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| The missal for the Mass |
Annue, quásumus, omnipotens Deus: ut sanctórum Martyrum tuórum Maurítii et Sociorum ejus nos latíficet festíva sollémnitas; ut, quorum suffrágiis nítimur, eórum natalitis gloriémur. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum: qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sácula sæculórum. Amen.Tuesday evening, leaving behind the din and tumult of the ongoing Feast of San Gennaro on Mulberry Street, I entered the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood for the Feast of St. Maurice and the Martyrs of the Theban Legion.
Arriving nearly an hour early, I found the contrast could hardly have been greater. The church was silent and peaceful. I prayed the Rosary and said my prayers while the servers quietly prepared the sanctuary and the choir warmed up in the loft.
Having been told it was a private Mass, I expected little more than a priest offering Mass at one of the side altars. Instead, I found myself at a Solemn High Traditional Latin Mass, accompanied by sublime sacred music and a remarkable turnout. The congregation's responses and hymns thundered through the nave. It was deeply uplifting and spiritually moving.
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| Sangria at the post-Mass gathering |
Afterward, everyone was invited to a nearby restaurant for food, drinks, and conversation. There, among old acquaintances and new friends, the solemnity of the evening gave way naturally to conviviality.
~ By Giovanni di Napoli, September 23rd, Feast of Padre Pio
Be merciful, almighty God, we beseech You, that the solemn feast of Your martyrs, Maurice and his Companions, may gladden us, so that we who rely on their patronage may joyfully celebrate the anniversary of their martyrdom. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
