Alan's History of Liturgy links Note: This is a private
website and was meant primarily as a resource for an ongoing liturgy project originally
located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los
Angeles, and now located within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.Description:This site is dedicated to the history of the Roman
Catholic liturgy.
Before going
into the sections on liturgical development, beginning with the Early
Church, I devote some time into articulating what the liturgy is - what it
means to us, as Christians, and what it means to the Church as a whole.
The next sections present excerpts from a few of the better-known Early
Church Fathers of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd centuries. Passages from the New
Testament are also shown. Around the 4th century, there existed a
plethora of liturgical forms, or rites, that varied regionally depending
on the location of the particular Christian communities. Many of these
liturgies are still in use by Catholics of Eastern Rites (who are in union
with Rome) as well as Eastern Orthodox (who are not in union with Rome).
While a study of these particular liturgical
forms would certainly prove fascinating, I decided to devote the rest of
the web site to the most well known liturgical rite - the liturgy of the
Roman Rite Church. Beginning with the reforms of St. Gregory the Great,
documents are presented outlining the evolution of this particular
liturgy, from the 6th century through the 20th century. I tried to
include as many complete forms of each liturgy as possible for you to read
and study. If you would like to read the liturgy text, all you must do is
click on the link associated with the name of the liturgy.
Why the liturgy?
Fundamentally, the liturgy is a structured worship ritual.
The Church has always been liturgical in its worship. The word
liturgy is derived from the Greek word leitourgia meaning
"public work".
It has its roots well before the ancient Church to the Jewish people.
The liturgy was originally used in reference to the "public work" or
"work" of the people of the Temple in the Old Law. For Christians, a newer
understanding of liturgy is given form with reference to Christ. The
liturgy is illustrated by the heavenly liturgy described in the book of
Revelation, where the multitudes are gathered around the Altar where the
Lamb of God "stands as though it had been slain." Liturgical worship is
centered fundamentally on the themes of sacrifice (Christ's one
sacrifice), communion (fellowship of the community), and covenant
(remembrance of covenant). The earliest liturgies had a great amount of
Jewish liturgical influence. Many Protestant denominations are liturgical
as well, such as the Anglican/Episcopalian Church as well as the Lutheran
Church. Many other non-mainstream Protestant denominations are
non-liturgical; their worship does not follow a rubrical style or general
structure. Much of this had its origin in the 20th century, being
influenced developmentally by themes of the Protestant Reformation.
Introduction to the Mass
The word Mass and liturgy are almost used interchangeably in
our everyday language. However, the word Mass is a relatively new
description. The Mass of St. Gregory the Great, which was uniformly
standardized at the Council of Trent, concluded with the dismissal,
Ite, missa est, meaning Go, you are sent forth. Today, it
is typically translated as, Go, the Mass is ended. The root of the
word, missa, stuck, however, through the centuries, emphasizing
that the Mass is a sending forth of the Church into the world, something
integrated into our daily lives as Christians.
The basic form of the liturgy consists of changeable and
unchangeable elements. The Mass can be compared to a diamond ring;
the diamond will never change even though the ring may have several
different types of bands throughout its lifetime. The development of the
liturgy is interesting because as the changeable elements develop over
time, the unchangeable elements, like a diamond, remain the same. Each
form radiates immense beauty, expressing the richness of many different
cultures and times. The changeable elements develop temporally and
regionally usually according to pastoral need. Yet also the depth of the
understanding of the unchangeable elements, while not essentially
changing, has developed through centuries of insight.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Liturgy and culture
1204 The celebration of the liturgy, therefore, should correspond to the genius
and culture of the different peoples.[70] In order that the mystery of Christ be
"made known to all the nations . . . to bring about the obedience of faith,"[71
] it must be proclaimed, celebrated, and lived in all cultures in such a way tha
t they themselves are not abolished by it, but redeemed and fulfilled:[72] It is
with and through their own human culture, assumed and transfigured by Christ, t
hat the multitude of God's children has access to the Father, in order to glorif
y him in the one Spirit.
