listen, he is a guide and a counselor.  It is a paltry reductionism to see a prophet as some kind of fortuneteller.  Elijah, Isaiah, Daniel, and the rest are concerned with repentance, fidelity to the law, and right worship.  Their God-given ability to predict the future is instrumental to that end.  The false prophets, on the contrary, use their craftiness and cunning for their own devious ends.  Moreover, prophets carry a mysterious authority.  Who else begins a speech “Thus says the Lord!” and the like?

Anyone who has read the Sermon on the Mount knows that Christ is wise.  He speaks with incredible authority “You have heard it said of old…But I say unto you…”⁸   Christ prophesies many things: His own death and Resurrection, the three-fold denial of St. Peter, the destruction of Jerusalem, and more.  Christ is the prophet par excellence.

In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf shoulders the monumental role of prophet.  He predicts or foresees many events: the movements of the Enemy, the political intrigues of Rohan and Gondor, and even the impish shenanigans of hobbits.  He carries a mysterious, timeless presence about him (read The Silmarillion if you want to know more about where he comes from).  To put it bluntly, “he knows stuff.”  He is wise, like Daniel.  He is irascible, in the way I’ve often imagined the prophet Jeremiah to be irascible.  He goes hither and yon bending and shaping events towards the good.  And though “even the wise cannot see all ends,” Gandalf sees the big picture, more than any other member of the Fellowship.  He is prophet material.

For the past few years, I have signed my emails with the following quote from Gandalf.

Other evils there are that may come…yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.⁹

In another unforgettable passage, a dialogue between Frodo and Gandalf underscores the lofty heights on which the latter operates.

‘But this is terrible!’ cried Frodo. ‘Far worse than the worst that I imagined from your hints and warnings. O Gandalf, best of friends, what am I to do? For now I am really afraid. What am I to do? What a pity that Bilbo did not stab that vile creature [Gollum] when he had a chance!’

‘Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.’

‘I am sorry,’ said Frodo. ‘But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum.’

‘You have not seen him,’ Gandalf broke in.

‘No, and I don’t want to,’ said Frodo. I can’t understand you. Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.’

‘Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many,  yours not least.’¹⁰

Aragorn – Christ the King

This connection requires the least convincing.  Aragorn is a king.  Christ is a King.  Both kings begin their public lives in hidden obscurity.  Neither is born with the proverbial silver spoon in the mouth.  Both are repeatedly rejected and insulted by their inferiors, and both take it in stride.  Both are kingly on the inside, and common on the outside.  Both have moments of “transfiguration,” when the veil hiding their true glory is pulled aside for a moment.  For Aragorn, these transfigurations happen multiple times.  In certain key moments, he suddenly appears taller, noble, kingly, and terrible, in the best sense of the word.  When the hobbits see this for the first time, they are awestruck, much as Peter, James, and John were blown away by the vision on Mt. Tabor.

Aragorn is a just king who abides by his own laws.  After his coronation, he decrees that none of the “big folk” are to cross the borders of the Shire (the borders he once protected as a humble Ranger).  When the Scouring of the Shire almost destroys the idyllic home of the halflings, Aragorn sees that if this fragile gem is to be preserved in Middle-Earth, it must be vigorously defended.  And yet, he does not say goodbye to his hobbit-friends forever.  This King of Gondor makes the long journey from his kingdom to the border of the Shire, and from Brandywine Bridge, he speaks with his friend Frodo of days gone by.¹¹

My favorite moment in Aragorn’s reign is his restoration of the White Tree of Gondor.  Long story short, the White Tree connects the line of Isiuldur, and the race of men, to the creation of Middle-Earth itself, beyond the mists of time (again, read The Silmarillion for more information).  For all intents and purposes, the White Tree represents Tradition in Middle-Earth.  And yet, the White Tree in Gondor is dead when Aragorn ascends the throne.  Will Aragorn’s line die out?  Are old prophecies useless?  Is Aragorn a modern man who finds himself alone in a brave new world?  No.  With the help and guidance of Gandalf, Aragorn personally climbs the slopes of Mindolluin, above Minas Tirith, and there, the two of them find a living sapling of the White Tree.  They bring that sapling back to the city, where it takes root, and grows healthy and strong.  With the prophet Gandalf, Aragorn the king guides his realm by being firmly rooted in the received Tradition.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.¹²

Conclusion

Why connect the three offices of Christ with the three heroes of The Lord of the Rings?  For one, I hope this connection gives you a deeper appreciation for the greatest fantasy novel of all time.  I hope it gives you a deeper appreciation for Tolkien himself, a giant among men, a devout Catholic, and a storyteller for the ages.  But most of all, I hope this gives you a deeper knowledge and love of Jesus Christ, and His story, which is the greatest story ever told.  Standing on the shoulders of J.R.R. Tolkien, I now understand a little more about Christ the High-Priest, Christ the Incarnate Wisdom, and Christ our gracious King.

If we shadows have offended
Think but this, and all is mended.
That you have but slumbered here,
While these visions did appear.¹³

Fr. Daniel Alloy, FSSP was ordained in 2020.  He currently serves as parochial vicar at Regina Caeli Parish in Houston, TX. 

