Mass (liturgy)
Mass is the main Eucharistic liturgical service in many forms of Western Christianity. The term "Mass" is commonly used in the Catholic Church, and in the Western Rite Orthodox, and Old Catholic churches. The term is used in some Lutheran churches, as well as in some Anglican churches. The term is also used, on rare occasion, by other Protestant churches, such as in Methodism. Other Christian denominations may employ terms such as "Divine Service" or "worship service" (and often just "service"), rather than the word "Mass". For the celebration of the Eucharist in Eastern Christianity, including Eastern Catholic  Churches, other terms such as "Divine Liturgy", "Holy Qurbana", "Holy Qurobo" and "Badarak" are typically used instead. Etymology. The English noun "mass" is derived from the Middle Latin . The Latin word was adopted in Old English as (via a Vulgar Latin form ), and was sometimes glossed as "sendnes" (i.e. 'a sending, dismission'). The Latin term itself was in use by the 6th century. It is most likely derived from the concluding formula ("Go; the dismissal is made"); here is a Late Latin substantive corresponding to classical . Historically, however, there have been other etymological explanations of the noun that claim not  to derive from the formula . Fortescue (1910) cites older, "fanciful" etymological explanations, notably a latinization of Hebrew () "unleavened bread; oblation", a derivation favoured in the 16th century by Reuchlin and Luther, or Greek "initiation", or even Germanic "assembly". The French historian Du Cange in 1678 reported "various opinions on the origin" of the noun "Mass", including the derivation from Hebrew (), here attributed to Caesar Baronius. The Hebrew derivation is learned speculation from 16th-century philology; medieval authorities did derive the noun from the verb , but not in connection with the formula . Thus, (9th century) explains the word as ("from 'sending ', that which sends us towards God"), while Rupert of Deutz (early 12th century) derives it from a "dismissal" of the "enmities which had been between God and men" (). Order of the Mass. A distinction is made between texts that recur for every Mass celebration (, ordinary), and texts that are sung depending on the occasion (, proper). For example, for the Tridentine Mass: Ordinaries. A ("full Mass") consists of a musical setting of the five sections of the ordinarium as listed below. I. Kyrie. In the Tridentine Mass, the Kyrie is the first sung prayer of the Mass ordinary. It is usually  (but not always) part of any musical setting of the Mass. Kyrie movements often have a ternary (ABA) musical structure that reflects the symmetrical structure of the text. Musical settings exist in styles ranging from Gregorian chant to Folk. Because of the brevity of the text, Kyries were often very melismatic. This encouraged later composers to make tropes out of them, either by adding words to the melisma (as how a sequence is often considered), or extending the melisma. In fact, because of the late date of most Kyries, it is not always clear whether a particular Kyrie melody or  the apparently troped text came first; it could just as easily be the case that a syllabic song was converted into a melisma for a Kyrie verse. In some cases, verses interpolate Latin text between each "Kyrie" (or "Christe") and "eleison". As the Kyrie is the first item in settings of the Mass ordinary and the second in the requiem Mass (the only Mass proper set regularly over the centuries), nearly all of the thousands of composers over the centuries who have set the ordinaries of the Mass to music have included a Kyrie movement. Kyrie movements often have a  structure that reflects the concision and symmetry of the text. Many have a ternary (ABA) form known as a three-fold kyrie, where the two appearances of the phrase consist of identical or closely related material and frame a contrasting section. The AAABBBCCC' form is also commonly used which is known as a nine-fold kyrie. Famously, Mozart sets the and texts in his Requiem Mass as the two subjects of a double fugue. II. Gloria. The Gloria is a celebratory passage praising God the Father and Christ. In Mass settings (normally in English) composed for the Church of England 's "Book of Common Prayer" liturgy, the Gloria is commonly the last movement, because it occurs in this position in the text of the service. In Order One of the newer "Common Worship" liturgy, however, it is restored to its earlier place in the service. III. Credo. The Credo, a setting of the Nicene Creed, is the longest text of a sung Mass. Organizers of international celebrations, such as World Youth Day, have been encouraged by Rome to familiarize congregants in the Latin chants for the Our Father and the Credo, specifically Credo III (17th century, Fifth Mode) from the  . The purpose of singing these two texts in Latin is to engender a sense of unity in the faithful, all of whom thus sing the prayer of Jesus and the shared belief of the universal Church in the same language. IV. Sanctus and Benedictus. The Sanctus is a doxology praising the Trinity. A variant exists in Lutheran settings of the Sanctus. While most hymnal settings keep the second person pronoun, other settings change the second person pronoun to the third person. This is most notable in J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor, where the text reads ("His glory"). Martin  Luther's chorale "Isaiah, Mighty in Days of Old", and Felix Mendelssohn's setting of the () from his also use the third person. The Benedictus is a continuation of the Sanctus. is repeated after the section, often with musical material identical to that used after the , or very closely related. In Gregorian chant the (with ) was sung whole at its place in the Mass. However, as composers produced more embellished settings of the text, V. Agnus Dei. The Agnus Dei is a setting of the "Lamb of God" litany, containing the responses ('have mercy upon us'), repeated twice, and ('grant  us peace') once at the end. In a Requiem Mass, the words are replaced by ('grant them rest'), while is replaced by ('grant them eternal rest'). Short and solemn Masses. There is some additional terminology regarding Mass settings indicating whether or not they include all five usual sections of the ordinarium, and whether or not the Mass is intended for exceptionally festive occasions. The ("short and solemn Mass") is an exceptional format, for its best known instances tied to the Salzburg of archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo, although earlier examples are extant. Mozart described it thus in a letter he wrote in  1776 ("the Archbishop" in this quotation refers to Colloredo): The description applies to several of the Masses Mozart composed in Salzburg between 1775 and 1780, the "Sparrow Mass" being considered as its first instance for this composer. Tongue-in-cheek, and not indebted to Viennese traditions, Gioachino Rossini qualified one of his last compositions, a Mass, as both ("small") and ("solemn") (Petite messe solennelle). In this case, "small" refers to the modest forces needed for its performance, and "solemn" to its duration, although later commentators would describe the composition as "neither small nor solemn". Other types of Masses with fewer  than five of the usual parts of the ordinarium. During Lent () and Advent () the Gloria is not sung. Thus , "Mass for the period of (Advent and) Lent" indicates a Mass composition without music for the Gloria. Michael Haydn composed a Mass suitable for Lent and Advent, the , in for the modest forces of choir and organ. A (weekday Mass) leaves out both the Gloria and the Credo. Other sections. The sixth and last part of the Ordinarium (either , or, in Masses without Gloria, ) is usually not set as part of a Mass composition. In a Tridentine Mass that part of  the Ordinarium is usually spoken, or sung to the Gregorian melody provided in the Roman Missal, although early polyphonic settings for the response (e.g. in Guillaume de Machaut's "Messe de Nostre Dame") and for the Benedicamus Domino (e.g. in ) are extant. The Proper of the Mass is usually not set to music in a Mass itself, except in the case of a Requiem Mass, but may be the subject of motets or other musical compositions. Some Mass compositions, like for instance Rossini's , do however contain parts outside the Ordinarium. Some Mass compositions even consist entirely of such additions : Schubert's , a set of eight hymns with epilogue, is an example of such a Mass. Purely instrumental compositions can also be part of a Mass celebration, e.g. a Sonata da chiesa, sometimes with a liturgical function, like Mozart's Epistle Sonatas. Propers. In a liturgical Mass, there are other sections that may be sung, often in Gregorian chant. These sections, the "Proper" of the Mass, change with the day and season according to the Church calendar, or according to the special circumstances of the Mass. The sections of the Proper of the Mass include the Introit, Gradual, Alleluia or  Tract (depending on the time of year), Offertory and Communion. Ordinarium and proprium sections of a specific liturgical Mass are not typically set to music together in the same composition. The one major exception to this rule is the Mass for the dead, or requiem. Following the distribution of the Sacrament, it is customary in most Lutheran churches to sing the . Catholic Church. The Catholic Church sees the Mass or Eucharist as "the source and summit of the Christian life", to which the other sacraments are oriented. Remembered in the Mass are Jesus' life, Last Supper, and sacrificial death on  the cross at Calvary. The ordained celebrant (priest or bishop) is understood to act "in persona Christi", as he recalls the words and gestures of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper and leads the congregation (always "we", never "I") in praise of God. The Mass is composed of two parts, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Although similar in outward appearance to the Anglican Mass or Lutheran Mass, the Catholic Church distinguishes between its own Mass and theirs on the basis of what it views as the validity of the orders of their clergy, and  as a result, does not ordinarily permit intercommunion between members of these Churches. In a 1993 letter to Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria, Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) affirmed that "a theology oriented to the concept of succession [of bishops], such as that which holds in the Catholic and in the Orthodox church, need not in any way deny the salvation-granting presence of the Lord [Heilschaffende Gegenwart des Herrn] in a Lutheran [evangelische] Lord's Supper." The Decree on Ecumenism, produced by Vatican II in 1964, records that the Catholic Church notes its understanding that  when other faith groups (such as Lutherans, Anglicans, and Presbyterians) "commemorate His death and resurrection in the Lord's Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and look forward to His coming in glory." Within the fixed structure outlined below, which is specific to the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the Scripture readings, the antiphons sung or recited during the entrance procession or at Communion, and certain other prayers vary each day according to the liturgical calendar. For many variations and options not mentioned here, see the complete "Order of the Mass". Introductory rites. The  priest enters, with a deacon if there is one, and altar servers (who may act as crucifer, candle-bearers and thurifer). The priest makes the sign of the cross with the people and formally greets them. Of the options offered for the Introductory Rites, that preferred by liturgists would bridge the praise of the opening hymn with the Glory to God which follows. The "Kyrie eleison" here has from early times been an acclamation of God's mercy. The Penitential Act instituted by the Council of Trent is also still permitted here, with the caution that it should not turn  the congregation in upon itself during these rites which are aimed at uniting those gathered as one praiseful congregation. The Introductory Rites are brought to a close by the Collect Prayer. Liturgy of the Word. On Sundays and solemnities, three Scripture readings are given. On other days there are only two. If there are three readings, the first is from the Old Testament (a term wider than "Hebrew Scriptures", since it includes the Deuterocanonical Books), or the Acts of the Apostles during Eastertide. The first reading is followed by a psalm, recited or sung responsorially. The second reading is from  the New Testament epistles, typically from one of the Pauline epistles. A Gospel acclamation is then sung as the Book of the Gospels is processed, sometimes with incense and candles, to the ambo; if not sung it may be omitted. The final reading and high point of the Liturgy of the Word is the proclamation of the Gospel by the deacon or priest. On all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and preferably at all Masses, a homily or sermon that draws upon some aspect of the readings or the liturgy itself, is then given. The homily is preferably moral  and hortatory. Finally, the Nicene Creed or, especially from Easter to Pentecost, the Apostles' Creed is professed on Sundays and solemnities, and the Universal Prayer or Prayer of the Faithful follows. The designation "of the faithful" comes from when catechumens did not remain for this prayer or for what follows. Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the altar and gifts, while the collection may be taken. This concludes with the priest saying: "Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father." The congregation stands and responds : "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of His name, for our good, and the good of all His holy Church." The priest then pronounces the variable prayer over the gifts. Then in dialogue with the faithful the priest brings to mind the meaning of "eucharist", to give thanks to God. A variable prayer of thanksgiving follows, concluding with the acclamation "Holy, Holy ...Heaven and earth are full of your glory. ...Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." The anaphora, or more properly "Eucharistic Prayer , follows, The oldest of the anaphoras of the Roman Rite, fixed since the Council of Trent, is called the Roman Canon, with central elements dating to the fourth century. With the liturgical renewal following the Second Vatican Council, numerous other Eucharistic prayers have been composed, including four for children's Masses. Central to the Eucharist is the Institution Narrative, recalling the words and actions of Jesus at his Last Supper, which he told his disciples to do in remembrance of him. Then the congregation acclaims its belief in Christ's conquest over death, and their hope of eternal life. Since 	Mass (liturgy)
8983674	the early church an essential part of the Eucharistic prayer has been the epiclesis, the calling down of the Holy Spirit to sanctify our offering. The priest concludes with a doxology in praise of God's work, at which the people give their Amen to the whole Eucharistic prayer. Communion rite. All together recite or sing the Lord's Prayer" ("Pater Noster" or "Our Father"). The priest introduces it with a short phrase and follows it up with a prayer called the embolism, after which the people respond with another doxology. The sign of peace is exchanged and then the  Lamb of God ("Agnus Dei" in Latin) litany is sung or recited while the priest breaks the host and places a piece in the main chalice; this is known as the rite of fraction and commingling. The priest then displays the consecrated elements to the congregation, saying: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb," to which all respond: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." Then  Communion is given, often with lay ministers assisting with the consecrated wine. According to Catholic teaching, one should be in the state of grace, without mortal sin, to receive Communion. Singing by all the faithful during the Communion procession is encouraged "to express the communicants' union in spirit" from the bread that makes them one. A silent time for reflection follows, and then the variable concluding prayer of the Mass. Concluding rite. The priest imparts a blessing over those present. The deacon or, in his absence, the priest himself then dismisses the people, choosing a formula by which the people  are "sent forth" to spread the good news. The congregation responds: "Thanks be to God." A recessional hymn is sung by all, as the ministers process to the rear of the church. Western Rite Orthodox Churches. Since most Eastern Orthodox Christians use the Byzantine Rite, most Eastern Orthodox Churches call their Eucharistic service "the Divine Liturgy." However, there are a number of parishes within the Eastern Orthodox Church which use an edited version of the Latin Rite. Most parishes use the "Divine Liturgy of St. Tikhon" which is a revision of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, or "the Divine  Liturgy of St. Gregory" which is derived from the Tridentine form of the Roman Rite Mass. These rubrics have been revised to reflect the doctrine and dogmas of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Therefore, the filioque clause has been removed, a fuller epiclesis has been added, and the use of leavened bread has been introduced. Anglicanism. In the Anglican tradition, "Mass" is one of many terms for the Eucharist. More frequently, the term used is either "Holy Communion", "Holy Eucharist", or the "Lord's Supper". Occasionally the term used in Eastern churches, the "Divine Liturgy", is also used. In the English -speaking Anglican world, the term used often identifies the Eucharistic theology of the person using it. "Mass" is frequently used by Anglo-Catholics. Structure of the rite. The various Eucharistic liturgies used by national churches of the Anglican Communion have continuously evolved from the 1549 and 1552 editions of the "Book of Common Prayer," both of which owed their form and contents chiefly to the work of Thomas Cranmer, who in about 1547 had rejected the medieval theology of the Mass. Although the 1549 rite retained the traditional sequence of the Mass, its underlying theology was Cranmer's and the  four-day debate in the House of Lords during December 1548 makes it clear that this had already moved far beyond traditional Catholicism. In the 1552 revision, this was made clear by the restructuring of the elements of the rite while retaining nearly all the language so that it became, in the words of an Anglo-Catholic liturgical historian (Arthur Couratin) "a series of communion devotions; disembarrassed of the Mass with which they were temporarily associated in 1548 and 1549". Some rites, such as the 1637 Scottish rite and the 1789 rite in the United States, went back to the  1549 model. From the time of the Elizabethan Settlement in 1559 the services allowed for a certain variety of theological interpretation. Today's rites generally follow the same general five-part shape. Some or all of the following elements may be altered, transposed or absent depending on the rite, the liturgical season and use of the province or national church: The liturgy is divided into two main parts: The Liturgy of the Word (Gathering, Proclaiming and Hearing the Word, Prayers of the People) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (together with the Dismissal), but the entire liturgy itself is also  properly referred to as the Holy Eucharist. The sequence of the liturgy is almost identical to the Roman Rite, except the Confession of Sin ends the Liturgy of the Word in the Anglican rites in North America, while in the Roman Rite (when used) and in Anglican rites in many jurisdictions the Confession is near the beginning of the service. Special Masses. The Anglican tradition includes separate rites for nuptial, funeral, and votive Masses. The Eucharist is an integral part of many other sacramental services, including ordination and Confirmation. Ceremonial. Some Anglo-Catholic parishes use Anglican versions of the Tridentine  Missal, such as the "English Missal", "The Anglican Missal", or the "American Missal", for the celebration of Mass, all of which are intended primarily for the celebration of the Eucharist, or use the order for the Eucharist in "Common Worship" arranged according to the traditional structure, and often with interpolations from the Roman Rite. In the Episcopal Church (United States), a traditional-language, Anglo-Catholic adaptation of the 1979 "Book of Common Prayer" has been published ("An Anglican Service Book"). All of these books contain such features as meditations for the presiding celebrant(s) during the liturgy, and other material such  as the rite for the blessing of palms on Palm Sunday, propers for special feast days, and instructions for proper ceremonial order. These books are used as a more expansively Catholic context in which to celebrate the liturgical use found in the Book of Common Prayer and related liturgical books. In England supplementary liturgical texts for the proper celebration of Festivals, Feast days and the seasons is provided in "Common Worship; Times and Seasons" (2013), "" (2008) and "" (2011). These are often supplemented in Anglo-Catholic parishes by books specifying ceremonial actions, such as "A Priest's Handbook" by Dennis G.  Michno, "Ceremonies of the Eucharist" by Howard E. Galley, "" by C. P. A. Burnett, and "Ritual Notes" by E.C.R. Lamburn. Other guides to ceremonial include the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, "Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite" (Peter Elliott), "Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described" (Adrian Fortescue), and "The Parson's Handbook" (Percy Dearmer). In Evangelical Anglican parishes, the rubrics detailed in the "Book of Common Prayer" are sometimes considered normative. Lutheranism. In the Book of Concord, Article XXIV ("Of the Mass") of the Augsburg Confession (1530) begins thus: Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for  the Mass is retained among us, and celebrated with the highest reverence. We do not abolish the Mass but religiously keep and defend it. ...We keep the traditional liturgical form. ...In our churches Mass is celebrated every Sunday and on other holy days, when the sacrament is offered to those who wish for it after they have been examined and absolved (Article XXIV). Martin Luther rejected parts of the Roman Rite Catholic Mass, specifically the Canon of the Mass, which, as he argued, did not conform with . That verse contrasts the Old Testament priests, who needed to make a sacrifice  for sins on a regular basis, with the single priest Christ, who offers his body only once as a sacrifice. The theme is carried out also in , , and . Luther composed as a replacement a revised Latin-language rite, "Formula missae," in 1523, and the vernacular Deutsche Messe in 1526. As such, historically, the Lutheran Church has stated that the Lutheran Mass is "the only Mass founded in the Scriptures of God, in accordance with the plain and incontestable institution of the Saviour." Scandinavian, Finnish, and some English speaking Lutherans, use the term "Mass" for their Eucharistic service, but in most  German and English-speaking churches, the terms "Divine Service", "Holy Communion, or "the Holy Eucharist" are used. The celebration of the Mass in Lutheran churches follows a similar pattern to other traditions, starting with public confession (Confiteor) by all and a Declaration of Grace said by the priest or pastor. There follow the "Introit", "Kyrie", "Gloria", collect, the readings with an alleluia (alleluia is not said during Lent), homily (or sermon) and recitation of the Nicene Creed. The Service of the Eucharist includes the General intercessions, Preface, "Sanctus" and Eucharistic Prayer, elevation of the host and chalice and invitation to  the Eucharist. The "Agnus Dei" is chanted while the clergy and assistants first commune, followed by lay communicants. Postcommunion prayers and the final blessing by the priest ends the Mass. A Catholic or Anglican of the Anglo-Catholic party would find its elements familiar, in particular the use of the sign of the cross, kneeling for prayer and the Eucharistic Prayer, bowing to the processional crucifix, kissing the altar, incense (among some), chanting, and vestments. Lutheran churches often celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday, if not at every worship service. This aligns with Luther's preference and the Lutheran confessions. Also , eucharistic ministers take the sacramental elements to the sick in hospitals and nursing homes. The practice of weekly Communion is increasingly the norm again in most Lutheran parishes throughout the world. The bishops and pastors of the larger Lutheran bodies have strongly encouraged this restoration of the weekly Mass. The celebration of the Eucharist may form a part of services for weddings, funerals, retreats, the dedication of a church building and annual synod conventions. The Mass is also an important aspect of ordinations and confirmations in Lutheran churches. Methodism. The celebration of the "Mass" in Methodist churches, commonly known as  the Service of the Table, is based on "The Sunday Service" of 1784, a revision of the liturgy of the 1662 "Book of Common Prayer" authorized by John Wesley. The use of the term "Mass" is very rare in Methodism. The terms "Holy Communion", "Lord's Supper", and to a lesser extent "Eucharist" are far more typical. The celebrant of a Methodist Eucharist must be an ordained or licensed minister. In the Free Methodist Church, the liturgy of the Eucharist, as provided in its "Book of Discipline," is outlined as follows: Methodist services of worship, post-1992, reflect the ecumenical movement  and Liturgical Movement, particularly the "Methodist Mass", largely the work of theologian Donald C. Lacy. Calendrical usage. The English suffix "" (equivalent to modern English "Mass") can label certain prominent (originally religious) feasts or seasons based on a traditional liturgical year. For example: External links. Roman Catholic doctrine Present form of the Roman rite of the Mass Tridentine form of the Roman rite of the Mass Anglican Doctrine and practice Lutheran doctrine