1205 "In the liturgy, above all that of the sacraments, there is an immutable part, a part that is divinely instituted and of which the Church is the guardian,
and parts that can be changed, which the Church has the power and on occasion
also the duty to adapt to the cultures of recently evangelized peoples."[73]
1206 "Liturgical diversity can be a source of enrichment, but it can also
provoke tensions, mutual misunderstandings, and even schisms. In this matter
it is clear that diversity must not damage unity. It must express only
fidelity to the common faith, to the sacramental signs that the Church has
received from Christ, and to hierarchical communion. Cultural adaptation also
requires a conversion of heart and even, where necessary, a breaking with
ancestral customs incompatible
with the Catholic faith."[74]
What are the changeable elements?
Like the band of a diamond, the changeable elements of the Mass have
changed from generation to generation and, in times past, from region to
region. Changeable elements include formal structure, prayers, particular
rubrics and postures, and what Scripture readings are read each day. In
the following sections, pay attention to what things change from each
version of the Mass. Also notice what things stay the same. The
liturgies of the middle ages were certainly more elaborate than the
liturgies of the Early Church, and this was primarily due to the fact that
much of the Early Church was under Roman persecution.
What are the unchangeable elements?
The unchangeable elements of the Mass are bound closely
together with the important themes of the Mass. Essentially, the Mass
is a sacrificial meal in which Christ
is offered to the Father, not in a repetitive way, but in a perpetual way
whereby the one Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross-is made present for us at
every Mass. That is, Christ's once and for all sacrifice is perpetual and
cannot be repeated. The tradition began when Christ instituted this on the
Passover with his disciples, commanding them to "do this in memory of"
Him.
Christ's once and for all Sacrifice "To see the sacrificial
dimension to the Lord's Supper, note first that it is the New Testament
equivalent of the Old Testament Passover feast, in which the sacrificed
paschal lamb was consumed (Exodus 12:3-14). The New Testament Eucharist,
like the Old Testament Passover, is thus a sacrificial meal." (by Jimmy
Akin) It is a sacrificial meal that, like the Passover feast, is kept and
celebrated continually. The Mass is also reminiscent of the old
sacrifice of the first-fruits of bread and wine. So it is that, in
the Mass, Christ, the first-fruits, is offered under the appearance
of these same elements.
To be legitimate, the Mass must contain the account of the Last Supper by
recounting the Words of Institution, given by Christ at the Last Supper
("This is my Body... This is my Blood"). The earliest forms of the liturgy
most likely did not explicitly contain the complete Words of Institution.
There are many theories as to why this was so. However, by the end of the
2nd century, all liturgies contained them explicitly, with the exception
of the Assyrian Church of the East. This doesn't mean that prior to that
time the story of the Institution was absent from the liturgy, altogether.
Rather, the Institution narrative in which Christ offers His Body and
Blood was still implicit within the whole of the Eucharistic Prayer.
Recent liturgical scholarship has begun to reveal the importance of the
Eucharistic Prayer as a whole on the Consecration, as opposed to focusing
solely on the words "This is my Body." At the Last Supper, Christ took
bread and gave it to His disciples, telling them, "Take, eat. This is my
Body." He then took the cup of wine, gave it to His disciples, telling
them "Drink this, all of you. This is the cup of my Blood." Christ offered
the cup to His disciples and stated that it contained is the Blood of the
New and Everlasting Covenant. He then instructed them to "do this in
memory of me."
But why are Christ's instructions so important?
The complete words for "this do in remembrance of me" in Greek are "Totou
poiete eis tan emen anamnesin." The translation of "this do in remembrance
of me" does not capture the complete meaning of this statement. The word
"poiein" or "do" is sacrificial in nature. It is used many times in the
Old Testament in reference to offering sacrifice. It is best translated as
"offer" or "do" w/ reference to "doing" or "offering" sacrifice.