1. Cf. On Fairy-Stories, by Tolkien.
2. Fun fact: these three offices are represented by linen (priesthood), wool (prophecy) and silk (kingship). These are the preferred materials for vestments, albs, and the like.
3. Cf. John 18.
4. Heb. 5:1.
5. Heb. 5:2.
6. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. New York: HarperCollins (1955). P. 1006.
7. Ps. 68:21.
8. Cf. Matthew 5.
9. Tolkien, 861.
10. Ibid., 58.
11. Ibid., cf. Appendix B.
12. Ibid., 167.
13. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act V, Scene 1.

by Fr. William Rock, FSSP

From A.D. 1816 to A.D. 1861, the island of Sicily and the southern part of the Italian peninsula comprised the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.  The origin of this uniquely and confusingly named kingdom, as it contained only one Sicily, goes back to A.D. 1130 when the Norman Roger II was recognized as the King of the Kingdom of Sicily, which included the island and the southern part of the peninsula.  Through the twists and turns of history, the Kingdom of Sicily was divided into two, with both parts still being called the Kingdom of Sicily.  So, there were, at this point, two Kingdoms of Sicily, one of which contained Sicily (with its capital at Palermo) and the other which was comprised of the peninsular lands (with its capital at Naples and which did not contain any Sicily).  When the two Kingdoms of Sicily were reunited in A.D. 1816, instead of the united kingdom simply being called the Kingdom of Sicily, it was dubbed the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.  In any case, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies had, like other kingdoms, certain liturgical privileges granted to it.¹

The privileges which will be considered in this article are found in a Missal published in Naples, the capital of the Kingdom, in A.D. 1860 with additions approved by the Holy See.  The first photograph above shows the inside title page of this Missal.

This second image shows two sets of orations, one set in each column, approved for use in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (Pro Regno Utriusque Siciliæ).  These prayers would be added following the Collect (opening prayer), the Secret (prayer over the offerings), and Postcommunion (closing prayer) of the Mass being celebrated, according to the rubrics.

The prayers in the lefthand column are labeled as “for the King.”  The note indicates that these were approved by Pope Pius IX (reigned from June 16, 1846 to February 7, 1878), who had a very strong relationship with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.  The text of the prayer is the same as the general prayer for the King found in the Roman Missal (Pro Rege) with additional wording to include the Queen and the royal family as well (indicated in italics).  A translation of the prayers are as follows:

Collect: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, that Thy servant N. our King, who by Thy mercy has taken up the government of the kingdom, and N. our Queen with the royal family, may gain from Thee the increase of all virtues, so that, being fittingly adorned thereby, they may be able both to avoid the monstrosities of sin and, as those enjoying favor, reach Thee Who art the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Through Our Lord…

Secret: We beseech Thee, O Lord, sanctify these offered gifts that they may become the Body and Blood of thine Only-begotten Son for us, and, by Thy bounty, in every way help our King, our Queen, and the royal family to obtain salvation of body and soul, and to carry out the office enjoined upon them.  Through the same Our Lord…

Postcommunion: May this saving oblation, O Lord, protect Thy servant N. our King, N. our Queen, and the royal family, from all adversity, so that they may obtain both the tranquility of the Church’s peace and, after the course of this life, reach an eternal inheritance.  Through Our Lord…

The righthand column contains prayers “for obtaining a happy delivery of the Queen,” to be said during her pregnancies.  There are no corresponding prayers in the standard Roman Missal.  The prayers read as follows:

Collect: Defend, we beseech Thee O Lord, Blessed Mary the ever Virgin interceding, from all adversity Thine handmaid N. our Queen: and grant, that her desired offspring, which Thou willed to be conceived in her womb, may be happily born and grow for the sake of the increase of religion and public safety.  Through Our Lord…

Secret: Receive, we beseech Thee almighty God, the oblation of our devotion and through the virtue of this Sacrament, protect Thine handmaid N. our Queen and the fruit which she carries in her womb from all adversities.  Through Our Lord…

Postcommunion: Favorably pour forth Thy blessing, O Lord, upon Thine handmaid N. our Queen: so that, together with her offspring, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she may be well in both mind and body; and, furnishing fitting service to Thee, she may always find the favors of Thy propitiation.  Through Our Lord…  

This last image shows the beginning of the Roman Canon.  The part indicated by the green circle shows that the name of the king was added to the text so that it reads:

….Thy servant our Pope N., and our Bishop N., and our King N.,  and all orthodox believers and professors of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith.

While this addition mentioning the Christian sovereign in the Canon was the practice in the Middle Ages, the clause was removed in the Missal issued by Pope St. Pius V.  Its use, by apostolic concession, was later granted to the Austro-Hungarian Empire (as the successor state of the Holy Roman Empire, although the verbiage was different in the Austrian and Hungarian territories),² and also, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

I hope, dear reader, that you enjoyed this quick look at some liturgical privileges of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and that it serves to show that, even when the Latin Mass was the norm in the Church, this did not mean that it was celebrated uniformly everywhere.  There has always been a healthy liturgical diversity in the Church, liturgical diversity without ecclesiastical division and ecclesiastical unity without liturgical uniformity.

Fr. William Rock, FSSP was ordained in the fall of 2019 and is currently assigned to St. Stanislaus Parish in Nashua, NH.

In support of the causes of Blessed Maria Cristina, Queen, and Servant of God Francesco II, King 

1. Thanks are owed to Mr. Brendan Young, SMOCG, Executive Director of the American Delegation of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George for providing the photographs of the Missal.
2. Old Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Canon of the Mass.”

OBITUARY

Father José María Salgado, FSSP passed away on March 8th, 2025. He was 92 years old.

Fr. Salgado was born on January 25th, 1933, the eleventh of thirteen children born to José Salgado and Maria Leyva Salgado. He was baptized at Holy Family Church in his native Tucson, Arizona.

Father Salgado served in the United States Army for two years after graduating from high school. He then attended a minor seminary but began a career as an electrical technician after graduating. He later received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Languages from California State University of San Jose. He pursued his vocation again later in life, receiving a Master of Divinity Degree from Holy Apostles Seminary before being ordained a priest for the Diocese of Stockton, California in 1993.

