Rite cartusien

The rite cartusien is the manner of celebrating the mass and the sacraments in the order of the Chartreux. It is indissociable in the manner of living of the Carthusian monks, and cannot be included/understood independently.

The oldest documents relating to this rite go back to the first quarter of the 12th century, forty years after the foundation by Grande Chartreuse by holy Bruno in 1084. They allow some assumptions concerning the liturgy of the primitive community.

History

Origins and developments

The first community cartusienne was mainly made up of Clerc S secular and regular canons including two regular canons of Saint-Ruf. None the first companions of Bruno saint was thus monk and the spirit of the first community, like its liturgy, was inspired by the Rule of Saint Augustin, adapted to the needs and the semi-érémitique life of the new foundation.

One knows nothing of their initial liturgical choices concerning the liturgy of the mass. It seems that they adopted the uses of Grenoble, strongly marked by the Lyons influence, as that Appert in the Gregorian melodies which remained to us. On the other hand, for the rite of the mass itself, it is by error which one wrote that the rite cartusien belonged to the family of the Lyons rite

The lifestyle set up and the composition of the community, voluntarily reduced, imposed a party of simplicity. There be to the 13th century one candle lit with the mass at the ordinary days and the liturgical ornaments were to be poor. Gold is prohibited, except for the sacred vessels.

One also knows that the mass was not celebrated each day, except in Lent and that it there have a long time one furnace bridge in the conventual church. The debate remains open concerning the number of priests. It is however certain that for the needs for the community, the tendency was quickly with a general sacerdotalisation of the Chartreux fathers. But at the 13th century, the Carthusian monks are considered to seldom celebrate the mass. Jacques of Vitry opposes them to the Parisian canons who started to multiply the masses for particular intentions. Today, the tendency is reversed, since they are practically the only ones to have preserved, among the communities which revised their liturgy according to the principles of the council the Vatican II, the practice of the mass read, celebrated only or with one being useful, in addition to the Community mass, however recommended by the conciliar constitutions (cf Sacrosanctum concilium n°57, Presbyterorum ordinis n° 13).

It is by error that the historiography of the modern period allotted to Bruno saint the drafting of the foreword of the Holy-Virgin who is quite former for him.

The studies undertaken on the Antiphonaire of the office show that the first community initially adopted a liturgy of the hours of the canonic type with nine lessons, strongly influenced by the ordinary one of Saint-Ruf.

In the second time, the liturgy followed the general movement of monachisation of Chartreuse and adopted the office Benedictine in his entirety. The reform of Guigues I, fifth prior and first legislator (about 1124) was in this respect decisive. Guigues revised the antiphonaire, and contributed by its scientific edition of the letters of Jerome saint to the constitution of the patristic lectionnaire.

According to the studies undertaken by the Carthusian monks at the time of the liturgical reform of the Vatican II, their rite would be more heir to the mass clunisienne 11th century and would thus approach to an old form the Roman mass But these assertions remain prone to debate.

During centuries, the Carthusian monks took care to preserve this clean liturgy, adapted to a solitary and contemplative life, in a community very few. In 1570, when the holy pope Pie V publishes the bubble Quo Primum , which imposes the Roman Missel on the whole of the Latin Church, it excludes from the field of application the liturgical rites having more than two hundred years.

The liturgical revision of the years 1980

After the Vatican II, the rite cartusien guard established among, in agreement with the the Holy See. At the time of the reforms of the Roman Rite of 1970, the Carthusian monks choose to keep their own rite, more favourable with contemplation and adapted to the life in loneliness without pastoral purpose. They undertake nevertheless a general revision of all their liturgical books, adopt the communion under the two the eucharistic species, prayers and several forewords of the Roman missal. The position of the priest to the furnace bridge is left with the choice of the communities (vis-a-vis the community or turned towards the Lord). The concelebration - nonobligatory - is reserved for Sunday and certain festive occasions. They reduce the number of the speeches of the mass while enriching the corpus euchologic by prayers, recompose basic in roof the lectionnaire of the office of night, compose a mass and an office for the commun run of the monks, adopts the vernacular language for the readings - always sung -, the speeches and the prayers of intercession of the office, promulgate new a diurnal and a breviary in vernacular language for the liturgy of the hours in cell in which they adopt new anthems. In the totality of the alive houses, liturgical space is restructured and revised according to the conciliar standards (detached furnace bridge of the wall of the sanctuary, sometimes extreme simplification of the decoration, suppression of jubé, where the conservation of the inheritance is not opposed to these measurements).

