The Showing of the Holy Cross
Date: February 25, 2023
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology and director of the Sacerdos Institute at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.
Question: During the celebration of the service of the Lord’s Passion in the afternoon on Good Friday, pertaining to the procession of the cross to the altar before the veneration, the sacramentary gives two indications. 1) That the cross "unveiled" may be carried in procession by the minister with two candles, and "Behold the wood of the cross" is intoned three times from the entrance, the middle, and at the altar; then afterward it's put at the place prepared for the veneration. 2) The second form says the minister carries the veiled cross with two candles to the sanctuary and then, facing the people, intones the "Behold the wood of the cross" three times while unveiling the cross slowly. My concern is that most priests combine the two forms in my country. They veil the cross and sing the chant three times, at the entrance, middle, and at the sanctuary. Is this also OK? Or does one need to stick to one form, as seen in the sacramentary? -- N.A., Cape Coast, Ghana
Answer: The precise rubrics referred to by our reader are the following for Good Friday:
“The Adoration of the Holy Cross
“14. After the Solemn Intercessions, the solemn Adoration of the Holy Cross takes place. Of the two forms of the showing of the Cross presented here, the more appropriate one, according to pastoral needs, should be chosen.
“The Showing of the Holy Cross
“First Form
15. The Deacon, accompanied by ministers, or another suitable minister, goes to the sacristy, from which, in procession, accompanied by two ministers with lighted candles, he carries the Cross, covered with a violet veil, through the church to the middle of the sanctuary.
“The Priest, standing before the altar and facing the people, receives the Cross, uncovers a little of its upper part and elevates it while beginning the Ecce lignum Crucis (Behold the wood of the Cross). He is assisted in singing by the Deacon or, if need be, by the choir. All respond, Come, let us adore. At the end of the singing, all kneel and for a brief moment adore in silence, while the Priest stands and holds the Cross raised. Then the Priest uncovers the right arm of the Cross and again, raising up the Cross, begins, Behold the wood of the Cross and everything takes place as above. Finally, he uncovers the Cross entirely and, raising it up, he begins the invitation Behold the wood of the Cross a third time and everything takes place like the first time.
“Second Form
“16. The Priest or the Deacon accompanied by ministers, or another suitable minister, goes to the door of the church, where he receives the unveiled Cross, and the ministers take lighted candles; then the procession sets off through the church to the sanctuary. Near the door, in the middle of the church and before the entrance of the sanctuary, the one who carries the Cross elevates it, singing, Behold the wood of the Cross, to which all respond, Come, let us adore. After each response all kneel and for a brief moment adore in silence, as above.”
I would say that if the rubrics of the Missal go to the trouble of describing two alternative ways of presenting the cross, one veiled and the other unveiled, it clearly did not intend that they should be combined.
It should also be noted that the only form foreseen in the 1962 missal before the reforms of the Second Vatican Council was a rite very similar to the first form, albeit with slightly more detailed rubrics.
The second form, therefore, is a novelty introduced into the missal and intentionally chooses a different option in the context of a procession.
No reason is given for omitting the veil in the second option, but the norm itself is clear. I doubt that there were any profound theological reasons for the different options.
It may have seemed that this was more suitable in the context of a procession through the church.
In part, perhaps, it might stem from practical considerations as it is likely more difficult to keep a veil from falling while in movement.
Another reason could also be that, while the ritual unveiling of the cross from before the altar is clearly visible to all those present, the rite of unveiling would probably not be so clear to those present in side aisles or would be blocked by taller fellow worshippers if done while processing down the church’s central aisle.
Since the visibility of these symbolic gestures is an aid to living them, it may have been considered that the raising of the cross in three points of the church achieves a similar symbolic effect as the progressive unveiling from before the altar.
* * *
Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city, and your state, province, or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the significant number of questions that arrive.