The Irish standard., 1886-12-04
THE SOLEMN NuPTIAL MASS.
The Catholic Columbian Gives Some
Hints About This Mass Not
Generally Known.
"GLovEs," "sAYsTHE COL LUMBIAN,
'' Should Not Be Worn by the Bride
or the Bridegroom Other In
teresting Matters.

The bride should have her head COW
cred and be dressed modestly, out of
respect for the Blessed Sacrament.
Full dress, or anything approaching it.
should be vigorously forbidden.
Gloves should not be worn, either by
the bride or the bridegroom. In many
very ancient rituals it is prescribed
that the bride, if she be a widow,
should have on gloves; if not, her
hands should be uncovered.
Baruffaldi, however, says: ''Decet
manus esse nudas ct absque chirothe-
cis,'' without making this distinction
between FIRST and second marriages;
and Martinucci, who is the highest au-
thority on the subject, expressly pre-
scribes that the bride and bridegroom,
if they wear gloves, should take them
off before approaching the altar.
1t is to be regretted that the custom
of wearing gloves is so general at
Catholic marriages. The glove is often
cut so as to bare the ring finger, but
more frequently the service is suspend
ed for some minutes, whilst the bride
with great difficulty takes off a tight
fitting kid glove; and the bridegroom
often wears gloves during tue entire
ceremony, Mass included, and even re-
ceiving Holy Communion without TAX
ing them off.
The ushers should never be allowed
to conduct ladies to their pews, linked
arms. Such practice might be toll
Grated in the drawing room, but it is
certainly unbecoming in the house of
God.
It is customary at some fashionable
marriages, where ignorant Catholics
foolishly try to aDe Protestant customs,
for the bride and bridegroom to pre-
sent themselves without witnesses, the
people present answering for this pur-
pose, two of whose names at pleasure
are entered upon the record.
Such a practice is utterly to be dis
countenanced. The Council Of Trent
prescribes that marriages should take
place in the presence of two or three
witnesses.
The Church has always understood
by this that particular persons should
be designated for this Office, who should
stand near the parties and be looking
ON and listening to the lnterrogations
of the priest and the responses of the
bridegroom and bride, so as to be able
to testify to the fact of the marriage.
1t is not necessary that one witness
should be man and the other a woman.
4'hey may be all men or all women.
They may be even children, provided
they be old enough to understand what
takes place and give testimony in regard
to the marriage.
1t would seem more in accordance
with the spirit of the Church, although
not expressly prohibited, not to have
more than three witnesses.
/. The chalice should be placed on
the altar before the ceremony. In
churches where, as usual in Europe, the
Blessed Sacrament is not kept OH the
high altar, there sho3ld be two small
hosts placed upon the paten for the
Communion of the married couple.
2. The ring should be got from the
bridegroom and placed on small plate
on the credence table ON the Epistle side
Of the altar.
1t is customary with many priests not
to ask for the ring until just before tits
to be blessed, when it is handed to him
by the bridegroom.
8. The priest should vestas for Mass,
except the m.niple, which should be
placed on the lowest step Of the altar.
on the Gospel side, and should be put
ON just before Mass.
4. The bridegroom and bride should
kneel on the lowest or highest step OF
the altar-the lowest we think is prefer
able-during the marriage ceremony.
The priest should stand on the plat
form of the altar, directly in front OF
the tabernacle.
The witnesses should stand on either
side of the parties, a little behind.
In many churches it is customary for
the bridegroom aud bride and the wit
nesses to stand outside the Communion
rail, directly in front Of the altar, dur
ing the marriage ceremOnv.