Fr. Salgado loved the Traditional Latin Mass and applied to join the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in 1994. He was definitively incardinated into the Fraternity in 2001. Father served near Denver, Colorado for around ten years beginning in 1996. He was instrumental in developing the Fraternity apostolate there and put much effort into building a church for the Latin Mass Community in Littleton, Colorado. Father was skilled in carpentry and would personally work on building projects. He reluctantly left Colorado for his native Arizona in 2006. Father Salgado began offering Mass at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Clarkdale, Arizona and was stationed there until he retired from public ministry in August of 2021.

Father’s beloved sister, Celia, assisted him at St. Cecilia’s as housekeeper and secretary. Fr. Salgado undertook renovation projects at St. Cecilia’s, doing much of the work himself. It was not uncommon to see the octogenarian priest up on the scaffolding in the church, hard at work. He would want to be remembered for his love of the Traditional Latin Mass and for the Church.

The exact arrangements for Father’s funeral are not yet finalized; however, a funeral Mass will be held at the Fraternity’s apostolate in Arizona.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
+ May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace. Amen. +

St. John Bosco Camps (SJBC) was founded to continue the summer camps formerly run by Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary and adopted Camp St. Peter and Camp St. Isaac Jogues. Within two years it had doubled the impact of these camps, opening up a second session of Camp St. Peter as well as a new backcountry camping program, Sursum Corda.

But there continued, and continues to be greater demand. What will the boys do when they are older? Can we provide for the future of our camps and offer programs for young adults as well?

Answering these questions led to two important decisions.  The first was a home for the camps.  On January 31st, 2024, the feast day of St. John Bosco, SJBC closed on a 140 acre property in Hermosa, SD to build a home for future programs. A year later foundations are poured and the beams are ready to go up on our new campsite facilities.

The second decision was to begin running mission trips and to expand the reach of SJBC beyond boys summer camps.  While the core mission is the same, the website and brand of St. John Bosco Camps was not broad enough to for these expanded operations. Considering these two moves, St. John Bosco Camps decided to reposition its brand to ensure the successful execution of these programs. This became Bosco Ministries.

One way to think of Bosco Ministries is that it will be a sort of constellation of Catholic programs for boys and men that are staffed by FSSP priests and seminarians. Bosco Ministries will host not only boys camps, but also wilderness excursions, retreats, mission trips, and pilgrimages for boys and men from around the country.  With this in mind we want you to know that St. John Bosco Camps is rebranding as Bosco Ministries and is announcing its new website and 2025 line-up of programs, which includes:

1. Guadalajara, MX Men’s Mission Trip: complete (Jan. 2-10)

2. In Montem Sanctum Men’s Winter Excursion: complete  (Jan. 5-10)

3. Camp St. Isaac Jogues

• Dates: June 13th – June 24th
• 801 Snow Rd. Cresco, PA
• Boys, 13-15 years old
• 48 spots
• Cost: $550.00

4. Sursum Corda

• Dates: June 30th – July 12, 2025
• Boys, 15-17 years old
• 32 spots
• Cost: $1,750.00

5. Camp St. Peter Session One

• Dates: July 25th – August 5th
• Boys, 13-15 years old
• 48 spots
• Cost: $550.00

6. Camp St. Peter Session Two

• Dates: August 8th – 19th
• Boys, 13-15 years old
• 48 spots
• Cost: $550.00

7. Peru Mission Trip

• Dates: August 7th – 22nd
• Young Men, 17-21 years old
• 28 Spots
• Cost: $2,500.00

8. Ecuador Mission Trip

• Dates: July 15th – July 26th
• Men, 18-24 years old
• Details TBD: check website

In just a few years Bosco Ministries has grown from 2 programs to offering 96 spots to 8 programs offering 257 spots in four different countries and expanding its reach from summer camps for youth, to a host of programs for boys and men as well as developing 140 acre property as the future home of many more programs to come. To sign up to receive email updates and newsletters as well as to apply or learn more please visit boscoministries.org.

by Fr. William Rock, FSSP

When the faithful entered through the main doors of St. Stanislaus Parish, the FSSP apostolate in New Hampshire, during the recent 40 Hours Devotion (February 13-15, 2025), they were greeted by a Eucharistic banner hanging over the doors between the narthex and the nave.  For those unfamiliar, the 40 Hours Devotion is when the Blessed Sacrament is solemnly exposed and then continuous adoration is held over the course of three days for approximately 40 hours.  There is an opening and closing Mass, both Votive Masses of the Blessed Sacrament if the calendar allows.  At the end of both of these Masses, there is a Eucharistic Procession and a recitation of the Litany of the Saints, but the order of the Procession and Litany is different depending on if the Mass is the opening or closing one.  There is also a special Mass said on the intervening day.  For those who are interested, additional information about this devotion can be found in the “Forty Hours Devotion” article in the Old Catholic Encyclopedia.

The general instructions of Clement XII for conducting the 40 Hours Devotion indicates that “a sign (e.g., a shield) or banner should be placed over the door of the church, bearing a symbol of the Blessed Sacrament, that people may see that the Forty Hours are being held there.”¹  As the parish did not have such a banner or sign, the Altar Guild undertook to make one.  The first step was to find out what one of these should look like.  Not able to find any images online, Mr. Shawn Tribe, of the Liturgical Arts Journal blog, was contacted.  He was able to provide a photograph of one in use at a parish in Malta, which was then used as the pattern for the one made for St. Stanislaus Parish.  When it was completed, the new banner was hung for the Devotion, as was indicated above, over the doors between the narthex and the nave.  It was hung inside rather than outside over the main doors because of the danger of it being damaged or destroyed by New England winter weather.

Thinking that our readers would be interested, I have provided images below of the banner in its various stages of construction and use for your viewing pleasure.

This banner is a wonderful addition to the parish’s patrimony, one which will hopefully see regular use in the years in the come.

Fr. William Rock, FSSP was ordained in the fall of 2019 and is currently assigned to St. Stanislaus Parish in Nashua, NH.

