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Tridentine Mass

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A Tridentine Mass being celebrated in Bohermeen, Ireland in the 1950s.The reredos and traditional sanctuary decor were removed during the reordering of the Church in 1987.
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A Tridentine Mass being celebrated in Bohermeen, Ireland in the 1950s.
The reredos and traditional sanctuary decor were removed during the reordering of the Church in 1987.

The Tridentine Mass is a term used to denote the liturgy of the Catholic Mass of the Roman rite as it existed, through successive editions, from 1570 to 1970. It is celebrated entirely in Latin, except for a small number of words and phrases in Greek and Hebrew.

The term "Tridentine" means "relating to the Council of Trent", and the 1570 edition of the Roman Missal was promulgated by Pope Pius V in order to implement of a decision of that council. (For the forms of the Roman-Rite Mass liturgy in the preceding centuries, see Pre-Tridentine Mass.) Pope Pius V made this Missal mandatory throughout the Latin Rite Catholic Church, except where a Mass liturgy dating from before 1370 was in use. Later Popes revised it[Ordorecitandi website] - for example, in 1604,[Document 314] 1634,[Document 403] 1888, 1920, 1955 and 1962.

Since 1970, the Tridentine Mass has been almost entirely superseded by the Mass of Paul VI. However, some groups, parishes and individual priests have received permission from the Vatican and from their local bishops to continue to use the 1962 edition of the Missal. Many Traditionalist Catholics, moreover, regard the Tridentine form as the only legitimate Mass liturgy, use it exclusively without official permission, and affirm that every priest has the right to celebrate it without having to obtain authorisation from the Church authorities.

Contents

Terminology

Though the phrase "Tridentine Mass" is the most widely used, some Traditionalist Catholics reject it, preferring to use the term "Traditional Mass", along with phrases such as "the Mass of All Time" and "the Mass of Ages." They believe that the new rite is a distinct and highly inferior liturgy, while mainstream Catholics see the Mass of Paul VI as representing a development of the older liturgy rather than a break from it.

The Tridentine liturgy is also known as "the Latin Mass", though the Mass of Paul VI is sometimes celebrated in Latin, in some places on a regular basis.

Pope St. Pius V's revision of the liturgy

At the time of the Council of Trent, the traditions preserved in printed and manuscript missals varied considerably, and standardization was sought both within individual dioceses and throughout the Latin West. Standardization was also required in order to prevent the introduction into the liturgy of Protestant ideas in the wake of the Protestant Reformation.

Pope St. Pius V accordingly imposed uniformity by law, allowing only rites older than 200 years to survive the promulgation of the 1570 Missal. Several of the rites that remained in existence were progressively abandoned, though the Ambrosian rite survives strongly in Milan, Italy and neighbouring areas, stretching even into Switzerland, and the Mozarabic rite continues in much more limited fashion in Toledo and Madrid, Spain. The Carmelite, Carthusian and Dominican religious orders also kept their rites until the second half of the twentieth century, when they chose to adopt the Mass of Paul VI. The rite of Braga, Portugal also seems to have been abandoned.

Pius V's revision of the liturgy had as one of its declared aims the restoration of the Roman Missal "to the original form and rite of the holy Fathers"[Papal Encyclicals]. This aim was, in fact, not realised: see Pre-Tridentine Mass.

Liturgy of the Tridentine Mass

A pre-Vatican II Latin-Rite altar with reredos. Being a main altar, it is preceded by three steps. Side altars usually had only one step.
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A pre-Vatican II Latin-Rite altar with reredos.
Being a main altar, it is preceded by three steps. Side altars usually had only one step.

The following is an outline description of the Roman-rite Mass as celebrated in the mid-twentieth century, including additions such as the Prayers after Mass or Leonine Prayers, introduced by Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), but never included in the Roman Missal and not recited in Latin in English-speaking countries, unlike several other countries.

The wordings given are those found in typical Missals used by English-speaking Catholics who wanted to follow the prayers that the priest said in Latin and to which a response was usually given only by the altar servers.

The Mass is divided into two parts, the Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful. Catechumens, i.e. those being instructed in the faith,[catechumen] 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, cf. [Didache], ca. A.D. 140: "Let no one eat or drink of the Eucharist with you except those who have been baptized in the name of the Lord..." (Jurgens §6).

This rule of the Didache still holds. 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).

Mass of the Catechumens

See [Missal].
Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
The Priest at the Altar
Instruction; Acts of Faith

Mass of the Faithful

See [Missal].

