I promised a reminder a few days ago, so here it is:

Solemn Vespers tomorrow, Sunday May 22, at 5:00 PM at St. Anne Church. Fr. Alexander Bradshaw will be presiding, with Fr.’s Michael Mayer and Edison Tayag assisting. The service will include Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, so please do avail yourselves of this extremely special event! The evening will feature Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony, along with an organ repertoire spanning five centuries. Our very own Mike was present for the last service, and took the photos you see here.

So, if you’re free tomorrow evening and haven’t been raptured, go to St. Anne Church for Solemn Vespers. Something tells me you’ll be glad you did.

Some of you might be asking yourselves, “So what exactly are ‘Solemn Vespers?'” Essentially, it’s the Church’s official time for evening prayer. Indeed, for those of you who pray the current Liturgy of the Hours, many of your editions probably use the words “Evening Prayer” instead of Vespers, just to make things a little less complicated should the laity pray this beautiful treasure of the Church. Vespers in this case are a little different from what you may have experienced in your own parishes or prayer groups. For instance, there are five psalms in the Extraordinary Form, whereas in the Ordinary Form there are three. However, aside from the number of psalms and the locations of different prayers, the old and the new forms of Vespers are pretty much the same.

At the Second Vatican Council, the Church stated that praying the Divine Office (or Liturgy of the Hours, etc.) is wholly commendable and desirable, that it “may pervade and penetrate the whole of Christian prayer, giving it life, direction and expression and effectively nourishing the spiritual life of the people of God .” Pope Paul VI was speaking here specifically about the reformed prayer of the Church after Vatican II. However, through His Holiness Pope Benedict’s motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, it was been made clear that both the old and new versions of the Divine Office are precious and integral to the life of the Church. For this reason, it is the duty of our clerics and the prerogative of our laity to participate actively, fully, and reverently in this aspect of the Church’s liturgical life. So do your best to attend what is sure to be a beautiful service.

Solemn Vespers – May 22, 5:00 PM – St. Anne Church, Rochester, NY 14620

On a side note, St. Anne is also hosting a flower show and barbeque dinner that evening. It might be worth it to attend, seeing as how you would nourish your souls and your stomachs!

(Thank you to our readers who keep us informed about such things. We’re all very grateful.)

Tags: Events, Liturgy, Music Sacred Catholic Liturgical and Chant, News and Media, Orthodoxy at Work

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