An Oratorian Christmas Carol

It's Ellen's fault. She started it.

My Facebook status mentioned the MC at mass last night, and she asked why the Oratory couldn't say mass with less than a heavenly host.

I responded with the standard Oratorian light bulb joke:

You know the light bulb joke? How many Oratorians does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer 1: None. Why change?
Answer 2: A celebrant, deacon, subdeacon, thurifer, two acolytes, MC....

El then said, "And a partridge in a pear tree?"

That was it. It had to be done. El, I've changed three (again) so it scans (French hens gives us only two syllables) and ten to 'lace-albed' - hope that's ok. So, sharing credit with Miss Ellen Robertson, I present you with...the Oratorian Christmas carol:

On the first day of Xmas my true love gave to me: a thurifer in a pear tree.
On the second day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: two acolytes and a thurifer in a pear tree.
On the third day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: three subdeacons, two acolytes and a thurifer...
On the fourth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Four candelabras, ... three subdeacons….
On the fifth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: FIVE GOLDEN COPES!!!!!!, four candelabras….
On the sixth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Six altar candles, FIVE GOLDEN COPES!!!!, four candelabras….
On the seventh day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: Seven servers serving, six altar candles…..
On the eighth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: eight tri-peak birettas, seven servers serving, six altar candles….
On the ninth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the tenth day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the eleventh day of Xmas, my true love gave to me: eleven Latin masses, ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: twelve St Philip statues, eleven Latin masses, ten silken maniples, nine lace-albed priests [one was a bishop so he was wearing a mitre rather than a biretta], eight tri-peak birettas….

Modifications/suggestions welcome, not least from the Oratorians themselves - this is a dynamic work :).