Lumen Christi
Encyclopedia
Lumen Christi is a Versicle
sung in Catholics and Lutheran churches as part of the Easter Vigil
. In Lutheran services, it is sung in the local language. It is chanted by the deacon
on Holy Saturday
as he lights the triple candle.
In the Catholic service, after the new fire has been blessed outside the church, a light is taken from it by an acolyte. The procession then moves up the church, the deacon in a white Dalmatic
carrying the triple candle. Three times the procession stops, the deacon lights one of the candles from the taper and sings, "Lumen Christi", on one note (fa, in the Solfege
system), dropping a minor third
(to re) on the last syllable. The choir answers, "Deo gratias", to the same tone. Each time it is sung at a higher pitch. As it is sung, all genuflect. Having arrived at the altar, the deacon begins the blessing of the Paschal Candle
(Exultet
). The meaning of this rite is obvious: a light must be brought from the new fire to the Paschal Candle; out of this the ceremony grew and attracted to itself symbolic meaning, as usual.
At first, the triple candle was no doubt merely a precaution against the light blowing out on the way. At one time there were only two lights. The Sarum Consuetudinary (about the year 1210) says: "Let the candle upon the reed be lighted, and let another candle be lighted at the same time, so that the candle upon the reed can be rekindled if it should chance to be blown out" . A miniature of the eleventh century shows the Paschal Candle being lighted from a double taper. The triple candle appears first in the twelfth and fourteenth Ordines Romani
, about the twelfth century. Father Thurston suggests a possible connexion between it and the old custom of procuring the new fire on three successive days. But precaution against the light blowing out accounts for several candles, and the inevitable mystic symbolism of the number three would naturally apply here too.
Guillaume Durand
, in his chapter on the Paschal Candle, does not mention the triple candle. In the Sarum Rite
only one candle was lighted. While it was carried in procession to the Paschal Candle, a hymn, Inventor rutili dux bone luminis, was sung by two cantor
s, the choir answering the first verse after each of the others. In the Mozarabic Rite
the bishop lights and blesses one candle; while it is brought to the altar an antiphon
, Lumen verum illuminans omnem hominem, etc., is sung. In Milan
, in the middle of the Exultet, a subdeacon
goes out and brings back a candle lit from the new fire without any further ceremony. He hands this to the deacon, who lights the Paschal Candle (and two others) from it, and then goes on with the Exultet.
s, and of the German religious community Gemeinschaft Lumen Christi.
Versicle
A versicle is the first half of one of a set of preces, said or sung by an officiant or cantor and answered with a said or sung response by the congregation or choir...
sung in Catholics and Lutheran churches as part of the Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil
The Easter Vigil, also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a service held in many Christian churches as the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, it is during this service that people are baptized and that adult catechumens are received into...
. In Lutheran services, it is sung in the local language. It is chanted by the deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday , sometimes known as Easter Eve or Black Saturday, is the day after Good Friday. It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week in which Christians prepare for Easter...
as he lights the triple candle.
In the Catholic service, after the new fire has been blessed outside the church, a light is taken from it by an acolyte. The procession then moves up the church, the deacon in a white Dalmatic
Dalmatic
The dalmatic is a long wide-sleeved tunic, which serves as a liturgical vestment in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and United Methodist Churches, which is sometimes worn by a deacon at the Mass or other services. Although infrequent, it may also be worn by bishops above the alb and below...
carrying the triple candle. Three times the procession stops, the deacon lights one of the candles from the taper and sings, "Lumen Christi", on one note (fa, in the Solfege
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
system), dropping a minor third
Minor third
In classical music from Western culture, a third is a musical interval encompassing three staff positions , and the minor third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. The minor quality specification identifies it as being the smallest of the two: the minor third spans three semitones, the major...
(to re) on the last syllable. The choir answers, "Deo gratias", to the same tone. Each time it is sung at a higher pitch. As it is sung, all genuflect. Having arrived at the altar, the deacon begins the blessing of the Paschal Candle
Paschal candle
The Paschal candle is a large, white candle used at liturgy in the Western Rites of Christianity . A new Paschal candle is blessed and lit every year at Easter, and is used throughout the Paschal season which is during Easter and then throughout the year on special occasions, such as baptisms and...
(Exultet
Exultet
The Exsultet or Easter Proclamation, in Latin Praeconium Paschale, is the hymn of praise sung, ideally by the deacon, before the paschal candle during the Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite of Mass. In the absence of a deacon, it may be sung by a priest, or by a cantor...
). The meaning of this rite is obvious: a light must be brought from the new fire to the Paschal Candle; out of this the ceremony grew and attracted to itself symbolic meaning, as usual.
At first, the triple candle was no doubt merely a precaution against the light blowing out on the way. At one time there were only two lights. The Sarum Consuetudinary (about the year 1210) says: "Let the candle upon the reed be lighted, and let another candle be lighted at the same time, so that the candle upon the reed can be rekindled if it should chance to be blown out" . A miniature of the eleventh century shows the Paschal Candle being lighted from a double taper. The triple candle appears first in the twelfth and fourteenth Ordines Romani
Ordines romani
The Ordines Romani are collections of documents that are the rubrics for various liturgical services, including the early Medieval Mass, of the Roman Rite...
, about the twelfth century. Father Thurston suggests a possible connexion between it and the old custom of procuring the new fire on three successive days. But precaution against the light blowing out accounts for several candles, and the inevitable mystic symbolism of the number three would naturally apply here too.
Guillaume Durand
Guillaume Durand
Guillaume Durand, or William Durand, , also known as Durandus, Duranti or Durantis, from the Italian form of Durandi filius, as he sometimes signed himself, was a French canonist and liturgical writer, and Bishop of Mende.-Life:He was born at Puimisson, near Béziers, of a noble family of Languedoc...
, in his chapter on the Paschal Candle, does not mention the triple candle. In the Sarum Rite
Sarum Rite
The Sarum Rite was a variant of the Roman Rite widely used for the ordering of Christian public worship, including the Mass and the Divine Office...
only one candle was lighted. While it was carried in procession to the Paschal Candle, a hymn, Inventor rutili dux bone luminis, was sung by two cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
s, the choir answering the first verse after each of the others. In the Mozarabic Rite
Mozarabic Rite
The Mozarabic, Visigothic, or Hispanic Rite is a form of Catholic worship within the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, and in the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church . Its beginning dates to the 7th century, and is localized in the Iberian Peninsula...
the bishop lights and blesses one candle; while it is brought to the altar an antiphon
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
, Lumen verum illuminans omnem hominem, etc., is sung. In Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, in the middle of the Exultet, a subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
goes out and brings back a candle lit from the new fire without any further ceremony. He hands this to the deacon, who lights the Paschal Candle (and two others) from it, and then goes on with the Exultet.
Other uses
Lumen Christi is also the name of several Catholic conventConvent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
s, and of the German religious community Gemeinschaft Lumen Christi.
- Lumen Christi CollegeLumen Christi CollegeLumen Christi College is a co-educational Catholic grammar school in Derry, Northern Ireland, founded in September 1997. The school is located at the site of the old St. Columb's College. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, Lumen Christi topped the GCSE and A-Level results league tables in Northern Ireland,...