We had our throats blessed today. We were a day early, but we don't have mass on Friday at my parish.
I once went to this Candlemas/Feast of St. Blaise/Eucharistic Adoration thing at an Anglo-Catholic Episcopalian parish in the southwest about a dozen years back.
There was a certain efficiency there, they blessed the candles, then used said candles to bless throats- No 24 hour waiting period required! I didn't choke on any fish bones or get a sore throat that winter, so I guess it worked. Of course, it was in the southwest, so winter was like 80 degrees...
Actually, it was probably the most ornate Eucharistic Adoration I've ever seen. The priest had this long cope stretching off into the distance, with two altar servers holding up the ends as the priest censed the monstrance with the exposed sacrament and did a long series of prayers, kneeling, and prostrations. It was really quite impressive- especially for a really small parish.
I actually looked it up online, still there. They site says they use incense every Sunday, but the language is so progressive and welcoming and inclusive.... That's a great combination to me. They really give a sense of connection to the past and the future and engaging all the senses, but you can show up in shorts.
I wish we had something like that here.
Actually, metaphorically, maybe that's what this forum is the equivalent of.
