Solemn Collects
The solemn collects are derived from the most ancient western form of the prayers of the people. The biddings date from the third or fourth century, and the collects date from the fifth century. The ancient solemn collects appear in the Gelasian and Gregorian sacramentaries. The practice of kneeling for the bidding and standing for the collect dates from the sixth century. The BCP states that the people may be directed to stand or kneel for the solemn collects. The 1549 BCP included two collects that were derived from the ancient solemn collects. The 1979 BCP is the first Prayer Book to restore the solemn collects to the Good Friday liturgy.
Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.