Father Ricardo Rivera, known on Instagram as “God's Archer,” explained two beautiful traditions that a newly ordained priest gives to his parents at his first Mass. It will surely touch your heart!
Father Rivera, who was instituted as a priest on May 31, 2024, shared a video showing his search for a stole (a garment that the priest puts around the neck) and a manuterge, or Manutergium, (cloth with which the celebrant dries his hands) for his priestly ordination.
The priest took the opportunity to explain two traditions, where the Church highlights the role of parents in religious vocations.
The First Stole
Father Rivera indicated that by tradition, the new priest gives his father the first stole:
“When the father dies, the stole is placed in his hands. Tradition says that when he reaches heaven, God will ask him: I gave you life, what did you give me? Then the father shows him the stole and says: 'I gave you to my children or my son as a priest.'”
The Manutergium
The priest explained that, when the new priest is ordained, his hands are anointed with chrism, which is cleansed with the manutergium:
“It is given to the mother, then when the mother dies, the manutergium is placed in her hands and she is buried with it. Tradition says that, if my mom enters heaven, God will ask her: I gave you my life, what did you give me? And she will show him the manutergium and tell him: 'I gave you my son as a priest or my children.'”
The video has exceeded 430,000 views and many users have left comments related to this tradition, including several priests:
“I am a priest...two and a half years ago my mother died and I placed my manutergium in her hands in addition to the tape where they tied my hands... The moment was hard but it has become a mystery to me, now my mother has something of me with her and it unites us more, now. I was the son of another Mary," one priest commented.
“I would have wanted to give the manutergium to my mother, but she left 10 years before my ordination, so the one who untied my hands was my Father and I will give it to him so that he can present it to God as an offering," another priest wrote. "I will pray for you, my brother.”
"Brother. I gave it to him and he has it framed in a painting and it is in a very special place in his house. When visiting his home, everyone sees the stole and manutergio. I congratulate you, brother. The day God calls my parents is the day the box opens,” someone else wrote.
“The first time I found out about that was when my brother from the community who is a priest was giving it to his mother and explained the same thing to her," another user shared. "It made me want to cry with emotion 🥺🙏❤️!"