In support of the causes of Blessed Maria Cristina, Queen, and Servant of God Francesco II, King 

1. Fortescue [2009], p. 398

Superior General Fr. John Berg has published the following communique from FSSP world headquarters:

Three years ago, at a moment of deep incertitude, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter called out to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, mindful that never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection has been left unaided. Following a novena, the Fraternity consecrated itself to her Immaculate Heart on the very day that the Holy Father providentially published the decree reaffirming the practice and charism that the Fraternity has had from its foundation.

Three years later, in order to render thanks once again and implore her continual help, all the members of the Fraternity will solemnly renew this consecration. To represent them all, the members of the Plenary Council and I will recite the act of consecration at the Grotto of Lourdes on her feast day, February 11.

We ask all the faithful who are close to us to join in this novena of preparation February 2-10, 2025 and to renew the consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11, 2025.

Fribourg, January 18, 2025

Rev. John Berg
Superior General FSSP

The Novena consists of one decade of the rosary and the Memorare each day, from February 2nd to February 10th. On the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on the 11th, an Act of Consecration is said, with a first part said by all and a second part only by FSSP priests and seminarians. Novena and consecration booklets are being made available at the the FSSP’s North American apostolates. You can also download printable versions in English and French:

Our Lady of Lourdes Novena and Consecration

Notre-Dame de Lourdes Neuvaine et Consécration

The Holy Name Society of St. Mary, Conshohocken, PA is organizing a Traditional Men’s Silent Retreat at Malvern Retreat House in Malvern, PA from February 7-9, 2025 with Fr. Gregory Eichman, FSSP as Retreat Master. Open to family and friends that are practicing Catholics – men 18 and older. Cost is $325 – includes accommodations & meals.

Registration deadline is January 20^th.

Contact Ken Orner at stmarys.hns.treasurer@gmail.com for more information.

by Fr. William Rock, FSSP

In chapter 11 of his The True Meaning of Christmas – The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season (Fr. Rock recommended), Professor Michael Patrick Barber presents various theories of how and why December 25th was chosen as the date for the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord.  One of these, the Calculation Theory, Prof. Barber explains thus:

Ancient Attempts to Date Jesus’ Birth

Advocates of the Calculation Theory argue that early Christians decided on marking the Nativity of Jesus on December 25[th] due to complex chronological computations.  There is clear evidence that supports this explanation; some certainly did this.  However, as we shall see, this does not fully make sense of why December 25[th] was selected as the date of Christ’s nativity.

Jewish Traditions about the Births of Biblical Persons

It is often said that early Christians were influenced by a Jewish tradition that held that the great figures of Isreal’s past died on the day of their birth.  This is sometimes called the “integral age” view.  Evidence for this tradition can be found in the Babylonian Talmud, which dates to around A.D. 500.  For example, the Talmud claims that Moses died on the anniversary of his birth [Qiddushin 38a].  It also reports opinions about the birth and death of Abraham and Jacob [Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 10b-11a].  While they disagree on the exact month, the rabbis agree that these patriarchs were born and died on the same month the world was created, though they are never said to have died on their birthdays.  One teacher coordinates their births and deaths with the month Passover is celebrated.  At another point, we are told that another patriarch, Isaac, was born on Passover.

By dying on the anniversary of their births, these men are said to have lived “the full measure” of their years.  In connection with this, the Talmud cites the Scripture passage: “I will fulfill the number of your days” (Exodus 23:26).  Many writers have believed that early Christians were influenced by these Jewish traditions and applied them to Jesus.  This, however, is unclear.  The Talmud dates to hundreds of years after the period we are examining.  Whether Christians who were trying to determine the date of Jesus’s birth were influenced by the Jewish traditions described above is impossible to know.

Nevertheless, there are some parallels between what the rabbis said about the patriarchs and what is found in ancient Christian chronologists.  For one thing, it does seem like calculations regarding Jesus’ conception or birth were connected to beliefs about when His death occurred.¹

Now, despite the reservations Prof. Barber expressed, I favor the Calculation Theory because it has the most explanatory power in that it explains not only the December 25th date of Christmas, but also the January 6th date of Epiphany, and why there are Twelve Days between the two of them (points which Prof. Barber does not address directly).  I do not have any better arguments than what Prof. Barber presented about the Christian use of such a method and its possible link to Jewish traditions, but regardless of the whys behind it, it seems that the early Christians did indeed use this method.  But, to begin, we must discuss the date of Easter.

In the first few Christian centuries, the majority of the local Churches celebrated the Christian Pasch on a Sunday, claiming the authority of the Apostles Peter and Paul, while Churches in Asia Minor, claiming they were following a practice received from the Apostle John, associated the Christian Pasch with the celebration of the Jewish Passover on the 14th day of the Jewish Month of Nisan, regardless of on what day of the week it fell.  Because of their practice, the members of this latter group were called Quartodecimans (14th-day-ers).  It is important to note that at this time, the yearly liturgical observance of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection were all celebrated on the same day.  Only later on would these be spread out over different days.²  So, the Churches in Asia Minor associated the Pasch with the date associated with Our Lord’s Passion and Death while the other Churches were associating it with the day of the Resurrection, Sunday.

Due to the complications in calculating the actual 14th of Nisan, a Quartodeciman sect fixed the date instead to “the fourteenth day of the first month in spring [which] was the equivalent of our 6 April.”³  It seems that from this, in the Christian East, the date of April 6th became regarded as the actual calendar date of the Crucifixion.  Applying the Calculation Theory by setting April 6th as also the date of Our Lord’s Conception, and calculating nine months, we arrive at January 6th, the date of the Eastern Feast of the Theophany.  First celebrated at “the end of the second [late 100s] or at the start of third century [early 200s],”⁴ the Feast of the Theophany commemorated various revelations of God through Christ, namely: “His Nativity, the homage of the Wise Men from the East, His Baptism, the miracle at Cana of Galilee and the miraculous multiplication of the loaves.”⁵ Over time, in the Christian East, the commemoration of Our Lord’s Baptism would predominate over the other mysteries.

