Gospel Reading

19/9/04

READING THE GOSPEL
I have seen in some churches, a custom that during the announcing of the Gospel 'Hear the holy Gospel according to.....' the Gospeller with their thumb makes the sign of the cross on the first letter of the word of the Gospel book that will be read. Can you tell me the origin and reason of this practice and is it only to be done by a priest or deacon?

REPLIES

David Froud 20/9/04

The sign of the Cross made on the book is not a blessing of the text, but merely an explanatory or commemorative sign, which appears to mean, "This is the Book of the Crucified One" It should be noted that this sign of the cross ought to be made, not on the cross found in some Missals just before the Gospel, nor on the words initium (the beginning) or sequentia (the continuation), but at the actual beginning of the text. This informationis from Collationes Brugenses, volume ii page 546) David Froud

Craig Aburn 20/9/04

The Deacon (or if there is no Deacon, a Priest - never a layman) makes the sign of the cross on the Book of Gospels to show that the cross of Christ is the source of all blessing and that the words of the Gospel are the words of the one who died on the cross for our salvation. This is followed by one small Cross on the forehead, one small Cross on the lips, and one small Cross on the breast -- just before the Gospel reading at Mass. The sign on the forehead is to show that we believe the Gospel, the sign on the lips is to show that we respect the Gospel and desire to spread the Good News, and the sign on our breast is to show that we love the Gospel and want it kept in our hearts. The sign of the cross made on the book is indicative of where the words to be spoken come from. The blessing of the Deacon by the Priest before the Gospel affirms this: "May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips that you may worthily proclaim his Holy Gospel..."

This practice has been in existence since the 11th century.

Craig Aburn
Councillor LG5&6

Craig Aburn 23/9/04

A further point here - in modern Roman practice where a Bishop presides at the Mass, after the Gospel has finished the Bishop takes the Book of Gospels and blesses the faithful with it by making the sign of the cross with the
Book of Gospels.

Cllr Craig Aburn

David Froud 24/9/04

With reference to to Craig's mention of the Blessing by the Bishop with the Book of the Gospels The original practice was for the subdeacon to carry the OPEN Book of the Gospels to the Bishop who then kissed the beginning of the Gospel before closing the Book to make the Blessing of the people.
This practice is still observed in many churches.
David Froud

David Jones - 5/2/10

Dear Fellow SofS,

In Solemn Masses at the Vatican, the Pope receives the closed gospel book from the deacon gospel reader, after the procession back to the high altar (there is no longer a subdeacon) and then uses the book to bless the people. I do not think that he kisses the text.

Sincerely.

David C. Jones
Last Surviving MC to the Editor of Ritual Notes
lay Eucharistic Minister
Lay Intercessing Minister
Lay Lector,
Church Of the Good Shepherd
Burke. Virginia. USA.

David Jones - 5/2/10

Dear SotS,

A year ago, I travelled several times from the USA to Macedonia, on professional business. As there was no Anglican church in Skopje, on virtually every Sunday I attended the 5:00 pm Low Mass, In English, at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Skopje. The service was virtually identical to Rite 2 of the Episcopal (Anglican) Church of the USA.

On the first Sunday that I visited, I was the first person to arrive. I was met by a kindly and elderly priest, who asked me if I would read the lessons. This, I did, without disclosing my lack of RC credentials, because that was a problem for the RC Church and not for me. I also received Holy Communion from the RC priest. At later services, I continue to read the lessons, from time to time.

Then, on one occasion, I was even asked to read the Holy Gospel. Despite my misgivings, I did this, also. However, not being in Holy Orders, I questioned my conscience as to my own authority to do this. I discovered, somewhere, that a lay-person may read the Holy Gospel if the celebrant was not competent in the vernacular. This quieted my conscience, as I assumed, from observation, that the priest had (probably) memorized the English for the Common of the Mass - but did not know the translations for the Propers. This relates to the extra-ordinary or Tridentine Rite, when the celebrant read the Epistle and Gospel privately - secretly - before the sub-deacon and the deacon read (or chanted) them publicly. I contented myself by assuming, without knowing, that whilst I was reading the Holy Gospel publicly, the celebrant would read it quietly in Macedonian or Latin.

Incidentally, in the spirit of ecumenism, the priest told me that he was holding marriage-counseling sessions with a mixture of Muslims and Orthodox Christians. RC and Western Christians are a small minority of Macedonia's population.

The kindly priest traveled two hours to celebrate the Mass every Sunday, in English. Thus, I feel that all support and little criticism is appropriate - all around. Ritual Notes etc. notwithstanding!

Sincerely.

David C. Jones
Last Surviving MC to the Ritual Notes Editor
Lay Eucharistic Minister
Lay Intercessing Minister
Lay Lector,
Church Of the Good Shepherd
Burke. Virginia. USA.