  • Offertory antiphon
  • * An antiphon is a musical response, such as a verse.[antiphon] The offertory antiphon is often taken from a Psalm, or from other Scripture.
  • Offering of Bread and Wine
  • * Here the priest prays that, although he is unworthy, he offers to God the spotless host 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 offers “the chalice of salvation”. He then prays a prayer of contrition adapted from Dan [3:39-40].
  • Incensing of the offerings and of the faithful (if done)
  • * The priest prays Psalm [141:2-4]: "Let my prayer, O Lord, be directed as incense in Thy sight;..."
  • Washing the hands
  • * The priest prays Psalm [26:6-12]: "I will wash my hands among the innocent..."
  • Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity
  • * This prayer asks that God, the 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 and Secret; Amen concludes Offertory
  • * Here the priest turns to the congregation and prays that "my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father almighty."
  • Preface of the Canon
  • *"The Roman Canon [New advent website] dates in essentials from St. Gregory the Great[Catholic Forum website] [Catholic Forum website] and earlier. It contains the main elements found in almost all rites, but in an unusual arrangement.
  • * 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.
  • *Next a preface is prayed, indicating specific reasons for giving thanks to God. This leads to the Sanctus.[Santus]
  • Canon or Rule of Consecration [link]
  • * Intercession (corresponding to the Reading of the Diptychs in the Byzantine Rite - a diptych is a two-leaf painting, carving or writing tablet.[Diptych])
  • ** 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.
  • * Prayers preparatory to the Consecration
  • ** A prayer that God may graciously accept the offering and deliver [us] "from eternal damnation".
  • * Consecration (Transubstantiation) and major Elevation
  • ** 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.
  • * Oblation of the Victim to God
  • **An oblation is an offering;[oblation definition] 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."
  • * 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.
  • * 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."
[link]
  • The Lord's Prayer and Libera nos
  • * 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
  • * 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
  • * "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 Pax
  • *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
  • * 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
  • * Several prayers are made here. One of these, prior to communion, is based on Mt [8:8]: "Lord, I am not worthy...." If anyone other than the priest will communicate at the Mass, i.e. receive the Eucharist – something not envisaged in the text of the Ordo Missae of the pre-1970 Roman Missal – then a member of the clergy or the altar server will again say the Confiteor (cf. above), as in the rite of giving Communion outside of Mass.
Thanksgiving; Acts of Gratitude
Private prayers after Mass (not part of the liturgy)
Tridentine editions of the Roman Missal also contained prayers recommended, but not imposed, for recitation privately after Mass.[Post Missam] The Canticle of the Three Youths (Dan [3]) is one of these prayers.

Different levels of celebration

There are various forms of celebration of the Tridentine Mass: In its article [The Liturgy of the Mass], the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia describes how, when concelebration ceased to be practised in Western Europe, Low Mass became distinguished from High Mass:

The separate celebrations then involved the building of many altars in one church and the reduction of the ritual to the simplest possible form. The deacon and subdeacon were in this case dispensed with; the celebrant took their part as well as his own. One server took the part of the choir and of all the other ministers, everything was said instead of being sung, the incense and kiss of peace were omitted. So we have the well-known rite of low Mass (missa privata). This then reacted on high Mass (missa solemnis), so that at high Mass too the celebrant himself recites everything, even though it be also sung by the deacon, subdeacon, or choir.
On the origin of the "Missa Cantata", the same source gives the following information:

... high Mass is the norm; it is only in the complete rite with deacon and subdeacon that the ceremonies can be understood. Thus, the rubrics of the Ordinary of the Mass always suppose that the Mass is high. Low Mass, said by a priest alone with one server, is a shortened and simplified form of the same thing. Its ritual can be explained only by a reference to high Mass. For instance, the celebrant goes over to the north side of the altar to read the Gospel, because that is the side to which the deacon goes in procession at high Mass; he turns round always by the right, because at high Mass he should not turn his back to the deacon and so on. A sung Mass (missa Cantata) is a modern compromise. It is really a low Mass, since the essence of high Mass is not the music but the deacon and subdeacon. Only in churches which have no ordained person except one priest, and in which high Mass is thus impossible, is it allowed to celebrate the Mass (on Sundays and feasts) with most of the adornment borrowed from high Mass, with singing and (generally) with incense.

Revision of the Roman Missal

On 4 December 1963, the Second Vatican Council decreed in Chapter II of its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy] that “the rite of the Mass is to be revised ... the rites are to be simplified, due care being taken to preserve their substance. Parts which with the passage of time came to be duplicated, or were added with little advantage, are to be omitted. Other parts which suffered loss through accidents of history are to be restored to the vigor they had in the days of the holy Fathers, as may seem useful or necessary. The treasures of the Bible are to be opened up more lavishly so that a richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s word ... A suitable place may be allotted to the vernacular in Masses which are celebrated with the people ... communion under both kinds may be granted when the bishops think fit...as, for instance, to the newly ordained in the Mass of their sacred ordination, to the newly professed in the Mass of their religious profession, and to the newly baptized in the Mass which follows their baptism...”