There were other dates, however, which were also claimed to be the date of the Crucifixion and one of these dates was March 25th.  On this point, Prof. Barber wrote:

the Canon [a work attributed to Hippolytus of Rome, part of which was inscribed on a Roman statue in A.D. 222] concludes that Jesus died on March 25[th] of the year 29.  Tertullian, another second-century Christian writer, also fixes the Crucifixion to this date [Against the Jews 8, 18].  This agreement suggests that the date had found acceptance by at least some Christians.⁶

The arrival at this date in the Canon seems to be the result of attempting to determine the yearly Julian date of the 14th of Nisan including that of the year in which Our Lord was crucified.⁷  Be that as it may, this March 25th date for the Crucifixion was the one accepted by the Roman Church.  In the Roman Martyrology, by way of supporting evidence, March 25th is indicated as the day of death of the Good Thief who, of course, died on the same day as Our Lord.  Applying the Calculation Theory by setting March 25th as also the date of Our Lord’s Conception, and calculating nine months, we arrive at December 25th, the date on which the Roman Church has celebrated the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity since at least A.D. 335-6.⁸ During this time, however, Greek Christians in Rome celebrated the Theophany on January 6th and kept December 25th as the Feast of St. Anastasia at the church named after her in the city.⁹

In the course of time, due to liturgical cross-pollination,¹⁰ the majority of Eastern Churches eventually accepted the Roman date of December 25th for the Feast of Our Lord’s Nativity while retaining the Feast of the Theophany, which now no longer commemorated the Nativity.  The December 25th date “was introduced at Antioch, ab. 375; Constantinople, ab. 379; Jerusalem, 424-458; and Alexandria, ab. 430.”¹¹  The Roman Church, for its part, adopted a January 6th Nativity-less Feast of the Theophany, more commonly called in the West the Feast of the Epiphany.  In the western tradition, while the Office of the day does mention other mysteries, the Mass of Epiphany on January 6th, unlike in the East, focuses on the Visitation of the Magi, not the Baptism.  Our Lord’s Baptism is the focus of the Mass on the Octave Day of the Epiphany, January 13th, the second mystery of the western Epiphany.  The Gospel for the Mass of the Second Sunday after Epiphany relates Our Lord turning water into wine at the wedding feast, the third mystery of the western Epiphany.  It is important to note here that while the Feast of the Theophany/Epiphany is the older feast absolutely, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord is older in the Roman tradition.

As the devotion towards St. Anastasia in Rome declined, the Mass celebrated at St. Anastasia church became a Mass of Christmas with a commemoration of St. Anastasia.¹² Today, this Mass, along with the commemoration, is the Second Mass, or Dawn Mass, of Christmas, celebrated after the Office of Prime.  The First Mass of Christmas, the Midnight Mass (which is not a Vigil Mass), celebrated after the Office of Matins, was instituted in imitation of the ceremonies carried out by the Church of Jerusalem.  What is now known as the Third Mass of Christmas, the Day Mass, celebrated after the Office of Terce, reflects the original Roman Mass of the day.¹³   These three Christmas Masses, then, represent/reflect Hierosolymitan, Greek, and Roman liturgical traditions.  Additionally, perhaps due to the Nativity previously being celebrated as part of the Feast of the Theophany, one of the readings of the Byzantine Church on December 25th is the Visitation of the Magi (Matt 2:1-12).¹⁴  Traditionally, the proper Last Gospel for the Roman Third Mass of Christmas is also the Visitation of the Magi (Matt 2:1-12), as the Prologue of St. John is the Gospel of the Mass.  Perhaps this choice was influenced by the Greek practice.

To further support the Calculation Theory, it ought to be pointed out that the Armenian Orthodox Church never adopted the Roman date for the celebration of Our Lord’s Nativity.  As such, the Armenian Orthodox Church still celebrates Our Lord’s Conception on April 7th and His Birth on January 6th.¹⁵

Now, some confusion may arise if one were to look at a modern calendar and notice that January 7th is marked as Orthodox Christmas.  Should not Orthodox Christmas be December 25th?  The discrepancy comes from a difference in calendars and how December 25th is determined.¹⁶  Originally, both the Latin and Greek Christians used the Julian Calendar.  But, when the Catholic Church adopted the Gregorian Calendar in A.D. 1582, ten days were removed from the calendar.  Since the Gregorian Calendar was not adopted by the Orthodox Churches, the Western and Eastern celebrations of fixed feasts then differed by ten days.  Due to the particularities of each calendar, this difference has increased over time.  To makes matters even more complicated, some Orthodox Churches have adopted a revised Julian calendar in which the fixed feasts now correspond to the Gregorian dates, such as Christmas, but the moveable feasts, such as Easter, still fall on the original Julian dates.¹⁷  The Armenian Orthodox Church, outside of Jerusalem, adopted the Gregorian Calendar.¹⁸  So, there are now currently five dates for the Feast of the Nativity:

• Gregorian December 25th (Western Christians)
• Julian December 25th / Gregorian January 7th (some Eastern Christians)
• Revised Julian December 25th / Gregorian December 25th (some Eastern Christians)
• Gregorian January 6th (most Armenian Orthodox)
• Julian January 6th / Gregorian January 19th (Armenian Orthodox in Jerusalem)

For their part, the Twelve Days of Christmas observed both by Latin and Eastern Christians (except the Armenians), counting inclusively starting on Christmas day itself and ending on the day before the Epiphany (December 25th to January 5th), recognized already in A.D. 566-7 by the Second Council of Tours as a sacred time (can. xi, xvii),¹⁹ resulted from the above mentioned cross-pollination of two different liturgical traditions which originally commemorated Our Lord’s Birth on two different days calculated from two different days presumed for Our Lord’s Crucifixion, which were also presumed to be the days of His Conception, which happened to be this many days apart.  They are, in a sense, an echo (or scar) in the Church’s liturgy of the great Easter Controversy from the early Christian centuries.²⁰

Fr. William Rock, FSSP was ordained in the fall of 2019 and is currently assigned to St. Stanislaus Parish in Nashua, NH.

