Hello readers, Edit: A quick internet search informs me that Holy Communion follows Morning Prayer. This seems to answer my question. Regards, Antony
Morning Prayer and Litany, ideally. Good luck finding a parish that does that. The Western church is lazy and anything that lasts much over an hour is too much.
Definitely echoing Shane R here. I remember when Holy Communion was first done with the Litany (not even Morning Prayer) on the first Sunday of Lent, several years ago, at my parish. The ushers were at the back complaining to the rector that it'll make the whole thing 1 hour and 15 minutes, which was intolerable. I'm not so sure they were really joking. And the rubric says the Litany should be added to Communion once a month... Frankly, in my opinion, Western Christianity needs (and somewhat deserves) to die before it can be said to wear the crown of faith once more. The whole armour of God has just been placed in a dusty corner in most parishes.
In some churches and cathedrals the Litany was sung before the Sung Eucharist. I know of one Irish Cathedral that celebrated great Feasts (on Sundays) with full Prayer Book sung Mattins and Sung Eucharist and sermon -all as one service. There were settings for the Te Deum and most of the Ordinary of the Communion service, excepting the Creed which was sung to the Merbecke tone. There were also hymns, including a Processional entrance. I am fairly sure that it's now all been abolished and the old Prayer Book rarely if ever used; I think it's rare to have the old Irish Prayer Book and Hymnal (1960 & a very fine compilation), it may even be "illegal", but I am rather out of touch.