These reforms nevertheless were introduced slowly and carefully, while always leaving the monks - for the solitary liturgy - and at the communities - for the conventual liturgy - the choice between an old or more traditional formula and a renovated formula. However, the order formally did not obtain so far the official approval of the the Holy See for the revision of its liturgical books ( recognitio ). Forty years after the council the Vatican II, this slowness made it possible to save a beautiful treasure of medieval liturgical piety, particularly adapted to support the interior advance of the monks.

General characteristics

As opposed to what one could believe, the liturgy cartusienne is not characterized by particularly long times of silence, but by an absence of precipitation, a meditation, an extent of the gestures and a spirit of faith which make of it the faithful reflection of the matter of monks completely devoted to contemplation.

The recitation of the gun in silence by the priest, the arms in cross, was with the Moyen-âge a practice shared by other ritual traditions. Preceding silence the beginning of each liturgical hour is prescribed by the headings of the Bréviaire in almost the whole of the Western Latin rites.

In comparison with the Roman liturgy current, the rite cartusien is characterized by its great sobriety as for the external forms, its hieratism and its meditation, its direction of crowned and the worship. The monks prosternent themselves all their length during the eucharistic dedication (prostration); after each mass, they make a common thanksgiving, with the chorus, in the same position. For each speech of the mass or office, the community inclines itself deeply, supported on the mercies of the stalls. The Carthusian monks preserved more than elsewhere the conscience of the universal value of the prayer and the offering of any sacrifice eucharistic, even celebrated without assistance. Their current habit is to celebrate each day the mass in loneliness, in addition to their participation in the conventual mass, except the days of concelebration. They practice the regular, weekly confession individual even daily, with an acute sense of the proximity which gets very sacramental gesture with the acts savers of Christ.

The liturgy cartusienne is unaware of practically the processions, except for that of the " Dieu" celebrates; , unduly development in the film " great Silence " whereas it is absolutely not representative of the liturgy cartusienne. Except the processions of the taking the cloth of the beginner (of the chapter to the cell), lifting of the body (of the cell of late to the church) and burial (of the church to the cemetery), the life cartusienne does not comprise a regular procession out of the church. The branches, the Palm Sunday, and the candles the day of the Presentation of the Lord (February 2nd), are simply distributed to the community which goes to the degree of the sanctuary to receive them during the mass of the hand of celebrating, then turns over simply in the stalls.

The mass cartusienne

The daily conventual mass is preceded or followed solitary celebration of a mass by each monk priest, been useful by the temporary beginners and profès, possibly by the brothers convers, according to their devotion and availabilities.

The conventual mass

The oldest form of the mass cartusienne is very sober. After being itself prepared, prostrate on the steps of the furnace bridge, the priest goes to the cloakroom (sacristy) where it revêt vestments over the cuculle. (Except a special amict adapted to the capuce of the cuculle, clothing of the priest - or Paramentique - is the same ones as with the Roman Rite). While the chorus sings the Introït, sitted in the stalls and covered head, celebrating it only leaves in silence the cloakroom and advances until the medium of the degrees of the sanctuary where he requests, deeply tilted. With the resumption of the Antienne of introït it is rectified, goes up to the furnace bridge which it venerates of a kiss. At the end of the introït, it is signed in silence, at the same time as the community, inclines slightly with the cross of the furnace bridge and goes to the cathèdre, name which takes the seat of celebrating, always placed on the right-sided of the sanctuary (side of the epistle), slightly elevated and placed so that the priest does not make vis-a-vis the community but back is located at the side wall.