In support of the causes of Blessed Maria Cristina, Queen, and Servant of God Francesco II, King 

1. Barber, Michael Patrick. The True Meaning of Christmas – The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2021), pp. 156-7.
2. Goddard, Philip J. Festa Paschalia – A History of the Holy Week Liturgy in the Roman Rite. (Leominster: Gracewing, 2011), p. 21.
3. Ibid., p. 19
4. Katrij, Julian. A Byzantine Rite Liturgical Year. Trans. Wysochansky, Demetrius. (Detroit: Basilian Fathers Publication, 1983), p. 344.
5. Ibid., p. 342.
6. Barber, p. 160.
7. Talley, T. J. The Origins of the Liturgical Year.  (New York: Pueblo Books, 1986), p. 9.
8. Denis-Boulet, Noele M. Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Section X – The Worship of the Church, vol. 113 – The Christian Calendar. Trans. Hepburne-Scott, P. (New York: Hawthron Books, 1960), p. 50.  Another theory is that the date of 25 December was chosen to coincide with the Winter Solstice.  When the Julian calendar was originally promulgated, it was so arranged that 25 December would correspond with the Winter Solstice and 25 March with the Spring Equinox and as such 25 December was kept as the observed Winter Solstice and 25 March as the observed Spring Equinox and so on for the other two.  However, due to the defects of the Julian calendar, the observed dates had drifted from their respective astronomical events by several days.  The First Council of Nicaea held in A.D. 325, without correcting the defects of the Julian calendar, shifted the observed date of the Spring Equinox to 21 March and thus that of the Winter Solstice to 21 December, and so on for the other two, so that they aligned, at least for the time being, with their respective astronomical events (Old Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Reform of the Calendar”).  As was said in the body, the Roman Church has celebrated the Feast of the Lord’s Nativity on 25 December since at least A.D. 335-6.  All the previous being taken into account, in order for the Winter Solstice theory to be applicable, the date of 25 December would have had to been chosen before the A.D. 325 Nicaean shift of the Equinoxes and Solstices, and, also, this date would have had to be retained after the shift.
9. Schuster, Ildefonso. The Sacramentary, vol. I. Trans. Levelis-Marke, Arthur. (Waterloo: Arouca Press, 2020), p. 363.
10. Denis-Boulet, p. 57-58.
11. King, Archdale. The Rites of Eastern Christendom, vol. II. (Piscataway: Gorgia Press, 2007), p. 574, n. 135
12. Schuster, p. 363.
13. Ibid., pp. 362-4.
14. “Matthew 2, 1-12, which is also read at the Divine Liturgy of Christmas. (In the Byzantine Rite, the feast of the Epiphany is wholly dedicated to the Lord’s Baptism, and the adoration of the Magi is read as the Gospel of Christmas day.)” New Liturgical Movement: The Royal Hours of Christmas Eve
15. King, pp. 574-575.  Also Berber, p. 148.
16. See Berber, p. 148.
17. The Revised Julian Calendar
18. The Armenian Apostolic Church – Calendar and Feast Days
19. Old Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Christmas.”
20. Goddard, p. 25, n. 45 – “The notion that 25 March or 6 April was the date of the Crucifixion seems to have governed the celebration of the Nativity either on 25 December or 6 January, following the commonly held belief that Christ’s earthly life began and ended on the same date.” See also Talley, pp. 129-130.

by Fr. William Rock, FSSP

[Having reviewed the writings of Durandus after this article had originally been posted, I realized that I had misinterpreted his treatment of the antiphons at Lauds during the Greater Ferias.  Having come to this realization and having consulted with and receiving some information which is vital for having a proper understanding of this matter from a friend, I have prepared this revision. – Fr. Rock] 

It is not uncommon for Advent to be compared to Lent.  After all, they are both times of preparation for major feasts, the latter for Easter and the former for Christmas.  The liturgical color for both is violet, the Gloria is omitted, flowers are absent, the organ is silent, the Deacon and Subdeacon traditionally wear folded chasubles in place of their dalmatic and tunicle, and the Benedicamus Dominio is traditionally used instead of the Ite, Missa est.  And in both, some relaxation of these penitential aspects, along with the wearing of rose vestments, is allowed on the Sundays near their midpoints.

But, despite these similarities, there are also some significant differences between these two seasons as well.  One of the most striking is their lengths.  Lent will always be 46 days long (40 days of fasting starting on Ash Wednesday plus the 6 Sundays).  Advent, however, will vary in length year to year from 22 to 28 days inclusively.  This is because, unlike Lent, Advent in the Roman tradition follows a checklist to determine its length and observances rather than simply counting backwards a set number of days from the major feast.  This list is as follows:

• Christmas, the Feast of Our Lord’s Nativity, is always celebrated on December 25th, regardless of on what day of the week it falls.
• Advent has four Sundays counting backwards from Christmas.
• December 24th is the Vigil Day of Christmas, which may correspond with the Fourth Sunday of Advent depending on the year.  This day has a proper antiphon for the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79), also known as the Canticle of Zachary, sung at Lauds, and the Christmas Proclamation is chanted during Prime.
• The 7 Greater Ferias of Advent are kept from December 17th to December 23rd inclusively.  These days have proper Psalm and Benedictus antiphons at Lauds in the morning.  The “Great Antiphons” or the “O Antiphons” (as they all start with “O”) are sung as antiphons with the Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), or Canticle of Mary, at Vespers in the evenings.  The antiphon “Nolíte timére; quinta enim die véniet ad vos Dóminus noster / Fear not: for on the fifth day, Our Lord shall come unto you [plural]”¹ is sung at Lauds on December 21st.
• The Winter Ember Days are observed following the Third Sunday of Advent.

