Rorate Caeli Mass

At the Our Lady side altar of Holy Ghost Church

December 10, 2016

The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion in which the Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn, with no lighting other than candles on the altar. The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of its Introit:

Rorate, caeli, desuper . . . .

Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above . . . .

Photo of the Our Lady side altar taken before Mass, with overhead lights still turned on.

With overhead lights turned off before Fr. Hendershott and the servers

emerged from the sacristry to begin the celebration of Mass.

With overhead lights off, 44 candles lit on the altar during the Mass

Photos by Henry Edwards

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