I bind unto myself today

[@deniseeulert5220]

That first verger in the procession, absolutely the first in line, that would be a nerve wracking job.

[@gbmtmas]

I actually love the swirling acoustics in this cathedral--so much better than the carpeted acoustical dead-zones in so many churches today. The 1st thurifer, while a tad ostentatious, was proper for such a festive occasion. I can only imagine how a chanted Mass would sound in this live room. I would love to hear plainsong chant accompanied by the organ. That would be beautiful.

[@MandyJMaddison]

A wonderfully appropriate hymn, and loooong for a very long procession. But unfortunately, it is not known to a lot of people. Those who DID know it were singing it with a certain delight, as one does not have the opportunity too often! Wonderful to see various Christian denominations present, other than those of the Anglican Communion.

[@njn3]

the sounds in that place are incredible... the reverb is like a good 6-7 seconds.. the first thurifer... according to my uncle (who was in the procession) was a show-off.. lol

[@mosesalberts9758]

How most extraordinary.....wow praised be Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever, Amen

[@thomashenrydoak9150]

Yes the (previous) remarks re the Acoustics of this space are certainly with foundation. I'm a linguist / historian etc my Dad was a top Acoustics professor and journal editor in chief, lead designer of the concert hall at Southampton University, pianist graduate of Juilliard. I have an ear for musical sound, I believe : the acoustic is truly unusual and good. Again well recorded plus good camera work!!

[@njn3]

This Cathedral is Episcopal (Anglican). As Episcopalians, we tend to swing the thurible with a little more of a flourish. When I was growing up, we had an acolytes manual that discouraged "showy" or "theatrical" swings of the thurible but I see many thurifers who ignore that. In my church I swing it with some "feeling" but certainly don't swing it over my head like this gentleman was doing.

[@DannyEastVillage]

more elaborate movement of the thurible is used on more festive occasions. In my parish we see the 360 degree swing only on major feasts. It would certainly be out of place during Lent!

[@Cand0002]

I'm an Altar Server At the Cathedral of St Paul in Minnesota, and a lot of times I'm the thurifer, and I only swing the thurible down at my right side in a frontward backward motion when leading the opening procession.

[@mpsnknox]

One of my all time favorite hymns.

[@geoffreybrown9080]

Very useful!! I am going to show this to my thurifers so they can get a hint of how it can really be done! As kids, they tend to be quite modest in their thurible movements.

[@LynneMezzo]

Queen Annes (the over the shoulder motion) are very easy to do but you need a lot of room!

[@bhigdaddymark]

Hey! When the State Trumpet sounds, the camera should go right to it!!!!!!!!! I'd love to see the guy swinging the incense mistakenly whack someone with it LOL. Good job Kent (if that's who was at the organ), and great job Opus 150A. This kind of reminded me of the days when Alec Wyton was organist except he used massive chords which made the organ sound way bigger. Man, those were the days! From what I could actually decipher, the 'treatment'on that last verse of the hymn (NOT a favourite) was>

[@njn3]

glad you enjoyed it!!

[@00Recoil]

Spinning the thurible (censor) vertically is a common practice, but it can be a bit surprising in person. Best to give the thurifer lots of space.

[@britainluver431]

Happy Saint Patrick's day.

[@mikegagnon5757]

Good heavens, don't you guys get it ?? The thurifer's swing is PRAYER! Didn't you see that little glimmer in the first thurifer's eye? HE knows what YOU don't know. It MAY or MAY NOT be showing off, but of course, as Christians, people are called to judge this, even tho it says in Matthew 7:1 "Judge not...". People talk about these events like they are a Broadway show. They are not. They can be transcendent times, but you need to look for that transcendence in between the lines, much like when you were in school. All learning, all experience, takes place in between the lines. Unless you desire to be someone else's robot...

[@caseyflorida]

To quote Tallulah Bankhead: "Daling, I love your dress, but your purse is on fire!"

[@buttonsinbelfast]

Who was the organist? Fantastic playing, amazing hymn, and longest procession ever!

