Although it has been over 50 years since the Tridentine Mass, also known as the Extraordinary Form or Traditional Latin Mass, was replaced in most parishes by the vernacular Mass that is familiar to most readers today, thousands of young Catholics have recently begun to rediscover this ancient form of worship. While the old form of the Mass can seem confusing and, frankly, intimidating, participating in it introduces the faithful to an ancient and deeply mysterious form of worship, something that any Catholic can benefit from.
When attending a Traditional Latin Mass for the first time, the most obvious difference from today’s common liturgy is the language of the old rite. The entire Mass (with the exception of the homily) is said in Latin. Although at first this may seem to be a barrier to participation in the Mass, understanding of Latin is not necessary to pray this rite. The unfamiliar language can offer numerous spiritual benefits. All Latin Masses, no matter the location of celebration, use exactly the same words, stressing the Church’s oneness and universality. The words transcend time as well, allowing us to pray the same way our ancestors and many of the ancient saints did, connecting the faithful across the ages.
Besides the language, the Latin Mass contains a number of other differences from the modern rite. For instance, the priests celebrates the Mass ad orientem, meaning that rather than facing the people, he faces the “liturgical East” and the crucifix behind the altar. Although it is easy to interpret this as the priest turning his back to the faithful, it is better understood as the priest facing the same way as the people, leading the community and directing attention to the image of Christ on the crucifix. Like the use of Latin, this emphasizes the oneness of the Church by physically aligning all the faithful in the same direction.
Furthermore, at the beginning of Mass, the priest will lead a rite known as the “prayers at the foot of the altar,” which has been completely eliminated from the new Mass. Before stepping into the sanctuary, the priest and altar servers recite Psalm 42, which begins with the antiphon “I will go in to the altar of God: to God who gives joy to my youth.” Following this psalm, both the priest and the servers recite the Confiteor, asking for the saints to pray for the forgiveness of their sins, and then the priest finally ascends the altar steps. By beginning every Mass in this fashion, priests emphasize their own unworthiness to perform such a holy ritual, and pray that God will give them the grace necessary. Such actions remind the faithful of the importance and sacred character of every single Mass.
Finally, a newcomer to Latin Mass will notice an increased emphasis on silence throughout the service. The priest recites many parts of the Mass, including the entire Eucharistic prayer, silently. This makes every Mass reminiscent of the silence of monasteries, and allows the faithful to focus on their own silent prayers. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us.”
This silence is noticeably broken, however, at the moment of consecration, when the server rings a bell three times as the priest raises the Eucharist and then genuflects before it. These actions call everyone’s attention to the consecration, by far the most important part of the Mass, and remind the faithful of the reverence that is due to the Eucharist.
Although it can be difficult to get used to an unfamiliar service in an unknown language, after a few times attending Latin Mass, many Catholics find that the peaceful atmosphere, mysterious ceremony, and absolute reverence greatly adds to their prayer lives. Interested Boston College students can attend Latin Mass on Fridays at 12pm in St. Joseph’s Chapel.
Featured image courtesy of the Latin Mass Society of the UK via Flickr
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