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House of God Gate of Heaven
The Liturgy of the Dedication of a
Church
This place
is holy
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"My House will be called a house of prayer," says
the Lord. "In it, all who ask, receive those who
search, find and to those who knock, the door
will be opened." (Mt 21, 13 Lk 11,
9-10)
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The DEDICATION
is that grandiose liturgy by which a church is
consecrated to God image of the heavenly
Jerusalem, image of heaven, and image of our
souls called to be the "temple of God" through
baptism and holiness of life.
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With the passing of the centuries, the ceremonies
of the Dedication of a Church developed into a
long, majestic and splendid rite. One can see
there an analogy with the sacraments of baptism,
confirmation and marriage. The new church is
first baptized one sprinkles the walls with
holy water. Then it receives confirmation the
bishop traces a cross with holy chrism on each of
the twelve crosses which are placed around the
interior of the church. Then follows the nuptials
with Christ Jesus, by the celebration of the
Eucharist.
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The Cross symbol of our salvation.
Twelve for the twelve apostles of Christ
Jesus, immolated Lamb. Twelve crosses decorated
and illuminated by a candle on the anniversary
of the Dedication.
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"My temple will be in the midst of them," says
the Lord. "They will be my people and I will be
their God, and I shall dwell in the midst of them
" ( 2 Cor 6, 16). "I shall make them happy in my
house of prayer" (Is 56, 7).
We are your Temple, O Lord! You have made our
souls your sanctuary!
St. Benoît-du-Lac (Canada)
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It is a feast particularly dear to the hearts of
monks that of the consecration of their church,
of its DEDICATION.
Since a thousand years, this feast sings in the
hearts of BENEDICTINES OF SOLESMES.
Since 150 years, it resounds also in the hearts
of monks and moniales of the Congregation of
Solesmes.
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It should first be said that in monasteries, one
sees the Dedication of an abbatial church as an
image of the consecration of the souls of monks.
It is a deep joy that we love to share with
those who come to visit us. At Solesmes, in
France, this great day goes far back
October 12, 1010
12 octobre 1010

Very close to the castle of Sablé, its a feast
day a very great feast day. The Dedication of
the little church of Saint-Pierre of
Solesmes, recently given to the monks, is
celebrated.
It is a day of profound rejoicing in the hearts
of the monks.
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Every year, on October 12, the monks relive
the Dedication of their church.
sanctus est
Locus iste
This place is holy, it is nothing less than the
house of God and the gate of heaven (Gen 28.
17).
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I will worship toward thy holy temple,
and bow in reverence of you (Ps 5, 8).
This is the house of the Lord, solidly
constructed. It is founded
on firm rock.
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O Lord, I love the house where you dwell,
the place where your glory dwells.
Come to His house to give Him thanks, Sing His
praises in His dwelling place.
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One more reason for which the Dedication
celebrated at Solesmes is a feast day, is that it
is also the birthday of Mother Cécile Bruyère
(1845-1909), first Abbess of Sainte-Cécile de
Solesmes, spiritual heir to Dom Guéranger,
Mother of the Congregation of Solesmes.

The Majesty of the Lord fills the temple
" Seek that interior temple where the divine
Majesty resides, and to which
love gives us access. This tender and devoted
love is a permanent act of
adoration " (Mother Cécile).
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" How beautiful is your dwelling place, O
Lord!  My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts
of the Lord! Just as the swallow makes a nest
and the sparrow makes its dwelling for its little
ones, so your altar is the dwelling place of my
soul." (Ps
84/83)
I shall see the Lord in His Temple!
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Jerusalem, blessed city, called Vision of Peace!
It rises into the heavens, made of living
stones, and the angels surround it like a wedding
cortège.
She comes down from heaven, all new, ready for
her spiritual nuptials.
She is adorned, and the spouse
unites herself to the Lord. Her courts, like
her walls, are of the purest gold.
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Her gates, sparkling like jewels, are


wide open
and the virtue of her merits lets in...
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...all those who in this world have suffered for
the name of Jesus Christ.
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By blows, by rubbings, the stones have
been polished they are fixed in place by
the hand of the Artisan He inserts them
forever in the sacred
edifice.
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From the beginnings of the religious history of
the people of Israel, certain places sanctified
by a presence, a particular theophany, were
consecrated. From camp to camp, Abraham erected
an altar to God.
Jacob, after a dream in which God renewed the
promises to him made to Abraham, woke up and
said "This place is holy, it is nothing less
than the house of God and the gate of heaven."

(Gen 28, 16-19)
He took the stone which served as a pillow to
him, erected it as a stele, and poured oil over
its summit. He gave the name Bethel House of God
to this place.
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To Solomon, the pacific king, was designated the
glory of building the Temple of the Lord.

Solomon in prayer before the House of Yahweh
which he just built
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Adorabo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitebor
nomini tuo, Domine. Alleluia ! I shall
adore in your holy temple, and I shall praise
your name, Lord.

(Ps 5, 8)


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Before the people in prayer, Solomon offers to
God the "House " which he had just built, in the
form of a model which he presents before the
altar
"Day and night, may your eyes watch over this
temple, over this place in which you have
promised to put your name."


(2 Ch 6, 20)
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Lord Jesus, in the simplicity of my heart
I have offered everything with joy. Deign to
keep this good will of mine.
Domine Deus, in simplicitate cordis mei
laetus obtuli universa
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Solomon offers a holocaust on the altar of
bronze. He offers to God, who appears to him, the
sacrificial lamb.
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"Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will
raise it up ! " (Jn 2, 19) After Jesus death
on the cross, the veil of the Temple was torn.
The risen body of Jesus is the new Temple.
Christians are living stones of it.
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By the Presence of Jesus, the Son of the Father
made man, the true temple, the new and eternal
Temple, is the sacred humanity of the incarnate
Word.
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"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and
bow down in reverence of you" (Ps 5, 8).
"You are fellow-citizens with the holy people of
God and part of Gods household
Every structure knit together in him grows into a
holy temple in the Lord
And YOU TOO, in him, are being built up into a
dwelling-place of God in the Spirit" (Ep 2,
19-21).
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Translation of the hymn chanted
throughout this slide show
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Mounting
The Benedictine Moniales Abbaye Sainte-Marie
des Deux-Montagnes (Canada)
Texts
Liturgy of the Dedication
Chants
Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes
and Abbaye Sainte-Marie des Deux-Montagnes
Website of the monks of Solesmes, click
www.abbayedesolesmes.fr
Website of the moniales, click www.sm2m.ca
To contact us, click info_at_sm2m.ca