Pope Paul VI implemented the Council's directives, ordering with Apostolic Constitution Missale Romanum[Missale Romanum] of Holy Thursday, 3 April 1969, publication of a new official edition of the Roman Missal, which appeared in 1970.

Opposition to the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal

Traditionalist Catholics claim that the revised liturgy represented a major break with the past, and that its content is, in Catholic terms, seriously deficient and defective. Some claim that it is displeasing to God and that no Catholic should attend it. See further Mass of Paul VI.

When a preliminary text of two sections of the revised Missal was published in 1969, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre gathered a group of twelve theologians, who, under his direction,[link] wrote a study of the text. They stated that it "represents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the Catholic theology of the Mass as it was formulated in Session 22 of the Council of Trent."[link]. Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, a former Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, supported this study with an open letter to Pope Paul VI which was published with it, as did Cardinal Antonio Bacci. After the revised Roman Missal appeared in 1970, Cardinal Ottaviani wrote that Pope Paul VI’s doctrinal exposition of the revised liturgy in its definitive form meant that "no one can any longer be genuinely scandalized".[Ottaviani letter] Some (including Jean Madiran, editor of the French journal Itineraires) have claimed that the relevant letter was fraudulently presented to the elderly and blind cardinal for his signature by his secretary, Monsignor Gilberto Agustoni, and that Agustoni was dismissed as a result.

In October 1967, a meeting of the Synod of Bishops had already given its opinion on a still earlier draft. Of the 187 members, 78 approved it as it stood, 62 approved it but suggested various modifications, 4 abstained, and 47 voted against.[Ottaviani]

From the 1960s onwards, Western countries have experienced a drop in Mass attendance (in the United States, from 75% of Catholics attending in 1958 to 25% attending by 2002). These same countries also saw a decline in seminary enrollments and in the number of priests (in the United States, from 1,575 ordinations in 1954 to 450 in 2002), and a general erosion of belief in the doctrines of the Catholic faith. Opponents of the revision of the Mass liturgy argue, citing opinion poll evidence in their support, that the revision contributed to this decline.[Traditio website] Others, pointing to the fact that, globally, there are more priests and seminarians now than in previous years (in 1970, there were 72,991 major seminarians worldwide; in 2002, there were 113,199), suggest that the apparent decline of Catholic practice in the West is due to the general influence of secularism and liberalism on Western societies rather than to developments within the Catholic Church.

The recitation of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar at the start of a Tridentine Mass
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The recitation of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar at the start of a Tridentine Mass

Present status of the Tridentine Mass

The official policy of the Holy See regarding the use of the Tridentine Mass is expressed in the circular letter [Quattuor abhinc annos] (3 October 1984) of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and in Pope John Paul II's motu proprio [Ecclesia Dei] of 2 July 1988. In Quattuor abhinc annos, the Congregation granted diocesan bishops, on certain conditions, an "indult" (permission) to authorize celebration of the Tridentine Mass in favour of priests and faithful who request it. In Ecclesia Dei, the Pope stated that "respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition" (which, in context, referred to the Tridentine rite), and urged bishops to give "a wide and generous application" to the provisions of the previous document.

Authorization for a priest to use the 1962 Missal can be granted either by the Holy See or by the local diocesan bishop. Such authorization has in fact been granted to a significant number of priests, parishes and priestly societies (such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, which was established by Pope John Paul II in 1988, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, and the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney). An international list, with addresses and other contact information, of priestly societies and religious institutes in good standing with the Holy See which celebrate the Tridentine Mass is given on the [website] of the International Federation Una Voce.

A significant number of diocesan bishops have declined to grant authorization within their dioceses. In some cases, the difficulty is that those seeking the permission are openly hostile to the present-day Church leadership (see Traditionalist Catholic), and because the bishops judge that the principle condition for using their faculty to grant authorization is not fulfilled, namely: "That it be made publicly clear beyond all ambiguity that such priests and their respective faithful in no way share the positions of those who call in question the legitimacy and doctrinal exactitude of the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970."

Several Traditionalist organisations and a significant number of unaffiliated "independent" priests of the same mind celebrate the Tridentine Mass outside normal Church structures. They argue that the Catholic Church has taken a seriously wrong turning since the Second Vatican Council, and that the revision of the liturgy is among the most important of a series of highly problematic changes that have been carried through by the Church authorities since then. The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), founded by the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970, is the largest and best known such group; as at October 2005, it had 4 bishops and 450 priests in 26 countries. The Holy See regards the 4 "Lefebvrist" bishops as excommunicated and the SSPX priests as suspended from exercising sacerdotal functions, a position strongly contested by the Society itself and its supporters.

Footnotes

See also

External links and further reading

 

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