And anamnesis, or "remembrance," has sacrificial overtones
as well. It means the literal making of the past into a present reality,
much more than a mere 'reminder' of the past. The full meaning of "do this
in remembrance of me" is a command to offer the sacrifice [totou poiete]
continually in order to make the past, the one sacrifice of Christ, into a
present reality [anamnesis]. It is a memorial sacrifice, not merely a
memorial meal in which Christ is commemorated.
Thus, the Mass is a sacrifice that re-presents for us the one
sacrifice of Christ. It is brought to us at every mass, in an unbloody
way. At the same time, a dual dimension is presented. The Mass not only
recalls Christ's death, it also recalls His resurrection. This is what we
participate in. Bread and Wine are offered, but not ordinary Bread and
Wine, but that which has become fully and substantially His Body and
Blood, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is because Jesus Christ is the only perfect
and acceptable sacrifice. Christ is the Lamb of God, the Bread of Life.
Therefore, it
is not a metaphorical sacrifice. The Mass is how Christians remember, and
thereby renew in their lives, the New Covenant of Christ, established by
His death and subsequent rising from the dead.
The sacrificial nature of the
Mass is also shown as when Christ offers his flesh and his blood. "This is
my body... This is my blood." This is a language of sacrifice, because by
showing the body and blood in a state of separation, the elements take on
a sacrificial character. Jesus here speaks of Himself as a sacrifice in
relation to what he is commanding His disciples to do [totou poiete]. The
Fathers of the Early Church were quick to articulate, as is included in
the earliest liturgical forms, this exact nature of Christ's words at the
Last Supper.
As discussed below, the disciples were commanded
and given the authority to offer this sacrifice, together with the people
gathered - but the 'priest' who offers this sacrifice is Christ, the High
Priest, the one high priest of the true sanctuary. Christ is revealed as
High Priest through the actions of the presider, or ordained
elder/presbyter [later translated as priest], in persona Christi, or in
the person of Christ. Christ is also revealed as victim, the Lamb of God.
He is Christ "crucified and risen," the one who "offers and is offered,
who gives and is given." (Catechism 1137) In other words, not only is
Christ physically present in the Bread and Wine, He is also present in
persona Christi in the actions of the presider.
Heaven on Earth The Mass is not only a
Sacrifice, but it reveals Heaven to us in a remarkable way. It is,
essentially, the divine liturgy of Heaven, the Marriage Supper of the
Lamb, as described by John in the book of Revelation. Participation in the
Mass is essentially a participation in the very liturgy going on right now
in Heaven.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1137 The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church's liturgy,
first reveals to us, "A throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the
throne": "the Lord God."[1] It then shows the Lamb, "standing, as though
it had been slain": Christ crucified and risen, the one high priest of the
true sanctuary, the same one "who offers and is offered, who gives and is
given."[2] Finally it presents "the river of the water of life
. . . flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb," one of most
beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.[3]
1138 "Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the
service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his plan: the heavenly
powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants of the Old and
New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God (the one
hundred and forty-four thousand),[4] especially the martyrs "slain for the
word of God," and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the
Lamb,[5] and finally "a great multitude which no one could number, from
every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and tongues."[6]
1139 It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the Church enable
us to participate whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation in the
sacraments.
Communion, Community, and Holy Meal The
Mass is also a meal,
where the members that make up the Body of Christ come to the table and
are nourished by His Body and Blood. Obviously this is no ordinary meal.
His disciples were commanded to eat His flesh and drink
His blood, just as the Jews were commanded to eat the flesh of the
sacrificial lamb at Passover. This action thereby completes the
sacrificial offering. It is through this action that life-changing grace
is given. Doing this shows a communion, representing not only the gathered
community, but also a communion of the whole and entire Church, throughout
time and space, on Earth and in Heaven, gathered around Christ's one
sacrifice here made present. Once they are nourished, they are instructed
to go forth into the world to "love and serve the Lord" by bringing Christ
to others, as He is brought to birth by grace in our daily lives.
