Litany & Choral Eucharist

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Above: The choir sings the Great Litany in Procession. Follow the entire Church Year from start to finish here.

Service details: The service begins with the clergy and choir entering in silence, going to their respective places in the chancel. The Litany then begins with the words “O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth” and the clergy and choir walk a long procession through the nave, moving down the center aisle and through the side aisles among the congregation. By the time the Rector chants “Son of God: we beseech thee to hear us,” the choir and clergy have returned to their places in the chancel.

If you listen to this service via the webcast, you will notice the movements of clergy and choir throughout the Litany Procession as they as they go farther and come nearer.

After the Litany Procession, the Rector chants the Collect of the Day, and the lessons proceed as usual (although this year the psalm is replaced with a canticle: the Benedictus Dominus Deus), leading up to a sermon by the Rector.

The Holy Eucharist is given at the High Altar and, for convenience, at the Chantry rail as well.

‚ñ∫The Rector speaks about the Great Litany, the oldest piece of Anglican liturgy in use (predating the Prayer Book) in his weekly audio message.

Music notes: Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585) lived at a remarkably turbulent time in the history of the English Church, witnessing Henry VIII’s reign, Queen Mary’s re-establishment of the Roman Catholic Church and the subsequent changes under Queen Elizabeth. With such a changeable political and religious scene it is no surprise that Tallis’s sacred choral music should be so diverse. He began his career as organist at the Benedictine Priory at Dover, and then served at Waltham Abbey until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540. Following a short period as a lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral he became a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, a position he retained until his death.

Whilst Tallis and his pupil William Byrd enjoyed royal favor through their compositions for the Anglican liturgy, it must be said that, at heart, both remained loyal to the old religion and it is in their Latin output that the two composers are at their most expressive. The Missa Salve intemerata Virgo is an early work, which is reminiscent of large-scale 15th century choral writing. It is based on a motet of the same name, the text of which is a lengthy invocation of the Virgin Mary.

‚ñ∫December Rectors Chronicle
‚ñ∫Last chance: Christmas Flower Memorials
‚ñ∫2012 Angel Tree

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