The story of the Mass

From the Last Supper to the present day

 

Years 100–313. This was a time of persecutions. The people of this time had the Didache , a how-to manual for missionaries. The breaking of bread was in Latin and Greek until the fourth century when Greek became less used in society. Bread and wine for Mass was brought by the people to some one’s home. People received Communion standing, taking consecrated bread in their hands and drinking from the chalice. Celebrants wore no special vestments.

 

Years 313–751. This was a time of barbarian invasions. As the number of faithful increased it was necessary to organize who did what and in what order. The local Roman ordos was written. The terms “Canon” and “Mass” came into being. The Roman Mass included Kyrie eleison, Gloria in excelsis, Sanctus, Pater noster (Our Father), and Agnus Dei. The Mass became so mechanized that people were virtually reduced to spectators. The books of the Mass were called sacramentaries.

 

Years 751–1014. Liturgical creativity moved north from Rome to the lands which were to become France and Germany. In the Franco-Roman Mass, people received Communion under both forms. The use of unleavened bread prevailed after eleventh century. Soon the host became thin, round, and white. It was small and became less convenient to receive by hand. Therefore receiving it on the tongue became more convenient, especially if the communicant knelt. To aid genuflection, an armrest was developed—the Communion rail.

 

The altar was moved to the back wall of the apse so that now everyone saw the priest’s back. As people began to receive Communion less, the host was elevated so that people could at least see it.

 

The missal was developed to contain all the prayers used by the celebrants, readers, and cantors. Vestments for the clergy became more specialized.

 

The Nicene Creed was introduced into the Mass at the insistence of Emperor Henry II.

 

As Greek became the common language of the area, Latin was no longer understood by the common people—only clerics used it.

 

Years 1014–1517. Taking Communion only by host became common and soon even it declined so that most people only took Communion just before death.

 

Vestment colors were assigned for certain Masses: white for ordinary feasts, red for Pentecost and feasts of martyrs, black for days of penance and Masses of the dead, and green for ordinary days.

 

The first Bible was reproduced on a printing press in 1455. It was now possible to mass-produce church books for everyone. However, during these times most people could not read, so that prayers had to be learned to participate in the Mass.

 

Years 1517–Vatican II. Luther criticized the way the Mass was understood and celebrated. He recommended that the Mass be said in the vernacular. The Council of Trent met and shaped Catholicism from 1562 up to Vatican II (1962–1965).

 

Pope Saint Pius V opted for one missal and imposed it on the whole Church in 1570. Only Latin could be used and no one could alter the missal forever under pain of excommunication.

 

People began to go to Communion after Mass even less frequently. Since the priest said Mass in Latin, people occupied themselves with prayer books and rosaries. Music became very important because it could be done in the vernacular.

 

Future popes felt free to correct, improve, and revise the missal. In 1910, Pius X called all people to frequent Communion.

 

Vatican II—Present Day. Vatican II stated that liturgical celebration must be an action we do with Christ. The Mass must be in the vernacular (Latin was not ruled out) and in the culture of the people—it should be foreign to no one. The new Roman Missal appeared in the US in 1974—it is called the missal of Pope Paul VI. In 1994, Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter on preparing for the third millennium. He stated that the teachings of Vatican II must be applied to every individual. This involves including the laity in liturgical ministries, such as Eucharistic ministers, greeters, lectors/commentators, sacristans, servers, ushers, and assisting with Masses for children.

 

Deacon Lee Hunt

[Taken from The Story of the Mass, From the Last Supper to the Present Day,

Pierre Loret, Liguori Publications]