It is through the liturgy that
the community gathered is nourished and transformed by grace, and
commanded to go forth into the world to be the Body of Christ, to serve
the world. The celebration of the liturgy is made up of every person
gathered, the whole community. As such, Christ is also present "where two
or three are gathered" in His name. The various Scripture readings
included as part of the liturgy are another means in which Christ is
brought forth, as He is present in the Written Word that is proclaimed to
all. The different modes of Christ's presence in the liturgy, other than
in the sacrificial nature, are themes that have evolved extensively over
the past 2000 years. The proclamation of the Word has been given more and
more importance.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1140 It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head,
that celebrates. "Liturgical services are not private functions but are
celebrations of the Church which is 'the sacrament of unity,' namely, the
holy people united and organized under the authority of the
bishops. Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the
Church. They manifest it, and have effects upon it. But they touch
individual members of the Church in different ways, depending on their
orders, their role in the liturgical services, and their actual
participation in them."[7] For this reason, "rites which are meant to be
celebrated in common, with the faithful present and actively
participating, should as far as possible be celebrated in that way rather
than by an individual and quasi-privately."[8]
1141 The celebrating assembly is the community of the baptized who, "by
regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a
spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that . . . they may offer spiritual
sacrifices."[9] This "common priesthood" is that of Christ the sole
priest, in which all his members participate:[10] Mother Church earnestly
desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and
active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the
very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, "a chosen
race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people," have a right
and an obligation by reason of their Baptism.[11]
1142 But "the members do not all have the same function."[12] Certain
members are called by God, in and through the Church, to a special service
of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the
sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit enables them to act in
the person of Christ the head, for the service of all the members of the
Church.[13] The ordained minister is, as it were, an "icon" of Christ the
priest. Since it is in the Eucharist that the sacrament of the Church is
made fully visible, it is in his presiding at the Eucharist that the
bishop's ministry is most evident, as well as, in communion with him, the
ministry of priests and deacons.
1143 For the purpose of assisting the work of the common priesthood of the
faithful, other particular ministries also exist, not consecrated by the
sacrament of Holy Orders; their functions are determined by the bishops,
in accord with liturgical traditions and pastoral needs. "Servers,
readers, commentators, and members of the choir also exercise a genuine
liturgical function."[14]
1144 In the celebration of the sacraments it is thus the whole assembly
that is leitourgos, each according to his function, but in the "unity of
the Spirit" who acts in all. "In liturgical celebrations each person,
minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should carry out all and
only those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and
the norms of the liturgy."[15]
In summary, the Mass can be thought of as:
-Prefigured by the sacrifice of the Passover lamb, slain and then eaten in
remembrance of Covenant. -A representation of and participation in
Christ's (the Lamb of God) once and for all sacrifice, a perpetual
sacrifice. -A communion of His Body, the Church. -A remembrance of
the New Covenant of Christ, through His once and for all Sacrifice. -A
participation in the Liturgy of Heaven. -A participation in the
Marriage Supper of the Lamb. -where Christ's death is proclaimed, His
resurrection confessed, and He is remembered until He comes again.
-Finally, a sending forth of the Body of Christ into the World, after
having been nourished at the Lord's table with His own Body and Blood.
* The Mass of the Early Church (1st - 4th century AD)
- The New Testament (1st Century)
The term "Breaking of the Bread" was used to refer to the Eucharistic
Liturgy as recorded by the New Testament authors. The Early Church
Fathers of the first few centuries drew on the Scripture to explain
particular aspects of what the liturgy was meant to be. Exact liturgical
forms were not explicitly recorded in the New Testament but were taught by
way of an Oral Tradition, drawing on themes that would later be recorded
in the New Testament.
