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| Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament Photo by New York Scugnizzo |
Immortalitátis alimónian consecúti, quǽsumus, Dómine: ut, qui sub Christi Regis vexillis militáre gloriámur, cum Ipso, in cælésti sede, júgiter regnáre possímus: Qui tecum vivit.(1)Over the course of three days members of the Fratelli della Santa Fede (Brothers of the Holy Faith) joined the faithful at the Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents (128 West 37th St.) in Manhattan to celebrate the Forty Hours Devotion, a solemn forty-hour period of continuous prayer made before the Most Blessed Sacrament in exposition. A bastion of traditional Catholicism, the church is the only parish in the entire Archdiocese of New York that observes the devotion in its traditional form.(2)
Beginning Friday evening with Holy Hour and Confession, the Votive Mass of Exposition was sung by Rev. Fr. James L.P. Miara. After Holy Communion, the Most Blessed Sacrament was placed in the monstrance and incensed. A solemn Eucharistic procession around the nave with crucifer, thurifers, and a retinue of acolytes carrying torches and processional canopy culminated with the enthronement of the Blessed Sacrament on the altar for all-night Adoration while the Schola chanted the Tantum Ergo Sacramentum. Mass concluded with the Benediction, Divine Praises, and the chanting the Litany of the Saints.
Returning Saturday afternoon, we found the tired faces of a few devout souls who remained and prayed through the night. Settling in, we implored God's divine mercy and joined the congregation in praying the Holy Rosary. As it happens, it was also the final day of Cardinal Raymond Burke and Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s forty-day crusade of prayer and fasting, so we prayed the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows for the good intentions of the Holy Father as well as for his rejection of the theological errors and heresies connected with the Amazon Synod.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament by the faithful continued throughout the night.
Sunday morning, the closing Mass of Reposition and the Solemnity of Christ the King was celebrated Coram Sanctissimo, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The Forty Hours Devotion closed with a solemn procession and final reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Same as with the opening Mass of Exposition, Fr. Miara ended with a Benediction, the Divine Praises, and chanting the Litany of the Saints. The congregation sang the Te Deum and recited the Act of Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Plenary Indulgences were gained by all who confessed their sins and received Holy Communion at the church during the three days of Exposition.
~ Giovanni di Napoli with Andrew Giordano, Sunday, October 27, The Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ
(1) We who have received the food of immortality, beseech Thee, O Lord: that we who glory in our warfare under the banners of Christ our King, may reign with Him for ever in His heavenly dwelling place: Who liveth and reigneth. ~ Postcommunion Collect(2) Forty Hours Devotion at Church of Holy Innocents This Weekend by Stuart Chessman, October 24, 2019, The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny
