Liturgy of the Tridentine Mass

The Mass is divided into two parts, the Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the
Faithful. Catechumens, those being instructed in the faith,[36] were once dismissed after
the first half, not having yet professed the faith. Profession of faith was considered
essential for participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice.[37]

This rule of the Didache is still in effect. It is only one of the three conditions (baptism,
right faith and right living) for admission to receiving Holy Communion that the Catholic
Church has always applied and that were already mentioned in the early second century
by Saint Justin Martyr: "And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one
is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true,
and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto
regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined" (First Apology, Chapter LXVI).

[edit] Mass of the Catechumens

The first part is the Mass of the Catechumens.[38]

[edit] Prayers at the foot of the altar

Et tibi, pater ("and to you, Father"). Servers recite Confiteor at start of a Low Mass.

• Asperges (Sprinkling with holy water, Psalm 51:9, 3) is a penitential rite that
ordinarily precedes the principal Mass on Sunday.[39] In the sacristy, a priest
wearing an alb, if he is to celebrate the Mass, or surplice, if he is not the celebrant
of the Mass, and vested with a stole, which is the color of the day if the priest is
the celebrant of the Mass or purple if he is not the celebrant of the Mass, exorcises
and blesses salt and water, putting the blessed salt into the water in the form of a
cross once while saying, "Commixtio salis, etc." After that, the priest, vested in a
cope of the color of the day, while the choir sings an antiphon and a verse of
 Psalm 50/51 or 117/118, sprinkles with the holy water the altar three times, and
then the clergy and the congregation. This rite, if used, precedes the Prayers at the
Foot of the Altar. During the Easter season, the "Asperges me..." verse is replaced
by the "Vidi aquam..." verse, and "Alleluia" is added to the "Ostende nobis..."
verse and to its response.
• Sign of the Cross
o The priest, after processing in with the servers and, at Low Mass, placing
the veiled chalice on the centre of the altar, makes the sign of the Cross at
the foot of the altar. At Solemn Mass, the chalice is placed beforehand on
the credence table.
• Psalm 43 42 ("Judica me, Deus"), preceded and followed by the antiphon
"Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam", is recited by
the priest, alternating with the servers, who symbolically represent the people.
Then the priest makes again the sign of the Cross, saying: "Our help is in the
name of the Lord", to which the servers add: "Who made heaven and earth."
• Confession (Confiteor)
o First the priest says the following while bowing low:

"Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo,
beáto Joanni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres
(tibi, Pater), quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea
máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Michaélem
Archángelum, beátum Joánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes
Sanctos, et vos, fratres (te, Pater), oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum."
(Translation: I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael
the archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, to all the
saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed
through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault (in Latin, mea culpa,
mea culpa, mea maxima culpa). Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin ... and you,
brethren, to pray to the Lord our God for me.) The servers pray for the priest: "May
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to life
everlasting." Then it is the servers' turn to confess sinfulness and to ask for prayers. They
use the same words as those used by the priest, except that they say "you, Father," in
place of "you, brethren", and the priest responds with the same prayer that the servers
have used for him plus an extra prayer.

• Some verses are then said by priest and servers, ending with the priest saying:
"Oremus" ("Let us pray.") After this he goes to the altar, praying silently "that
with pure minds we may worthily enter into the holy of holies", a reference to Ex
26:33-34, 1 Kgs (or 3 Kgs) 6:16, 1 Kgs (or 3 Kgs) 8:6, 2 Chr (or 2 Para) 3:8, Ezek
41:4, and others. He places his joined hands on the altar and kisses it while
silently praying that by the merits of the Saints whose relics are in the altar God
may pardon all his sins.

[edit] The priest at the altar

Dominus vobiscum ("The Lord be with you") before the Collect.

• Introit
o The priest again makes the sign of the Cross while he begins to read the
Introit, which is usually taken from a Psalm. Exceptions occur: e.g. the
Introit for Easter Sunday is adapted from Wis 10:20-21, and the antiphon
in Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary was from the poet Sedulius. This
evolved from the practice of singing a full Psalm during the entrance of
the clergy, before the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar were added to the
Mass in medieval times. This is indicated by the very name of "Introit".
• Kyrie
o This part of Mass is a linguistic marker of the origins of the Roman liturgy
in Greek. "Kyrie, eleison; Christe, eleison; Kyrie, eleison." means "Lord,
have mercy; Christ have mercy;..." Each phrase is said (or sung) three
times.
• Gloria in excelsis Deo
o The first line of the Gloria is taken from Lk 2:14. The Gloria is omitted
during liturgical seasons calling for penitence, such as Advent and Lent,
both generally having the liturgical color violet, but is used on feasts
falling during such seasons, as well as on Holy Thursday.
• The Collect
o The priest turns toward the people and says, "Dominus vobiscum." The
servers respond: "Et cum spiritu tuo." ("The Lord be with you." "And with
thy spirit"). The Collect follows, a prayer not drawn directly from
Scripture. It tends to reflect the season.

[edit] Instruction

• The priest reads the Epistle, primarily an extract from the letters of St. Paul to
various churches. In his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI
 has permitted this to be read in the vernacular language when Mass is celebrated
with the people.[40]
• Between the Epistle and the Gospel two (rarely three) choir responses are sung or
said. Usually these are a Gradual followed by an Alleluia; but between
Septuagesima Sunday and Holy Saturday, or in a Requiem or other penitential
Mass the Alleluia is replaced by a Tract, and between Easter Sunday and
Pentecost the Gradual is replaced by a second Alleluia. On a few exceptional
occasions (most notably Easter, Pentecost, and in a Requiem Mass), a Sequence
follows the Alleluia or Tract.
o The Gradual is partly composed of a portion of a Psalm.
• The Gospel reading, an extract from one of the four Gospels
o Before the reading or chanting of the Gospel, which, in the case of Mass
celebrated with the people, Pope Benedict XVI has permitted to be done in
the vernacular language, the priest prays: "Cleanse my heart and my lips,
O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias...", a
reference to Isaiah 6:6. In this passage, after being cleansed by the angel,
Isaiah was instructed to prophesy.
• The Sermon
o Before the sermon, the priest may make announcements, especially of
marriages, requirements of the liturgical season such as fasting, events for
the week, and requests to pray for the ill or deceased. If the Epistle and the
Gospel have been read in Latin, it is customary also for the priest to read a
vernacular translation of at least the Gospel, before giving the sermon. The
sermon is required on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
• The Creed
o This is the Nicene Creed, professing faith in God the Father, in God the
Son, the Word made flesh, in God the Holy Ghost, and in the Holy
Church. At the mention of the Incarnation, the celebrant and the
congregation genuflect.

[edit] Mass of the Faithful

The second part is the Mass of the Faithful.[41]

[edit] Offertory
Offering the chalice with the prayer "Suscipe, Sancte Pater" at the Offertory

• Offertory Verse
o After greeting the people once more ("Dominus vobiscum/Et cum spiritu
tuo") and giving the invitation to pray (Oremus), the priest enters upon the
Mass of the Faithful, from which the non-baptized were once excluded.
He reads the Offertory Verse, a short quotation from Holy Scripture which
varies with the Mass of each day, with hands joined.
• Offering of Bread and Wine
o The priest offers the host, holding it on the paten at breast level and
praying that, although he is unworthy, God may accept "this spotless host
(or victim, the basic meaning of hostia in Latin) for his own innumerable
sins, offences and neglects, for all those present, and for all faithful
Christians living and dead, that it may avail unto salvation of himself and
those mentioned. He then mixes a few drops of water with the wine, which
will later become the Blood of Jesus, and holding the chalice so that the
lip of the chalice is about the height of his lips, offers "the chalice of
salvation", asking that it may "ascend with a sweet fragrance." He then
prays a prayer of contrition adapted from Dan 3:39-40.
• Incensing of the offerings and of the faithful
o At a High Mass, the priest blesses the incense, then incenses the bread and
wine. Among the prayers the priest says is Psalm 141:2-4: "Let my prayer,
O Lord, be directed as incense in Thy sight;...", which is prayed as he
incenses the altar. The priest then gives the censer to the deacon, who
incenses the priest, then the other ministers and the congregation.
• Washing the hands
o The priest prays Psalm 26:6-12: "I will wash my hands among the
innocent..."
• Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
o This prayer asks that the Divine Trinity may receive the oblation being
made in remembrance of the passion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus
 and in honor of blessed Mary ever Virgin and the other saints, "that it may
avail to their honour and our salvation: and that they may vouchsafe to
intercede for us in heaven..."
• Orate fratres, Suscipiat and Secret; Amen concludes Offertory
o Here the priest turns to the congregation and says the first two words,
"Orate, fratres," in an elevated tone and then turns around while finishing
the exhortation in the secret tone. "Pray, Brethren, that my sacrifice and
yours may be acceptable to God the Father almighty."
o The altar servers respond with the Suscipiat to which the priest secretly
responds, "Amen.": Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis, ad
laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram, totiusque
ecclesiae suae sanctae. A translation in the English is: "May the Lord
accept this sacrifice at your hands, to the praise and glory of His name, for
our good and the good of all His Holy Church."
o The Priest then says the day's Secret inaudibly, and concludes it with Per
omnia saecula saeculorum aloud.
o The altar servers and congregation respond with "Amen."

[edit] Consecration

• preface of the Canon

o "The Roman Canon dates in essentials from before St. Gregory the Great,
who died in 604, and who is credited with adding a phrase to it.[42] (See
History of the Roman Canon.) It contains the main elements found in
almost all rites, but in an unusual arrangement and it is unclear which part
should be considered to be the Epiclesis.
o Dominus vobiscum. Et cum spiritu tuo. Sursum corda. Habemus ad
Dominum. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. Dignum et justum est. The
first part can be seen above at the Collect; the rest means: Lift up your
hearts. We lift them up unto the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our
God. It is meet and right.
o Next a preface is prayed, indicating specific reasons for giving thanks to
God. This leads to the Sanctus.[43]
• Canon or Rule of Consecration[44]
o Intercession (corresponding to the Reading of the Diptychs in the
Byzantine Rite - a diptych is a two-leaf painting, carving or writing
tablet.[45])
 Here the priest prays for the living; that the Church may be united
and that God may govern it together with the Pope and "all true
believers and professors of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith". Then
specific living people are mentioned, as are those present, and all
those known to God as faithful. Then Mary ever Virgin, the
Apostles, and Popes and other Martyrs are mentioned, for they live
in Heaven as members of the Church Triumphant.
o Prayers preparatory to the Consecration
 A prayer that God may graciously accept the offering and deliver
[us] "from eternal damnation".
o Consecration (Transubstantiation) and major Elevation

Elevation of the chalice during the Canon of the Mass at a High Mass

 The passage Lk 22:19-20 is key in this section. In Summa

Theologiae III 78 3 Thomas Aquinas addresses the interspersed
phrase The Mystery of Faith.
o Oblation of the Victim to God
 An oblation is an offering;[46] the pure, holy Victim is now offered,
with a prayer that God may accept the offering and command His
holy angel to carry the offering up, and that those who will receive
the Body and Blood "may be filled with every grace and heavenly
blessing."
o Remembrance of the Dead
 The priest now prays for the dead ("those who have gone before us
with the sign of faith and sleep the sleep of peace") and asks that
they may be granted a place of refreshment, light and peace. This
is followed by a prayer that we may be granted fellowship with the
apostles and martyrs. Some martyrs, men and women, are then
mentioned by name.
o End of the Canon and minor Elevation; Amen ratifying the Canon prayer
 The concluding doxology is: "Through Him, and with Him, and in
Him, be unto Thee, O God the Father almighty, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost, all honour and glory, world without end."

