BAPTISM OF THE LORD AT THE SISTINE CHAPEL: NOVEL BAPTISMAL FONT, NO AD ORIENTEM BUT BEAUTIFUL AND CANONICAL NONETHELESS

The video that I post at the bottom clearly makes the “Baptism of the Lord” a part of the Christmastide and not in Ordinary Time due to the Christmas 🎅 🎄 Carols that are sung! 

It is nice to see the traditional Sistine Chapel papal throne being used by Pope Leo at this “Baptism of the Lord” Mass, with baptisms of children. 

Please note that in the ancient order of the sanctuary, that the papal throne while elevated and to the “Gospel side” of the sanctuary is never as high as the altar is. Look at the papal throne’s elevation and the traditional altar’s elevation. 

But then look at the disordered placement of the disordered “faux” altar. It is lower than the papal throne!

What’s up with that!

 I have to say that it took me a long time to figure out where in the heck the baptismal font was when in fact it was in plain view but disguised as a plant decoration! UGH!

Of course it was Pope Francis who chose to stop distributing Holy Communion to a select number of communicants at papal Masses, Pope Leo has continued that tradition. I’m not sure when popes at papal Masses began to distribute Holy Communion to select lay communicants. I might be wrong, and I seek clarification, but I don’t think popes distributed Holy Communion to some of the laity in the pre-Vatican II papal Mass?

But, what I would say is Orwellian, the Holy Father distributes papal gifts to the baptism families after Mass but where Communion is distributed. Seems to me a disconnect in terms of what is the more important Gift, Holy Communion, not a papal gift after Mass, no?