The Bugnini-Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform - MusicaSacra

these "exceptions" are useful not only in respect to the representation of liturgical
ideas but they are of pastoral benefit as well. Unification, the emergence
of stereotypical forms is not the highest asset to the liturgy. In defining
the arrangement of the Easter Vigil the principle forced through in the
rite of Sacraments cannot be a conclusive argument.
In the Roman liturgy the Vigil had two principal structural forms as
documented in and known from the most ancient sources. Each is logical in
its own kind. One of them survived in the Beneventan rite (so it cannot be
called "Roman") where after a beautiful introductory antiphon (Ad vesperum
demorabitur fletus...) the celebration starts with the readings. For the people
prepared by the readings the ceremony of the birth of light and the benediction
of the Paschal candle symbolized the moment of resurrection.
Their own resurrection was celebrated then in the mystery of Baptism, and
thus the community buried and risen in Christ could strengthen its unity
with its Head in the Eucharist.
The second main type was universally accepted with minor variations
in the whole Roman liturgy. Here the rite began with the benediction of the
fire, outside the church. The consecration of the Paschal candle took place
in the frame of the Exsultet after entering the church. This first climax was
followed by a period of calm meditation when the catechumens and the
faithful were taught by the "prefigurative" readings of the Old Testament.
Then the rite became livelier again: the community went over to the baptismal
church singing the Litany. After the baptismal font was "fecundated"
and God's children were born out of the sacred womb (i.e. the womb of
mater Ecc/esia), the community returned to the main church singing a Litany
again. By going to and coming back from the baptistery both in the physical
and spiritual sense of the word, we follow the customs of mater omnium ecclesiarum,
i.e. the customs of the Lateran church. The liturgy of the Resurrection
itself is over now, the mystery is completed with the Eucharist, and the
Mass is closed down with an abbreviated form of the thanksgiving Vespers
or Lauds.
The rhythm of the whole sequence of rites is masterly balanced and
straight in its progression. The transition to the Mass is guaranteed by the
Litany which closes the baptismal rite, and so we arrive at the Glory in a
natural way. (In some medieval churches the celebrant was invited with
a trope to sing the intonation of the Gloria and so the introduction was still
accentuated.) The sequence of oration, Epistle and Alleluia emphasized in
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