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It is a combined Holy Mass in both English and Slovak.
All the little girls that attend dress in white, dropping petals before the procession. The four altars are placed around the outside of the church building. Somehow, it never rains. The whole thing is beautiful!
The final Mass for the day is 5pm, so the archbishop says Mass, and we process out to the street, which is a big boulevard, where the police have the street blocked. I don't remember ever having first communicants throwing rose petals, but I've seen it done other places.
The first altar is in the courtyard behind the archbishop's residence a block down the street. We actually have a reading and a litany at each. That altar is the Litany of Mary. This year, I hear we are going to have "shepherds" with speakers along the route, but normally, it's a sound system on a golf cart.
When we are finished at the first altar, we process down the middle of a cross street - again, blocked by our city police - turn the corner and go to the convent behind the church where the second altar is. We hear a prayer, sing a litany, and move to the third.
By this time, it's usually going on dusk, so the Easter Vigil candles are handed out as we go into the courtyard of the center behind the Cathedral and we do a reading and a litany.
Then the procession moves to the street and around to the front of the Cathedral where all the front doors are open. And now for my favorite part: while we were out, every last gold candelabra we have has been placed in the sanctuary and the candles are lit. The lights in the church are dimmed and we walk down the aisles with lit candles. It is so beautiful.
After that is benediction - and yes we sing all the traditional hymns listed except for the Pange Lingua. That's more for Holy Thursday.
The revival started under Archbishop Rigali and the first year, the organizers had no idea what to expect. The place was fairly full. Rigali said he was delighted to see so many people and you could tell he absolutely was. Since then, we've worked a lot of the kinks out and the choir walks in the procession robed. I was talking to a cousin today and she said that they used to do it at their parish when she was growing up and one year, there was an altar at their house. She was really excited that we still do it somewhere, at least.
I hope you all do get to do this next year. It's really a beautiful procession.
Luther adapted a Corpus Christi hymn for his 1528 “German Mass”, intended for use as a Hymn following Communion:
“O Lord, We Praise Thee”
by Martin Luther, 1483-1546
1. O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flouish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead
In all trial, fear, and need:
O Lord, have mercy!
2. Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid;
Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy.
3. May God bestow on us His grace and favor
To please Him with our behavior
And live as brethren here in love and union
Nor repent this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heavenly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see
Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!
Hymn #313
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 118: 1
Author: unknown, c. 1400, St. 1
Author: Martin Luther, 1524, St. 2 & 3
Translated by: composite
Titled: “Gott sei gelobet und gebenedeiet”
Tune: “Gott sei gelobet”
German melody, c. 1400
The music has a strong beat and would lend itself well to a brass band supporting the procession.