One of our family's favorite Holy Week customs is all of us piling into our big, white whale of a 15 passenger van, Moby, and heading out for the traditional Maundy Thursday Seven Churches Pilgrimage with a picnic lunch. We spend most of the morning driving around the Texas countryside because in the boonies a lot of the Churches are over 30 miles apart, pause to say 2 Stations of the Cross and one of the Maundy Thursday Stations at each parish, have our lunch, and then head back home to get ready for our Family Last Supper and feet washing.
In 2020, with so many of us under quarantine, however, we have the options of either doing the pilgrimage by staying in our vehicles or going on a virtual pilgrimage in our homes. Our family will be doing the former and church hopping tomorrow. But, through the wonders of the internet, for those who are more comfortable staying at home, I've compiled a virtual pilgrimage with tours of some of the most GORGEOUS historical churches around the world. Just click on each photo to take the tour. (You will need Adobe Flash Player for some tours.)
This would also be a wonderful way to still participate in the tradition of the church when transportation and schedules may be an issue in the future, when littles are ill, or there is a new precious baby at home. These traditions don't have to be perfect to have a meaningful, memorable, grace-filled impact on our families.
The original tradition began with the church visits following the Maundy Thursday Mass when the altar is stripped and the Blessed Sacrament is taken to the Altar of Repose. There flowers are customarily brought to later be used for Easter. The Tantum Ergo is also typically prayed at the Altar of Repose after Maundy Thursday Mass and is a Plenary Indulgence when done so under the usual conditions.
Tantum Ergo
Tantum ergo Sacramentum Veneremur cernui:
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui:
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque
Laus et iubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio:
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
V. Panem de caelo praestitisti eis.
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.
Oremus: Deus, qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili, passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue, quaesumus, ita nos corporis et sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis iugiter sentiamus. Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Or
Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail,
Lo! oe'r ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son Who reigns on high
With the Holy Spirit proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honor blessing,
Might and endless majesty. Amen.
V. Thou hast given them bread from heaven.
R. Having within it all sweetness
Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
This simple tradition is especially dear to our family because it was instituted by one of my husband's heavenly namesakes. In the middle of the 1500's St. Philip Neri and his companions started visiting the seven major and minor basilicas of Rome after the Maundy Thursday Mass and ended their journey with an austere picnic at the Villa of the Mattei family, now called Villa Celimontana. The pilgrimage is a practice, similar to adoration overnight on Thursday, where we have an opportunity to stay and pray with Christ in the garden when his own disciples could not be bothered and fell asleep. For those interested, the churches these saints walked were Holy Cross of Jerusalem, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter's, and St. Sebastian Outside the Walls.
Because our family has always been blessed with little children, we have always packed a picnic and done this traditions during the day. Some years we just pray in the car outside of Churches when I'm taking the kids alone and some are asleep upon arrival. Christ sees to the heart of man and knows our intention in these endeavors. And we pray that our little offerings are pleasing to Him.
This method also works wonderfully for praying outside an abortion mill with a bunch of wee ones or for our weekly prayers for the Poor Souls at the cemetery.
Seemingly based only on the popular Triduum Mass times of our own day, many vocal contemporary Catholics appear to believe these pilgrimages organized by St. Phillip Neri all took place in the dead of night. However, historically we know that at the behest of Pope Pius V, who served from 1566-1572, all Masses of that era, including the Triduum Masses, were _required_ to start before noon. Therefore, it is unlikely that the saints waited such a long time in order to begin their pilgrimage and have a picnic at night.
While each of St. Philip Neri's church stops included a prayer, singing, and one of his homilies, as we drive around from church to church we pray, sing, and listen to Eucharistic hymns from Thomas Aquinas and this Ave Verum Corpus setting by William Byrd. Since there are 14 Stations of the Cross it works perfectly to pray two Stations at each church. All of the above could be done during a virtual pilgrimage as well.
1. The Church of the Nativity - Bethlehem
Built : 4th Century under the direction of Constantine
This church sits on the historic site of Christ's birth. In the 6th century it was rebuild after burning down.
2. The Sistine Chapel - Vatican City
Built : 15th Century
The Last Judgement was painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo in the 16th Century. It is also where the Cardinals holds the conclave to elect a new pope.
3. St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican City
Built : 4th Century
This Basilica rests over the tomb of the first pope St. Peter. It was rebuilt into its present day form during the 16th century.
4. Canterbury Cathedral - Canterbury
Built : 10th Century
Work on the Canterbury Cathedral began in the 10th century but additions were still being made to its structure into the 19th century. Since the 16th century it has been under the control of the Church of England whose head is the Queen of England, then the Archbishop of Canterbury.
5. Notre Dame Cathedral - Paris
Built : 12th Century
Named for Our Lady, the idea for Notre Dame was conceived by the Bishop of Paris, Maurice de Sully. It was meant to replace two former basilicas that stood on the same spot.
6. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception - Washington D.C.
Built : 20th Century
A relatively new structure, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was started in 1920. Construction ended in 1961 and it is the largest church in the United States.
7. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Jerusalem
Built : 4th Century under the direction of Constantine
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the historical site of Christ's crucifixion, tomb, and therefore resurrection.
Once home we make our Last Supper meal, usually of herb roast chicken and all the fixings. We read the traditional gospel for today in John, then all take turns washing each others feet.
Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father: having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And when supper was done, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him,) knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and goeth to God; He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered, and said to him: What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all. For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean. Then after he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am. If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also.
John 13:1-15
We don't have a Christian Seder at our home because of a sermon we heard at our parish. It discusses the participation of Catholics in rituals of other religions and their relation to the first commandment. You can listen to it here.
You can also pray today's Tenebrae here or pray a Maundy Thursday Dry Mass with the readings and propers here.
A Blessed Holy Triduum to y'all!
Genie
Thank you for linking the talk about the Seder meal! I had no idea and have heard many Catholics several times promote our participation!