Rome, Italy, Jun 26, 2008 / 18:03 pm
The Vatican’s Master of Papal Liturgical Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini explained that the distinct ancient liturgical ornaments and vestments being used by Pope Benedict XVI underscore “the continuity of the current liturgical celebration with that which has characterized the life of the Church in the past. The hermeneutic of continuity is always an exact criterion for reading the course of the Church in time. This also applies to the liturgy.”
In an interview with the L’Osservatore Romano, Msgr. Marini said that “just as a Pope cites the Pontiffs that preceded him in his documents in order to indicate the continuity of the Magisterium of the Church, so in the area of liturgy, a Pope also uses liturgical vestments and sacred accessories of the Popes that preceded him to indicate the same continuity in the lex orandi (law of prayer).”
“I would like to note that the Pope does not always use ancient liturgical vestments. He often uses modern ones. The important thing is not that they are ancient or modern but that they are beautiful and dignified, aspects that are important for all liturgical celebrations,” he added.