[edit] Communion

• The Lord's Prayer and Libera nos[47]

o The "Libera nos" is an extension of the Lord's Prayer developing the line
"sed libera nos a malo" ("but deliver us from evil"). The priest prays that
we may be delivered from all evils and that the Virgin Mary, Mother of
God, together with the apostles and saints, may intercede to obtain for us
peace in our day.
 • Fraction of the Host
o During the preceding prayer, the priest breaks the consecrated Host into
three parts, and after concluding the prayer drops the smallest part into the
Chalice while praying that this commingling and consecration of the Body
and Blood of Christ may "be to us who receive it effectual to life
everlasting."
• Agnus Dei
o "Agnus Dei" means "Lamb of God." The priest then prays: "Lamb of God,
who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us." He repeats this,
and then adds: "Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant
us peace." The Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday has "have
mercy on us" all three times. In Requiem Masses, the petitions are "grant
them rest" (twice), followed by "grant them eternal rest."
• The Pax
o The priest asks God to look not to [our] sins but to [our] faith. He prays
for peace and unity within the Church, and then, if a High Mass is being
celebrated, gives the sign of peace, saying: "Peace be with you."
• Prayers preparatory to the Communion
o In the first of these two prayers for himself, the priests asks that by Holy
Communion he may be freed from all his iniquities and evils, be made to
adhere to the commandments of Jesus and never be separated from him. In
the second he asks: "Let not the partaking of Thy Body, O Lord Jesus
Christ...turn to my judgment and condemnation: but through Thy goodness
may it be unto me a safeguard...."
• Receiving of the Body and Blood of our Lord
o Several prayers are said here. One of these, prior to communion, is based
on Matthew 8:8: "Lord, I am not worthy...." If the priest is to give
Communion to others, he holds up a small host and says: "Behold the
Lamb of God ..."; then says three times "Lord, I am not worthy ..."; and
then gives Communion, saying: "May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ
preserve your soul for eternal life. Amen."[48]

[edit] Thanksgiving

• Prayers during the Ablutions

o The prayers now focus on what has been received, that "we may receive
with a pure mind", "that no stain of sin may remain in me, whom these
pure and holy sacraments have refreshed."
• Communion Antiphon and Postcommunion
o The communion antiphon is normally a portion of a Psalm. The
Postcommunion Prayer is akin to the Collect in being an appropriate
prayer not directly drawn from Scripture.
• Ite Missa est; Blessing
o "Go, you are dismissed." The word "Mass" derives from this phrase.
o After saying a silent prayer for himself, the priest then gives the people his
blessing.
 • The Last Gospel
o The priest then reads the Last Gospel, the beginning of the Gospel of John,
John 1:1-14, which recounts the Incarnation of the Son of God. On certain
occasions, as for instance at the Day Mass on Christmas Day, another
Gospel passage was read instead because that Gospel is read as the Gospel
of the Mass, but Pope John XXIII's revision of the rubrics decreed that on
those and on other occasions the Last Gospel should simply be omitted.

[edit] Prayers after Mass (not part of the liturgy)

[edit] Public

• Pope Leo XIII prescribed that three Ave Marias, a Salve Regina followed by a
versicle and response, and a prayer for the conversion of sinners and the freedom
and exaltation of Holy Mother the Church, and a prayer to Saint Michael the
Archangel be recited following a Low Mass celebrated with the people. Pope Pius
X added a thrice-repeated "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us." Pope
Pius XI ordered that these prayers be said for the conversion of Russia. In
English-speaking countries they were recited in the vernacular; but in countries
such as Italy Latin was the language used. Since these Leonine Prayers were
suppressed with effect from 7 March 1965,[49] and since they were never part of
the Mass itself and were never included even in an appendix of the Roman
Missal, specifically the 1962 typical edition, it is unclear whether they are to be
considered obligatory in present-day public celebrations of the Tridentine Mass in
accordance with the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.[50]
• A similar uncertainty attaches to the status in present-day Tridentine Masses of the
long-standing tradition in Ireland for the priest to recite in Latin, together with the
altar servers, the psalm De profundis immediately after Mass. When the Leonine
Prayers were introduced, they were placed after the De profundis. This custom
were abolished at the same time as the suppression of the Leonine Prayers, and so
after the time of the 1962 Missal.