- St. John: The Bread of Life: John 6:1-14,22-69
- St. Luke: The Last Supper: Luke 22:13-20
- Revelation: The Liturgy of Heaven: Rev 4:6-11
- Revelation: The Marriage Supper of the Lamb: Rev 19:4-9
- The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles - written between 50-110 AD)
- Chapter 9-10,14: The Didache is a
"short treatise" or summary of Christian teaching, not a complete treatise or
document of the liturgy. As such, it mentions a form of the Eucharistic
Prayer, borrowing from many Jewish themes, that liturgies included, yet it does not go into detail about the spoken account of
Christ's institution of the Eucharist, when He said, "This is my Body, this is my Blood," which is also included in the liturgy.
Nevertheless, the study of the Didache in liturgical context is important
because of its emphasis on the Eucharistic ("thanksgiving") nature of
the ceremony and the necessity of unity for the people gathered so that their
"sacrifice may be pure." The Didache also uses the understanding of the Eucharist as a sacrifice.
- During time of Roman persecution, congregations were small, brevity and
simplicity were important.
- Masses were celebrated at the homes of known Christians. They
were also frequently celebrated within the
Catacombs where the dead in Christ could be remembered. Because
the dead in Christ were believed to have entered Heaven, they were still
considered part
of the Church, the Body of Christ, united as One by Christ who
conquered death. There in Heaven they participate in the heavenly
liturgy.
The Mass is where the Christians on Earth unite with those in Heaven in
this heavenly liturgy around the one Sacrifice, transcending time and space,
to celebrate the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection.
- Within the catacombs, it was not uncommon to celebrate the Mass using
a tomb or sarcophagus as an altar. A tradition developed where Christians,
to this day, usually celebrate Mass atop an altar that contains a relic
or bone fragment of early Christian saint.
Mike Aquilina, in his book The Mass of the Early Christians,
writes of Irenaeus, "In the world before Christ, God had commanded man to offer
a pure sacrifice of the "first-fruits" of the earth. Sinful man, however,
proved unable to offer with a pure heart. So Christ established the Eucharist
as "the new oblation of the new covenant." In the Eucharist, Christ himself is
the offering (the "first-fruits" of the new creation), and Christ himself
is the one who offers. For Irenaeus, the sacrifice of the Church is the
fulfillment of all the sacricices of ancient Israel... In the Eucharist,
however, Christ offers himself under the same appearances as the old
sacrifices: bread and wine, the first-fruits of the earth.
* The Mass of the latter Early Church (4th century)
- After toleration of Christianity, congregations increased in size
- Development of liturgical rites became more elaborate,
vessels and vestments enriched.
- St. Cyril of Jerusalem (350 AD)
- A Guide to the Liturgy (Mystagogical Lecture, 5) (Look for similarities!)
- St. Cyril beautifully describes the intimacy one is to feel while
receiving the Body and Blood in the hand while standing.
- By the end of the 4th century, there existed 4 distinct liturgical types (or rites): Antiochene, Alexandrian, Roman, and Gallican.
Each primariy rite included many varations that varied according to region:
- Roman (Latin) Rite (For more info and links, see next section below)
- Roman Liturgy (used by Church in Rome, later development to present form)
- Transition from Greek to Latin
- Reduction of the amount of wine used
- Eucharistic Abuses prompted change to reception of the Eucharist while
kneeling, on the tongue.
- Also, in order to combat heresy which suggested that Christ's complete
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity was not contained in both Eucharistic species,
the chalice of blood was offered to the congregation less and less until it
was eventually reserved only for the celebrant. This was to endear in the
faithful that by receiving the Precious Body along, they were still receiving the complete Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus
- Sacrificial aspects of the Mass emphasized over time, especially
in response to the Protestant Reformation which denied that the Mass
was a sacrifice.
- Role of gathered assembly deemphasized.
- Gallican Rite
- Used in northwestern Europe.
- Mostly supplanted by Roman liturgy by 800AD.
- Liturgy forms include:
Used until around 7th century, although adapted later according to Roman Liturgy, translated from Latin/Gaelic Missal
- Ambrosian Liturgy of Milan
Still in use by some religious orders in the city of Milan, recently modified in 1970 to correspond w/ Novus Ordo mass.