Returning to the comparison with Lent, the Greater Ferias of Advent could be paired with Holy Week, as they are a more intense time of preparation, and the Vigil Day of Christmas with Holy Saturday, as they are both the final day of preparation with the festival quality of the next day being participated in by the liturgy of the current.²

It is worthwhile to note at this point that if anything is the Christian answer to the riotous Roman-pagan Saturnalia, it is the Greater Ferias,³ not Christmas (even if, eventually, some of the trappings of Saturnalia were adopted by the Christians for their celebration of Christmastide).  Although it began as a one-day celebration on December 17th, the festivities were extended so that before the first century A.D., Saturnalia “ran from December 17[th] to December 23[rd],”⁴ the same dates as the Greater Ferias, but was never celebrated on December 25th.  The Christian-Roman celebration of the Nativity of the Lord has been observed on December 25th since at least A.D. 335-6.⁵  Only a few decades later, in A.D. 380, a local council in Saragossa, Spain, urged the faithful to be present at church during the days of, and as a “counterobservance to,” Saturnalia (and to continue to be present through the Nativity and until the Epiphany).⁶  The O Antiphons, for their part, were “known and used as early as the beginning of the sixth century [A.D. 500s].”⁷  This would not be the only instance at this time of the year where the Church responded in such a way to pagan festivities.  As Mr. Gregory DiPippo has pointed out, “a common feature of the liturgies of January 1st [is] that they were designed at least in part as an answer to and reproof of riotous pagan celebrations of New Year’s Day.”  For example, the Epistle for January 1st (Tit 2:11-15) exhorts: “denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in this world,” and not behave as the pagans are currently.

Over the course of time, these seven Greater Ferias with their seven O Antiphons acquired spiritual meanings.  William Durandus the Elder, Bishop of Mende (d. A.D. 1296), who did for the liturgy what St. Thomas Aquinas did for theology, will be our guide as we explore these interpretations (Rationale Divinorum Officium, VI, XI, 4-6).  But, before that, it should be explained that “feria” comes from a Latin word meaning “free day” or “festival day.”  When a day on the liturgical calendar does not have a feast, it is called a feria, that is, a free day to be spent in contemplating God and the things of God.

In his treatment, Durandus first explains that each of the O Antiphons, and thus each of the seven days, can be seen as corresponding to one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost with which Christ is anointed as foretold by the Prophet Isaias: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.  And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: [1] the spirit of wisdom, and [2] of understanding, [3] the spirit of counsel, and [4] of fortitude, [5] the spirit of knowledge, and [6] of godliness.  And he shall be filled with [7] the spirit of the fear of the Lord” (Isa 11:1-3).  These same Gifts are also those bestowed on those illuminated by Baptism.

These seven days also signify the longing of the ancient fathers for the coming of Christ, which was manifested by their maintaining a sevenfold structure of observance (“septenario servientes“).  St. Thomas Aquinas explains this sevenfold observance in the Prologue to his Commentary on the Psalms: “seven also signifies the Old Testament, for the Old Testament fathers maintained a sevenfold structure of observance (septenario serviebant).  They observed the seventh day [that is the Sabbath Day/Saturday]; the seventh week [that is the Feast of Weeks/the Jewish Pentecost]; the seventh month [the month with the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur/the Day of Atonement, and Sukkot/the Feast of Tabernacles]; and the seventh year of the seventh decade, which is called the jubilee (cf. Lev 25:8–10).”

Additionally, Durandus notes that “by these seven antiphons, the Church shows the manifoldness of vice, and asks for the remedy for each vice, for, before the coming of the Son of God in the flesh, we were ignorant or confused, doomed to eternal punishments, slaves of the devil, bound by the evil habit of sin, covered by darkness, driven out and exiled from our homeland” (Rationale, VI, XI, 5).  In each of the Antiphons, a remedy is requested from the longed-for Son: for ignorance, “Dec 17 O Wisdom, come and teach us the way of prudence;” from the doom of eternal punishment, “Dec 18 O Lord, come and redeem us with an outstretched arm;” for slavery to the devil, “Dec 19 O Root of Jesse, come and liberate us, and delay no longer;” for the habits of sin, “Dec 20 O Key of David, come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;” for darkness, “Dec 21 O Orient, come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;” for exile for both the Gentiles – “Dec 22 O King of the Gentiles, come and save the human race which you fashioned from clay;” and for the Jews – “Dec 23 O Emmanual, our king and our lawgiver, come and save us, O Lord our God.”  Durandus also explains how the order of the Antiphons themselves follows the order in which these remedies should be applied.  For example, one must be redeemed before being liberated from the prison, and so on.

At Lauds during the Greater Ferias of Advent, proper antiphons, which change daily, are appointed for the Psalms and Old Testament Canticles.  These antiphons are also used during the diurnal Minor Hours of their respective days.  Historically, however, there were only six sets, not seven, of these antiphons in order to leave room for propers of the Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle, which always falls during the Greater Ferias.⁸  In these six sets, Durandus sees represented the six ages of the world, where “the first age is reckoned from Adam to Noah; the second, from Noah to Abraham; and, as Matthew the evangelist duly follows and distinguishes, the third, from Abraham to David; the fourth, from David to the carrying away into Babylon; the fifth, from the carrying away into Babylon to John the Baptist; the sixth, from John the Baptist to the end of the world.”⁹  The first five of these ages, and part of the sixth, occurred entirely before the Advent of Our Lord and thus represent the periods which the ancients spent preparing for the Lord’s First Advent.  These six sets of antiphons also represent the six works of mercy enumerated by Our Lord by which we are to prepare for His Second Advent (the season of Advent is concerned with both the First and the Final Coming of Our Lord, along with His intermediate coming into the soul by grace) – “[1] For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: [2] I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: [3] I was a stranger, and you took me in: [4] naked, and you covered me: [5] sick, and you visited me: [6] I was in prison, and you came to me” (Mat 25:35-36).

