Good Friday – Black vestments with the priests prostrate in front of the Altar?

[gtsecc]

Did you all use Black Vestments?
I think a lot of Priests don't really like them.

Did they prostrate themselves in front of the altar?

I am going to ask in OBOB also.

 

[Fish and Bread]

At my parish, the priest who did the liturgy wore all black vestments and did a lot of kneeling, but I do not recall him actually prostrating himself.

John

 

[Parishoner]

At the Maundy Thursday service, we observed the "stripping of the altar", where all color of any sort was removed from the chapel. This included the priests leaving, momentarily, to remove their red vestments (holy week) and returning in black cossacks. They kneeled, but I don't remember any prostrating. During the good friday service and the stations of the cross, they continued to wear their black cossacks. Color returned during the easter vigil. However, my priest (I'm Episcopalian) wears his collar regularly, with the standard black pants, jacket, etc. I even know a priest who will wear his cossack during the week during all the seasons of the Church.
-Parishoner

 

[benedictine]

The two ministers, one lay, one a priest, wore cassock and surplice/cotta, and the priest wore a black stole.

 

[Father Rick]

Since we did not do a "Mass of the reserve sacrament" on Good Friday (we actually consumed ALL the reserve, save for one host in the monstrance) we did not vest for the Good Friday Stations of the Cross. We did, however, wear black cassocks.

 

[Brian Augustyn]

Traditionally on Good Friday, our church hosts a shared service with the the other two Episcopal churches in town. The service takes place between noon and three P.M. and consists of scripture readings, clergy-led meditations/homilies and solemn music from three great choirs. Every half hour, a different one of the priests present steps to the pulpit, reads a short scripture passage and then leads a related meditation for about a dozen minutes. This is then followed by prayers and an extended silence, followed by several appropriate hymns from one of the choirs. At the top of the hour, one church choir would process out and the next would process in. At three, the church bells sound the hour and the clergy. followed by the last choir, process silently out the side door. It's a very moving service, though I'm going blank as to what we call it.

This is the only service we have on Good Friday, other than a brief and informal prayer service to end the Great Watch at seven A.M. None of the five priests wore black--in fact they were all wearing plain white albs, cinctures and red stoles. I'm sure our church owns a black set, but I don't recall seeing it used in ten years. There really aren't that many other occasions to use black vestments, are there?

There was no prostrating either.

Brian

 

[Father Rick]

Black is very rarely used anymore. Many churches today don't even own black vestments.

Originally, black was used for funerals and Good Friday. Most churches/priests now use white for funerals, symbolic of resurrection. Red is usually for Good Friday.

 

[gitlance]

Wow... all the priests, choir, everybody wore black at my Good Friday service. But then again, I go to a very High Church parish...

 

[Songspinner]

Did you all use Black Vestments?
I think a lot of Priests don't really like them.

Did they prostrate themselves in front of the altar?

I am going to ask in OBOB also.

yup and yup

also everyone in the congrigation goes up to vererante the cross (one genuflection, kneel, kiss this leet of the crucifix, genuflect)

Very moving

 

[AveMaria]

Black. No prostrations, but two of the priests did carry in a lifesize crucifix which was elevated thrice in procession before, and then set in a stand, just in front of the altar rail, then clergy + congregation knelt in adoration for a good twenty minutes for the Improperia/Trisagion.

 

[Paul S]

Black. No prostrations, but two of the priests did carry in a lifesize crucifix which was elevated thrice in procession before, and then set in a stand, just in front of the altar rail, then clergy + congregation knelt in adoration for a good twenty minutes for the Improperia/Trisagion.

I love the Improperia.

Good to hear at least some Anglican parishes still sing them on Good Friday. They're no longer in the current Catholic Mass, although since I attend the older rite, I got to hear them.

Does the Anglican Good Friday liturgy include the Great Intercessions?