ok…so you are saying that any mass that a bishop celebrates is a “Pontifical Mass” by virtue of him being a bishop? Even the mass that I attended with him presiding a couple of weeks ago at a small chapel without all of the alter servers, incense, and the multitude of candles?The fact that a bishop celebrates. Pontiff/“pontifex”=bridge-maker. Bishops are pontiffs. The Pope is the Pontifex Maximus, the Supreme Pontiff, the Greatest Bridge-Maker.
It is rather uncommon to call a mass celebrated by a bishop in the OF a “pontifical mass.”
Yes.ok…so you are saying that any mass that a bishop celebrates is a “Pontifical Mass” by virtue of him being a bishop? Even the mass that I attended with him presiding a couple of weeks ago at a small chapel without all of the alter servers, incense, and the multitude of candles?
It has always been my understanding that there are certain rubrics and ceremonials that distinguish and characterize a true “Pontifical Mass” from, say, a daily Mass that a bishop might say. Any liturgists chime in?ok…so you are saying that any mass that a bishop celebrates is a “Pontifical Mass” by virtue of him being a bishop? Even the mass that I attended with him presiding a couple of weeks ago at a small chapel without all of the alter servers, incense, and the multitude of candles?
I had a similar understanding. It was also my understanding that an Ordinary could only celebrate a true “Pontifical Mass” in his own diocese from his cathedra / in his cathedral unless another place was specifically designated. Example - having assisted at a number of Confirmation Masses around our diocese, I don’t believe those Masses celebrated by our bishop were considered formal “Pontifical Masses.”It has always been my understanding that there are certain rubrics and ceremonials that distinguish and characterize a true “Pontifical Mass” from, say, a daily Mass that a bishop might say. Any liturgists chime in?
Mitre and zuchetto. I am pretty sure that is absolutely required.It has always been my understanding that there are certain rubrics and ceremonials that distinguish and characterize a true “Pontifical Mass” from, say, a daily Mass that a bishop might say. Any liturgists chime in?
The mitre is not required. The only additional liturgical action that is required with a bishop is the removal of the zuchetto after the Prayer over the Offerings.Mitre and zuchetto. I am pretty sure that is absolutely required.
Well, that is just boring.The mitre is not required. The only additional liturgical action that is required with a bishop is the removal of the zuchetto after the Prayer over the Offerings.
Indeed it is.Well, that is just boring.
Yeah, it really is. I did a post a while ago on all the things that can still be done at an OF pontifical Mass, but I couldn’t find it. It was quite a dozy though.Indeed it is.
Different forms of the EF Mass (with some variations): Low Mass, Sung Low Mass, High Mass, Pontifical High Mass.As far as I am aware, in the old books there was a distinction made between a Solemn Pontifical Mass and a Pontifical Low Mass, just as there was between a Solemn Mass and a Low Mass offered by a priest. The rubrics, of course, were different between them, and there were modifications of the rubrics (and personnel) between Masses said by Bishops and Masses said by priests. Also, as I am aware, whether in EF or OF usage, a Pontifical Mass is simply one at which a bishop presides as the primary celebrant, although you more often hear of a Pontifical Mass being one in which the bishop presides with his pontificalia, i.e. his mitre, crosier, gloves (if he has them), and Pontifical dalmatic. In the OF, there is no distinction between a High Mass and a Low Mass, so the terminology gets a little fuzzy at that point. A Mass celebrated by a priest but presided at by a bishop in choir is not a Pontifical Mass, but a Mass coram pontifice.
-ACEGC