CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of faithful braved an early morning rain in Charlotte to attend St. Ann Church’s annual Rorate Mass at dawn Saturday, Dec. 15.
This Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) is an ancient Mass by candlelight offered during Advent and honoring the Blessed Mother.
The name Rorate comes from the first word of the Introit (entrance antiphon) taken from Isaiah 45:8: "Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem" ("Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.").
The Mass is offered by candlelight to symbolize the coming of the Light of the world, Jesus Christ.
St. Ann's pastor, Father Timothy Reid, offered the Mass with Father Matthew Buettner, spiritual director of St. Joseph College Seminary, as deacon, and St. Ann Deacon Peter Tonon as subdeacon.
St. John the Baptist Church in Tryon also offered a Rorate Mass – the parish’s very first – while the prior Saturday, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Charlotte continued its annual Rorate Mass tradition.
For more information about the Latin Mass, contact Chris Lauer with the Charlotte Latin Mass Community at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.
— Mike FitzGerald, correspondent. Photos by Markus Kuncoro of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community.