[@deniseeulert5220]

I tried to count the people, but eventually lost count around 300.

[@njn3]

and hope that he knows what he is doing!!

[@bhigdaddymark]

> very, very nice indeed but the acoustics and the descant muddled it up. Still my all time favourite church building and organ though. There are times that I wish Douglass would add to the State Trumpet 16' and 4' couplers as that would make it sound much, much bigger than 50" of wind pressure and probably break some windows haha. Good job buddy!

[@njn3]

I'm not sure who the organist was.. But the procession was very long, a good 16 minutes.. I wondered where they sat all the clergy.

[@Apriluser]

njn3 The hymn, “St Patrick’s Breastplate” has many many verses. I’ve heard it sung a bit faster but in a place this size and with these acoustics, this is probably a good tempo!

[@MrGaggymott]

I don't know what denomination this cathedral is, however, is it typically American! As a thurifer, we were taught NOT to swing the thurible, except when in blessing.... 3 short swings centre, 3 short swings to the left and then 3 short swings to the right when censing, for example, the people, the Gospels or the Holy Table. 2 short swings are used for less 'important' tasks. The only other time I can think of swinging the thurible, is when walking along, but it would be swung at waist-height.

[@DannyEastVillage]

It's the Anglican (Episcopal) cathedral in NYC. Censing customs vary widely--there simply aren't any hard and fast rules. Roman catholics, I notice, however, will just let the thurible hang static next to them when they're standing still and often even in procession. The point, however, is to make it BURN. Swinging it makes more smoke, just like when you blow on your cooking charcoals to make them burn better. This perfumes the procession, which is one of the purposes of having a thurifer in the altar party--besides, it looks really cool.

[@dnwitte]

How exuberantly we deploy the thurible has to do with the occasion. At an occasion of great celebration like this one, or e.g. Easter, Christmas Eve, Pentecost, 360s and figure 8s are entirely to be expected. Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, not so much. (Also, it's New York, where everything is bigger.)

[@dalerider3124]

It looks like the CHOIR has been "padded" with non-singers, so many in the professional NOT SINGING!!!! Actually, I was told there were CLERGY representatives from many congregations throughout the NY - NJ Diocese because of the Ordination - Setting Apart of a New Bishop.

[@DannyEastVillage]

most of the procession weren't choir: they were clergy of the diocese--priests and deacons, plus monks, nuns, and, of course, bishops and visiting clergy from outside the diocese and from other churches.

[@bubbadon7540]

Congregants seated near the aisle, BEWARE. Duck when the thurifer goes by. LOL.

[@njn3]

hard to have a descant when the reverb is like 10 minutes long. my uncle called the thurifer a show off... had some choice words for him which was kinda funny

[@dalerider3124]

8 seconds, not 10 minutes !!!!!

[@alwellus]

Women claiming to be ordained clergy! O God forgive this apostacy!

[@deniseeulert5220]

You are joking, aren't you???

[@MandyJMaddison]

And may God lay his blessings upon you, alwellus. May the Christ who gave his message to the woman at the well, and to Mary Magdalen in the garden of Gethsemane, that they might bear that message to the men, may that same Christ reveal to you God's truth.

[@Tokkemon]

That last verse was a total mess. The congregation couldn't follow it at all.

[@VincentNN]

The unstable tempo at the final verse ruined this beautiful hymn and the tremendous descent.

[@davidbeattie1366]

I heard that too but it was reverb. Notice that the descant didn’t match the singing in the procession. Common in big cathedrals.

[@VincentNN]

I understand what you mean, but compare the tempi between the first verse and last verse, you can hear that the tempo of the final verse was wobbling around quite a lot to be honest.

[@timothy9434]

The "Fall down and worship me" denomination.

[@CarolineJoyAmico]

If “me” is God talking.

[@dlee3710]

Left the church when women took over, the men had very little spirit either.

[@seawynd99]

Babylon assembled...The Episcopal Church,like the C of E, has embraced full apostasy.

[@DannyEastVillage]

and yet you are still fascinated with how we do things. Am I right?