Yesterday morning, to the Apostolic Administrator's Chrism Mass in Byzantine S Barnabas (guarding the Mass). Versus Orientem; splendid homily (which will be on his website on Thursday). Only distractions: use of the vernacular; no episcopal dalmatic ... and stole and maniple decorated with swastikas. DON'T TELL THE BARMY BISHOP OF BUX, or he will probably renew his allegations that Anglican Catholics are holocaust deniers. (Actually, S Barnabas also have a rather splendid banner crawling with swastikas. I have a sudden surreal picture in my mind: Hitler has invaded, and all those nice Rhodes Scholars in the German administration have made S B's their church of preference, turning up to the Sunday High Mass with MA gowns over their SS uniforms.)
And another distraction: rods, like curtain rails, round all four sides of the badachino, for all the world as if somebody might pop curtains on them, and draw them across, veiling the mysteries, at the Sanctus. Now that really would be a retro piece of liturgy. Go for it, Fr Beswick.
Post scriptum: I spent a afternoon in Bodley sussing Ante torum ... . A final couple of posts on this after Easter.
We may need to reassure our readers that the crosses on the vestments were not the crooked, raked, Nazi symbol, but the more ancient symbol of the cross as found in India and throughout the world until it was misappropriated.
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