The community inclines itself deeply on the Miséricorde S and requests in silence. Then celebrating it, also tilted in the same position, entonne the “ Confiteor ” whose text has some characteristics which distinguishes it from the Roman rite. It is rectified to sing the “ Misereatur ”. All the community rectifies itself after having answered “ Amen ”.

The “ Kyrie ” is alternate nine times by the two choruses which face and remain in the same position to then alternate the song of the “ Gloria ” entonné by the priest. Then all turn to celebrating which invites to the prayer by the song of Oremus. The community, again deeply tilted on the mercies, links itself in silence with the song of the speech. Then all are covered and sat down to listen to the sung, made reading lectoire, in the middle of the chorus, by the instituted reader or a monk (father or brother) indicated each week for this office.

The song of the Gradual , the Alleluia with its verse (or the milked in Lent) is sung by all the community, sitting. During this time, the deacon goes up to the sanctuary, revêt the stole and prepares himself to sing the Gospel. One never preaches with the church. The oblats are prepared with the credence by the deacon, or the assistant when there is one of them; he takes the Voile huméral on the right shoulder to present to celebrating the Patène posed on the chalice. The gun is recited in silence. The community kneels, hands united vis-a-vis the furnace bridge for the dedication of the bread, then prostrate on the floor of the stalls until the end of the dedication of the chalice. There is no acclamation after the dedication. The priest does not give a blessing at the end of the mass which ends in the invocation " V Benedicamus Domino (alleluia alleluia). R Deo gratias (alleluia alleluia) " sung by the deacon or the assistant if there is one of them. Then community prostrate for the thanksgiving.

The mass read in loneliness

The masses read are celebrated in vaults dispersed in the conventual buildings by each monk-priest alone or been useful by a monk not-priest (beginner of chorus or brother) who links himself in silence with the sacrifice. It is not allowed to celebrate in cell, nor to preserve the the Blessed Sacrament at it. Their rite is even more sober than that of the conventual mass. It is celebrated in Latin or vernacular language, with the free choice of celebrating.

Preparation and readings

The priest starts with prosterner on the footboard of the furnace bridge by a short thanksgiving while serving it the furnace bridge prepares and lays out the ornaments to with it. Then the priest is raised, made the sign of the cross, goes up to the furnace bridge and revêt the ornaments with the assistance of being useful. Then it prepares the missal and the lectionnaire, inclines with the cross and goes to the right corner of the furnace bridge to furnish there the chalice with the wine which presents to him serving it and the patene with the host which will be devoted. It places patene on the chalice and covers them with a blade.

It goes then in the middle of the furnace bridge, venerates it by a kiss, is signed with being useful, turns to him, pronounces the formula of greeting (V " Dominus vobiscum" R " And cum spiritu tuo"), goes down to the left corner from the furnace bridge, the bottom of the footboard, joint the hands and inclines themselves deeply, turned towards the cross of the furnace bridge. While answering the greeting of the priest, serving it greets it by a light inclanition, then kneels with the right corner of the furnace bridge, on the ground and inclines themselves deeply, the hands united, turned towards the priest. After one moment of silence, celebrating it recites the confiteor cartusien with being useful and concludes it by the ritual formula. Then it goes to the center of the furnace bridge, is inclined deeply for a brief moment of prayer during which being useful remains deeply tilted and the united hands, but from now on turned towards the furnace bridge. When the priest goes up to the furnace bridge, serving it rectifies themselves, but remains with knees.

