HIS BEATITUDE; PATRIARCH DOM LUIS FERNANDO CASTILLO MENDEZ, PATRIARCH OF BRAZIL. DIOCESAN BISHOP OF BRASILIA. 4th Bishop consecrated by the Roman Catholic Archbishop Carlos Duarte Costa.

To view the video please click on the arrow the consecration is according to the prescribed Rites and ceremonies of the Pre-Vatican Two Roman Pontifical.

(Do bear in mind that the video has been edited to fit within the time scale only)

Video 1. Begining of the consecration to the Episcopate of Bishop David Bell by His Beatitude;Patriarch Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez,Patriarch of Brazil

Video 2. Continuation of consecration to the Episcopate of Bishop Bell.

Video 3. The ending of the consecration to the Episcopate, seating of the new bishop on the Cathedra.

The ceremony of consecration of a bishop is one of the most splendid and impressive known to the Church. It may be divided into four parts:

The preludes, the consecration proper, the presentation of the insignia, and the conclusion.

It takes place during mass celebrated by both the consecrator and the bishop-elect. For this purpose a separate altar is erected for the bishop-elect near the altar at which the consecrator celebrates Mass, either in a side chapel, or in the sanctuary, or just outside of it. The consecrator, aided by the assistant bishops, takes the book of the Gospels and, opening it, places it on the neck and shoulders of the elect, so that the bottom of the page be next to the elect's head, and the book is held in this manner by one of the clergy until it is to be given to the elect after the presentation of the ring. This rite is found in all the ancient rituals -- Latin, Greek and Syriac -- though in early times it seems not to have been universal among the Latin’s. Now follows the imposition of hands, which, according to the common opinion, is the essence of the consecration.

Both the consecrator and the assistant bishops place both hands, to express the plenitude of the power conferred and of the grace asked for, on the head of the elect, saying, "Receive the Holy Ghost" -- without restriction and with all His gifts, as the simple formula indicates. The prayers which follow determine the imposition of hands by which the grace and power of the episcopacy is signified and conferred. In the Greek ritual the prayer which accompanies the imposition of hands is clearly the form. The "Veni, Creator Spiritus" is sung, during which the consecrator first makes the sign of the cross with holy chrism on the crown or tonsure of the new bishop and then anoints the rest of the crown. That this unction is to symbolize the gifts of the Holy Ghost with which the Church desires a bishop to be filled, is evident from the prayer which follows, "May constancy of faith, purity of love, sincerity of peace abound in him". The anointing of the hands of the bishop in the form of a cross, and afterwards of the entire palms, then follows. This unction indicates the powers that are given to him.

The consecrator then makes thrice the sign of the cross over the hands thus anointed and prays: "What so ever thou shalt bless, may it be blessed; and what so ever thou shalt sanctify may it be sanctified; and may the imposition of this consecrated hand and thumb be profitable in all things to salvation." The hands of the bishop are then joined, the right resting on the left, and placed in a linen cloth which is suspended from his neck. Presentation of the Episcopal insignia.

The crosier is then blessed and handed to the bishop, who receives it between the index and middle fingers, the hands remaining joined.

The consecrator at the same time admonishes him, as the ritual indicates, that the true character of the ecclesiastical shepherd is to temper the exercise of justice with meekness, and not to neglect strictness of discipline through love of tranquillity. The consecrator then blesses the ring and places it on the third finger of the bishop’s right hand, reminding the latter that it is the symbol of fidelity which he owes to Holy Church.

The book of the Gospels is taken from the bishops shoulders and handed to him, with the command to go and preach to the people committed to his care. He then receives the kiss of peace from the consecrator and the assistant bishops, and the latter conduct him to his altar, where the crown of his head is cleansed with crumbs of bread, and his hair is adjusted. Afterwards the bishop cleanses his hands with lemon and breadcrumbs, and both he and the consecrator, at their respective altars, continue the Mass as usual, down to the prayer of the Offertory inclusively.

After the Offertory the new bishop is led to the consecrators altar where he presents to the latter two lighted candles, two loaves of bread, and two small barrels of wine. This offering is a relic of ancient discipline, according to which the faithful made their offerings on such occasions for the support of the clergy and other purposes connected with religion.

From the Offertory to the Communion the bishop stands at the Epistle side of the consecrators altar and recites the acts together with the latter everything as indicated in the Missal. After the consecrator has consumed one-half of the Host which he consecrated at Mass, and partaken of one-half of the Precious Blood together with the particle of the consecrated Host that was dropped into the chalice, he Communicates the bishop by giving him, first, the other half of the consecrated Host, and then the Precious Blood remaining in the chalice. Both take the ablutions from different chalices, after which the new bishop goes to the Gospel side of the consecrator, and with the consecrator continues the Mass down to the blessing inclusively.The consecrator then blesses the mitre and places it on the head of the bishop, referring to its mystical signification and a helmet of protection and salvation, that the wearer of it may seem terrible to the opponents of truth and be their sturdy adversary.

The episcopal gloves are then blessed and put on the hands of the bishop, referring to the action of Jacob, who, having his hands covered with the skins of kids, implored and received the paternal blessing. In like manner the consecrator prays that the wearer of the gloves may deserve to implore and receive the blessings of Divine grace by means of the saving Host offered by his hands. Holy oil known as Chrism is a mixture of oil of olives and balsam which is used in a consecration of a new bishop; we find the particulars in Exodus (30:23-24; 37:29).

(Frequent reference is made in the Old Testament to the use of oil in religious ceremonies. It was employed in the coronation of Kings, in the consecration of the high priest and in the ordination of the Levites, and indeed, it figured very prominently in the Mosaic ordinances generally, as can be abundantly gathered from Exodus (30:22 sqq.), Leviticus (viii), and Deuteronomy (xxvii, 40). Such being the prevailing usage of the Old Testament in adopting olive-oil for religious ceremonies, it is no cause for wonder that it also came to receive under the New Dispensation a certain religious recognition and approval.)

The new bishop is then enthroned on the cathedra (faldstool) on the predella, from which the consecrator has risen, or, if the ceremony be performed in the Cathedral of the new bishop, on the usual episcopal throne.

The Te Deum is now intoned by the consecrator, and while the hymn is being sung the new bishop is led by the assistant bishops through the church, that he may bless the people. Having returned to the altar -- or to the throne of his own cathedral -- the bishop gives the final solemn blessing as usual. The consecrator and assistant bishops move toward the Gospel corner of the altar and face the Epistle side; the new bishop goes to the Epistle corner, and there, with mitre and crosier, facing the consecrator, makes a genuflection and chants "Ad multos annos", (May your years be many). He proceeds to the middle of the predella and performs the same ceremony, chanting in a higher tone of voice.

After this the consecrator and assistant bishops receive him to the kiss of peace. Accompanied by the assistant bishops, he returns to his altar, reciting the Gospel of St. John. All then lay aside their vestments and depart in peace.

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