- Discussion about the Ambrosian liturgy
* Reform of Roman Liturgy by Pope St. Gregory the Great (590 - 1570AD)
Pope St. Gregory the Great was the first to officially codify a
version of the Roman Liturgy, later referred to as the "Rite of
St. Gregory." His version would become the standard used by subsequent
versions of the Roman Liturgy.
He was responsible for the following:
- Simplification, orderly arrangement, reduction of variable prayers
- Definitive arrangement of The Roman Canon
- The Roman Lectionary, which was a collection of readings from Scripture to be read during the liturgy, is given definitive form. It was still subject to later revisions.
- Codified the "Gregorian Chant" for use during worship. Later modifications:
- The 'Gloria' was introduced, probably of Gallican influence. Incorporated into the Roman liturgy in about the 11th century.
- The offertory prayers and Lavabo introduced prior to the 14th century.
- Blessing and 'Last Gospel' introduced gradually in middle ages.
- By 16th century, Gregory's simplified mass had developed into many
forms that varied between regions and religious orders. In its
implementation, it had absorbed many local features of primarily Gallican
liturgical forms that it replaced in many areas of northern Europe and eventually in Rome itself.
- Discussion on various rites (more appropriately "uses" of the Roman Rite)
* The Tridentine Reform of the Roman Liturgy (1570 - 1962AD)
- The Reform of St. Pius V (1570 AD)
Under the direction of Pope St. Pius V, the Council of Trent examined and
clarified a number of things pertaining to the Catholic Faith. One of
these things was the liturgy. Everything associated with the Council of
Trent became known as "Tridentine" due to the Latin word for "Trent." The
Council issued a number of counter reforms that were a necessary response
to the Protestant Reformation.
- Tridentine Reforms (Council of Trent)
- Response to Protestant Reformation
- Clarification of Doctrine:
And so this Council teaches the true and genuine doctrine about this venerable and divine sacrament of the Eucharist, the doctrine which the Catholic Church has always held and which She will hold until the end of the world, as She learned it from Christ Our Lord Himself, from His Apostles, and from the Holy Ghost, Who continually brings all truth to Her mind The Council forbids all the faithful of Christ henceforth to believe, teach or preach anything about the most Holy Eucharist that is different from what is explained and defined in the present decree.
- In the 18th session, a commission was appointed to examine the Roman
Missal to "revise and restore it." Protestant Reformers had modified the Missal and removed doctrinal themes they rejected and substituted for it communion services that expressed their ideals but broke free from historic liturgical evolution.
The Council Fathers sought to restore uniformity to the Roman Liturgy by
eliminating regional variations that had evolved from Pope Gregory's
original liturgy,
some of which had become quite exuberant, causing great confusion. They
wanted a traditional, uniform liturgy that expressed clearly and concisely
the traditional doctrinal elements of the Mass, all the things which the
Reformers were rejecting, to help clarify doctrine.
- Benefits of liturgical uniformity
- Restoration of Gregory's liturgy, though apart from the Roman Canon,
it was not exactly identical
to Gregory's original liturgy, as it had absorbed many Carolingian elements.
- Famous Edict: Quo
Primum Tempore (14 July, 1570) - the New Missal
(Officially from:
'Missale Romanum ex decreto sacrosancti
Concilii Tridentini restitutum' =
"The Roman Missal Restored According to the Decrees of the
Holy Council of Trent")
- The Reform of Vatican Council II (Pope John XXIII, Pope Paul VI) (1962-1965 AD)
- Explanation of various reforms
- Because more emphasis had been placed on the sacred vessels that
contained the Eucharist than on the community gathered to partake
of the Eucharist, much of the meaning behind participating in the
Body and Blood of Christ had been lost over time.
- The Second Vatican Council sought to bring the focus of the mass back to
include the importance
of the gathered assembly, the community, the mystical Body of Christ,
as it had throughout the early church - as a fuller expresion of the
celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
This was done not only with
the wisdom of the 2000 years of liturgical tradition but also with insights
expressed by the Early Church on the importance of community in worship.
