Victimae Paschali: The Easter Sequence & Has Sydney Out-Westminstered Westminster?
One of the many arresting moments in the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter is the (mandatory) singing of the Easter Sequence Victimae Paschali on Easter Sunday, a mediaeval hymn that has extraordinarily survived both the Council of Trent and the more recent of the Vatican Councils, convoked in 1960s. The issue as to whether it is sung before or after the Alleluia is covered authoritatively here: https://www.ccwatershed.org/2014/01/02/when-sequence-sung-alleluia/ . In short: If singing the "proper" alleluia from the Graduale (the Pascha Nostram), the Sequence follows. If singing a simple Gospel Acclamation, bookended by a simple trifecta of Alleluias or what not, then it goes before. We have two excellent examples of the Victimae Paschali from Easter 2026, from Westminster Cathedral and its little sister (more on that in a moment) St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. Here they are: Drome, London St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Spot the difference? When I...