The priest rectifies himself, goes up in the middle of the furnace bridge where it reads the text of introît of the mass, followed verse and doxology, then repeated. He alternates then Kyrie eleison with being useful (Kyrie 3 times, Christe 3 times, Kyrie 3 times), then recites only Gloria, if it is necessary. After the speech of the mass (only one speech per mass), it reads (or made read) the epistle, followed the gradual one and verse of alleluia. Being useful is raised and faces him during the reading of the Gospel. There is no acclamation after the readings, nor of répons being useful. When the priest venerated the text of the Gospel, it returns the lectionnaire to being useful (except if the mass is known as in Latin, because the Latin missal cartusien is a plenary missal, containing all the texts of the mass). If it is necessary, he recites only the Creed, turned towards the cross of the furnace bridge.

Offertoire

The priest unfolds the corporal, then goes to the right corner of the furnace bridge where it had left the chalice and patene. Being useful goes to the swimming pool, takes the water oil-can, déploye the manuterge in range on the corner of the furnace bridge. It inclines with the priest who discovers the chalice, draws a water drop in the oil-can with the spoon who remains always posed on the blade, and pours it in the chalice by saying " As regards Our-Lord Jesus-Christ spouts out blood and water for the redemption of the monde" ; then it essuie the spoon with the manuterge. It goes then in the middle of the furnace bridge, raises a little the chalice which it holds with a hand by the node and other by the foot by saying " In spiritu humilitatis and animo contrito suscipiamur has Dominates you, and sic FIAT sacrificium nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie C placeat tibi Domine Deus". Then he concludes by tracing a sign from cross on the furnace bridge with the oblats by saying " In nominates Patris and Fili and Spiritus Sancti." Saying " Amen" , it deposits the chalice in the center of the corporal and deposits patene on this one, between the chalice and the edge of the furnace bridge. It then recovers the chalice with the other extremity of the corporal. He will not discover it any more but during the dedication and at the time of the communion. He recites then the prayer on the offerings.

Eucharistic prayer and communion

The priest dialogs the foreword aloud with being useful, then begins the eucharistic prayer of his choice which he recites with the lips with very low voice or in silence (" labialiter"). After the rise in the body of Christ, serving it the ground kisses, then prostrate on the ground of which it is raised only for communier, if it wishes it (a habit cartusienne is of communier to each mass to which it is given to assist). After one moment of silence, serving it rises, pours ablutions in the chalice which the priest tightens to him (wine, then water), and recovers to knees until the conclusion from the mass. The priest never gives blessing. The mass ends in the speech of conclusion, a greeting (" Dominus vobiscum… "), and a simple reference (R " Benedicamus Domino" V " Deo gratias").

Being used to assistance then the priest to undress and cover the furnace bridge, then it prostrate while the priest cleans the chalice and patene and arranges them in their place. The prostrate priest then on the footboard of the furnace bridge for its thanksgiving. With its signal, all are raised, are signed, greeted of an inclination and return in cell.

The office cartusien

Since the first quarter of the 12th century, the Carthusian monks adapted their primitive office, of canonic type, with the monastic manner to celebrate the hours described in the rule of Benoît saint. Sundays and festivals thus comprise twelve lessons (=lectures) and either nine as in the beginning.

Office choral

Only the Crossbred , the Laudes and the Vêpres are sung with the chorus the every day. The early hours are sung conventuellement Sundays and solemnities. The Complies are never sung in community. Since the Vatican II, the office of Prime to the chorus Sunday is recited in cell. The doxologies are sung on a mode slower than the remainder of the chant.

With certain festivals, four candles are lit in the sanctuary of the conventual church (in front of the furnace bridge or in the vicinity).

Part of the office is sung by chorus in the darkness (psalms of waiting, anthems fériales, Miserere , Psaumes and final canticles of the festive and Sunday laudes, preces etc)

The laudes immediately follow the crossbred ones, after a short interval of quiet speech in the darkness.

The liturgy in cell

The Carthusian monks only recite with the oratory of their cubiculum (principal room of the cell) all the offices not recited with the chorus. The offices are celebrated upright, at the same moment, by all, with the sound of the bell and by observing some of the ceremonies of the chorus (inclinations, kneelings).

Other rites of the life cartusienne

Taking the cloth and profession

Confession

Oiling of the patients

Burial

Appendices

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