- It encouraged the faithful to receive the Eucharist more frequently.
- It allowed for more congregational participation in spoken responses and music
- It allowed flexibility and adaptations to the pastoral needs of each diocese.
- Simplification of Liturgical Rites to make them more easily understood by the faithful
- The Council called for the retention of the Latin language. Over time,
Bishops requested missal translations that made use of the vernacular language,
seeing its pastoral benefits in Orthodox and Protestant churches.
- Soon, reception of Eucharist standing, in the hand optional, as had been
done in the time of St. Cyril.
- Eventually Chalice of Blood was offered, once again, to the congregation.
- Document: Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) (1963 AD)
- Commentary: Vat. II and Sacrosanctum Concilium and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal
- Result: Missal of Pope Paul VI (Novus Ordo Missae)
- re-introduction of the intercessory prayers (not since Gregory), allowing individual communities to write prayers for local needs
- Reworking of Eucharistic Prayer of Hippolytus
- Elevated the proclamation of Scripture to a place of higher dignity
within the Mass, giving the liturgy two distinct parts:
The Liturgy of the Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
This also resulted in changes in architecture, bringing the lectern closer
to the altar to reflect the close link between Word and Eucharist.
- Latin/English text of the Mass (1975 edition)
- Roman Lectionary of Pope Paul VI: 1970 edition 3-year cycle collection of Scripture Readings for all Sundays, Feasts, and Weekdays
- Revised Roman Lectionary of Pope Paul VI: Revised 1998 edition 3-year cycle collection of Scripture Readings for all Sundays, Feasts, and Weekdays to expose the
faithful to a wider assortment of biblical readings.
* Why such Liturgical Diversity?
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
Liturgical traditions and the catholicity of the Church
1200 From the first community of Jerusalem until the parousia, it is the same Paschal mystery that the Churches of God, faithful to the apostolic faith, celebrate in every place. The mystery celebrated in the liturgy is one, but the forms of its celebration are diverse.
1201 The mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted by its expression in any single liturgical tradition. The history of the blossoming and development of these rites witnesses to a remarkable complementarity. When the Churches lived their respective liturgical traditions in the communion of the faith and the sacraments of the faith, they enriched one another and grew in fidelity to Tradition and to the common mission of the whole Church.[66]
1202 The diverse liturgical traditions have arisen by very reason of the Church's mission. Churches of the same geographical and cultural area came to celebrate the mystery of Christ through particular expressions characterized by the culture: in the tradition of the "deposit of faith,"[67] in liturgical symbolism, in the organization of fraternal communion, in the theological understanding of the mysteries, and in various forms of holiness. Through the liturgical life of a local church, Christ, the light and salvation of all peoples, is made manifest to the particular people and culture to which that Church is sent and in which she is rooted. The Church is catholic, capable of integrating into her unity, while purifying them, all the authentic riches of cultures.[68]
1203 The liturgical traditions or rites presently in use in the Church are the Latin (principally the Roman rite, but also the rites of certain local churches, such as the Ambrosian rite, or those of certain religious orders) and the Byzantine, Alexandrian or Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite and Chaldean rites. In "faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred Council declares that Holy Mother Church holds all lawfully recognized rites to be of equal right and dignity, and that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way."[69]
References:
- The Mass of the Early Christians, by Mike Aquilina
- The Sacrifice of the Church, by Joseph A. Jungmann, S.J.
- The Mass of the Roman Rite, by Joseph Jungmann
- A Short History of the Roman Mass, by Michael Davies
- The Latin Mass Society of Ireland
- The Mystery and Meaning of the Mass, by Msgr. Joseph Champlin
- The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth, by Scott Hahn
- From Age to Age: How Christians Celebrated the Eucharist, by Edward Foley
- Mass and the Sacraments, by Fr. John Laux, M.A. Benziger Brothers 1934
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