The tonsure of the clerics.

Formally receiving the surplice as the liturgical vestment proper to their new state.

The mighty cantors!

Prostration at the litany of the Saints

Being vested with the tunicle.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Christmas photoposts (which will resume tomorrow) to bring you some photographs from our good friends of the Fraternity of St Joseph the Guardian. On December 23rd, the Saturday Ember Day of Advent, His Excellency Dominique Rey, Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon conferred the clerical tonsure, minor orders and subdiaconate on various members of the Fraternity and of the Monastery of St Benedict. You can see the complete photosets on their Facebook page . Our congratulations to these young men, to their religious families, and to the diocese. As we end this year of grace, let us remember to thank God for all of the benefits we receive from Him through the sacred liturgy and the ministry of the priesthood, and never forget to pray for all priests and seminarians throughout the world!The subdeacons synbolically receive the cruets of wine and water, the administration of which during the solemn Mass proper to their ministry.One of the newly ordained subdeacons sings the Epistle at the Mass, even though he does not then “take over” as the subdeacon of the Mass.