Amid restrictions, Virginia Latin Mass society to run free shuttle to ancient liturgy in Baltimore on Good Friday

The Arlington Latin Mass Society will provide a free shuttle to bring faithful from their diocese to the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified, a more ancient form of the Good Friday liturgy, at National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Baltimore.

According to the March 22 announcement, the Diocese of Arlington will not have Tridentine celebrations of the Good Friday liturgy because the motu proprio Traditiones custodes limited which parishes may celebrate the TLM.

The Mass of the Pre-Sanctified is not a Mass, since it does not include the Consecration of the Eucharist. Instead, it is the Good Friday Liturgy that was observed by Roman Catholics until 1955. 

Catholic Straight Answers explains that in this liturgy, only the priest receives Holy Communion. The Mass of the Pre-Sanctified also more closely resembles a Mass than the modern Good Friday liturgy.

In the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified, the faithful venerate the Holy Cross and then process, following the priest, to the place where the Holy Eucharist is reposing after Holy Mass. The Eucharist is placed in a chalice and carried back to the altar.

“The celebrant then incensed the Blessed Sacrament,” the website explains. “The Host was then placed on the paten, and then the corporal, without the saying of any prayers. The deacon then placed wine in the chalice, and the subdeacon, water, with no blessings or prayers offered by them or the celebrant.”

After this, the priest incenses the cross, altar, and the Eucharist (consecrated the day before). Then the priest prays and recites the Our Father, elevates the Host, and consumes it and the Precious Blood.

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