4/12/2021
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| Giotto, "Miracle of the Crucifix" |
Reservation of the Ciborium for Holy Communion for the Sick During the last three days of the Triduum:
This reservation is for the sole purpose of giving Holy Communion to the Sick. Pastoral experience teaches that such visitations are necessary since people’s illnesses do not observe the liturgical calendar. SRC explains that it is the mind of the Rubrics that the place be fitting, convenient, kept with becoming reverence, and not exposed for the adoration of the faithful.
SRC names three fitting places for this reservation: another chapel near the Church; the sacrarium; and a suitable place within the rectory “which is separated from domestic and profane uses” as well as “from all danger of irreverence.” The tabernacle there should have a lock and key as well as a lamp burning before it. Reposition there should take place on Holy Thursday.
SRC provides, in the event of there being no other place, for the reservation of the ciborium to take place in the repository—also called the “sepulcher.” SRC indicates the ciborium is to be placed behind the chalice. This juxtaposition of vessels may require some interpretation since it is only mentioned once. It may even require some familiarity with the Rubrics for Holy Thursday evening.
This reservation in the sepulcher takes place from the Mass of Holy Thursday until the Mass of the Presanctified the next day. This implies the normal use of the the sepulcher during this time.
The next day, however, that is from the Mass of the Presanctified on Good Friday until Holy Saturday, SRC indicates initially that the sepulcher not be the place of reservation, but rather “some more remote and secret chapel of the church, where a lamp should be kept burning.” If there is no other available place for reserving the ciborium then it may continue to take place in the sepulcher until Holy Saturday. In this case, a lamp is to burn before it, all other lights being extinguished.
Should there be no such setup for a “sepulcher,” the ciborium may stay in its tabernacle as normal. But form sunset on Holy Thursday until Holy Saturday the ciborium is to be relocated to one of the above mentioned separate locations.