May these reflections help us enter into these last days leading up to Christmas with the same spirit as our forefathers in the Faith, understanding them to be an invitation to separate ourselves from the riotousness of our post-Christian culture, at this time of year particularly, by a more assiduous assistance at the Church’s liturgies and by endeavoring for a greater devotion in prayer, and also as seeing them as representing the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost by which Christ and the Baptized are anointed; the longing of the ancient fathers for the coming of the Messiah; the sevenfold vices which held mankind captive and their sevenfold remedies sought from the Son; the ages of the world leading up to the first Advent of the same Son; and the good works we must do to prepare for His second.

Fr. William Rock, FSSP was ordained in the fall of 2019 and is currently assigned to St. Stanislaus Parish in Nashua, NH.

In support of the causes of Blessed Maria Cristina, Queen, and Servant of God Francesco II, King 

1. Guéranger, Prosper. The Liturgical Year, vol. 1 (Advent). Trans. Shepherd, Laurence. (Fitzwilliam: Loreto
   Publications, 2000), p. 494.
2. Traditionally, on 24 December, the Vigil Day of Christmas, the altar could be decorated with flowers and other trappings, the organ could be played without restraint, the solemn tone was used at Mass, all stood for the orations, and the Deacon and Subdeacon would wear dalmatic and tunicle, yet the color of the vestments was still violet, the Benedicamus Domino was used, and it was still a day of fasting and abstinence (Matters Liturgical [1956], 461.c, d, e).  For information about how the Easter Vigil, which is the Mass of Holy Saturday and not the “First Mass of Easter,” participates in the festivity of the next day, see here.  The festal liturgies proper of Christmas and Easter both begin with First Vespers celebrated in the evenings preceding.
3. Talley, T. J. The Origins of the Liturgical Year.  (New York: Pueblo Books, 1986), pp. 150-151.
4. Barber, Michael Patrick. The True Meaning of Christmas – The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2021), p. 155.  See also Saturnalia: Meaning, Festival & Christmas | HISTORY.
5. Denis-Boulet, Noele M. Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism, Section X – The Worship of the Church, vol. 113 – The Christian Calendar. Trans. Hepburne-Scott, P. (New York: Hawthron Books, 1960), p. 50.
6. Talley, pp. 150-151.
7. Cabaniss, J. Allen. Liturgy and Literature – Selected Essays. “A Note on the Date of the Great Advent Antiphons.” (University of Alabama, 1970), p. 100.
8. Previously, these sets of proper antiphons were for Monday through Friday inclusively, with Saturday only having only a proper antiphon for the Old Testament Canticle.  As each Sunday of Advent has proper antiphons as well, this rounded out the number to six sets.  If the Feast of St. Thomas (21 December) fell on a weekday, the set of antiphons for that day, excluding the antiphon for the Old Testament Canticle, would be used on Saturday together with the Saturday antiphon for the Canticle (unless Christmas Eve fell on the 4th Sunday of Advent, in which case, the antiphons of the 4th Sunday, excluding again the one for the Old Testament Canticle, would be used on Saturday instead of those of the Feria, six sets still being maintained).  A full set for Saturday was added during the breviary reform of Pope Pius X, and the rubrics governing the use of these antiphon sets were changed.  Mr. Gregory DiPippo gives the texts of these antiphons and a bit of their history in this post on the New Liturgical Movement blog.
9. St. Augustine’s Tractates (Lectures) on the Gospel of John, 9 (John 2:1-2), 6.

“All of the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
—Saint Francis of Assisi

Holy Mother Church has given us the tradition of Rorate Mass in the midst of Advent as an opportunity to contemplate the mystery of darkness and light. Outside, the streets and fields wait in night’s stillness for dawn, but inside the sanctuary, candlelight leaps into the shadows and overpowers them. We may feel as if the darkness of sin and indifference – like the darkness of the troubles that plague our world, our nation, and our Church – threatens to overwhelm and destroy the Light of Christ. But darkness cannot overcome light. The light of just one candle is enough to dispel darkness. Imagine the power of the Light of the World!

It is especially poignant that this candlelit Mass is offered in honor of Our Lady, as it was she who held and nurtured inside of her the Eternal Light. The Rorate Mass is a visible, burning reminder that, by vigilantly tending the flame of faith in our own hearts through prayer and penance, humility and hope, we prepare for the dawn of Christ inside ourselves too.

It takes days to set up all the candles in the Shrine before Rorate. Hundreds of tiny, flickering flames set the altar and sanctuary aglow. We invite you to join us in this spiritual labor by offering a candle to Our Lady this year for your particular intentions. The Rorate Mass will be offered for those intentions enrolled. And the candles that burn for those intentions will continue to bear your prayers to Heaven for seven days and nights.

Unite your prayers to our Lady’s at this year’s Rorate Mass by lighting a candle. Together, let us hearken to the Dawn, hidden just beyond the horizon: https://stalphonsusbalt.org/rorate

Watch the live broadcast of High Mass from the Shrine, featuring Francisco Guerrero’s Missa Beata Mater and a prelude and motets by Biebl, Poulenc, Ola Gjeilo, and Palestrina. Mass begins just before dawn at 6 am on Saturday, 14 December: https://youtube.com/live/pwwZi8T9-Yk