The Old Liturgy of Rome

[patrick457]

The chalice of the New Testament is the life-giving symbol of truth, the sanctuary of our belief.

(Note: The natural Englishing, “mystery of [the] faith,” unfortunately suggests only the intellectual side and so seems to interrupt the train of thought.)

How or when or why this insertion was made, or what external event occasioned it, cannot readily be ascertained.

(Note: Th. Michels refers to Leo the Great; the pope points out that at that time the Manicheans here and there partook of the body of Our Lord, but shunned “to drink the blood of our Redemption.” He supposes that in opposition to them Leo wanted to accentuate the chalice by adding the words mysterium fidei.)

• Fr. Leo Jungmann, S.J. (The Mass of the Roman Rite, Volume 2)

 

[reggieM]

The chalice of the New Testament is the life-giving symbol of truth, the sanctuary of our belief.

(Note: The natural Englishing, “mystery of [the] faith,” unfortunately suggests only the intellectual side and so seems to interrupt the train of thought.)

How or when or why this insertion was made, or what external event occasioned it, cannot readily be ascertained.

(Note: Th. Michels refers to Leo the Great; the pope points out that at that time the Manicheans here and there partook of the body of Our Lord, but shunned “to drink the blood of our Redemption.” He supposes that in opposition to them Leo wanted to accentuate the chalice by adding the words mysterium fidei.)

• Fr. Leo Jungmann, S.J. (The Mass of the Roman Rite, Volume 2)

Thanks, that was interesting scholarly research on this question.
From this one layman’s view, the words strike me as pedagogical insertion taken from some other source (apostolic teaching or as a construction from Scripture). It doesn’t flow in the way Our Lord’s dialogue in the Gospel reads, and it just sounds more abrupt and obvious than how He usually presents His many mysteries.

Some might be troubled by how the Canon states:

…benedixit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens:
he blessed , and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, and drink ye all of this

So there have been some claims given with great certainty that Our Lord said those words – and it could be true, but I don’t think it’s necessary to make that claim especially since there is inconclusive historical evidence on it. But more importantly, the text of the Mass changed over time and sometimes insertions or deletions are not made to reconcile with other parts of the Mass (so some prayers are left dangling without connections). So, that is not a major issue and the text of the Mass is not supposed to be a divinely revealed and inerrant document. The consecration formula itself is that, but the insertion (or exclusion) of those words does not affect the validity of the Mass.

But some good intentioned apologists have argued strenously that the words “had to have been spoken by Our Lord at the Last Supper” whereas I see the question as more open-ended than that, and I think Fr. Jungmann leaves us with that conclusion also.

I’ve heard arguments in the (distant) past that claimed that the exclusion of the words “mysterium fidei” invalidated the Novus Ordo. That’s where knowledge about liturgical history helps us.

 

[patrick457]

Some might be troubled by how the Canon states:

…benedixit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens:
he blessed , and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, and drink ye all of this

So there have been some claims given with great certainty that Our Lord said those words – and it could be true, but I don’t think it’s necessary to make that claim especially since there is inconclusive historical evidence on it. But more importantly, the text of the Mass changed over time and sometimes insertions or deletions are not made to reconcile with other parts of the Mass (so some prayers are left dangling without connections). So, that is not a major issue and the text of the Mass is not supposed to be a divinely revealed and inerrant document. The consecration formula itself is that, but the insertion (or exclusion) of those words does not affect the validity of the Mass.

But some good intentioned apologists have argued strenously that the words “had to have been spoken by Our Lord at the Last Supper” whereas I see the question as more open-ended than that, and I think Fr. Jungmann leaves us with that conclusion also.

If we’ll take this argument literalistically and think that Jesus must have used the exact same words at the Last Supper, we’ll have a bit of trouble especially when considering other consecration formulas in other liturgies:

Who, on the day before his Passion, took bread in His holy and venerable hands, and looking up to heaven to you, God, His almighty Father, giving you thanks, He blessed, broke, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat of it, all of you: for this is my Body.”
In the same way, after supper, taking also this magnificent chalice in His holy and venerable hands, also giving you thanks, He blessed, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and drink of this, all of you: for this is the cup of my Blood, of the new and eternal covenant – the mystery of faith – which will be shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Commanding also, and saying to them, “As often as you do this, you shall do them in commemoration of me: proclaiming my death, announcing my resurrection, hoping in my coming, until I come again from heaven to you.”

• Ambrosian (old)

On the day before His life-giving passion, Jesus took bread in His holy hands. He blessed, sanctified, broke, and gave it to His disciples saying: “Take and eat it, all of you: this is my bodywhich is broken and delivered for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.” (Amen.)
Likewise He blessed the cup of wine mixed with water, sanctified, and gave it to His disciples, saying: “Take and drink from it, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed and handed over for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.” (Amen.)
“In this you will remember me. Whenever you eat this mystery of my Body and drink of my Blood, you will proclaim my death until I return.”

• Maronite

When He, the one without sin, was about to accept for us sinners His voluntary and life-giving death through a cross, on the night He was given up, or rather gave Himself up, for the life and salvation of the world, taking bread in His holy, immaculate and unblemished and immortal hands, looking up heaven and showing it to you, His God and Father, giving thanks, blessing, sanctifying and breaking it, He shared it among His holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Take, eat. This is my body which is broken and distributed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)
Likewise after supper, taking the cup and mixing wine and water, gazing up to heaven and showing it to you, His God and Father, giving thanks, blessing, sanctifying, filling it with the Holy Spirit, He shared it among His holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Drink from this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out and distributed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)
“Do this in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Son of Man, and confess His resurrection, until He comes.

• Divine Liturgy of St. James

 

[patrick457]

For the Lord Himself and our God and King of all, Jesus Christ, on the night wherein He gave Himself up for our sins, and for the sake of all suffered death in the flesh, reclining at supper with His holy Disciples and Apostles, took bread in His holy and pure and spotless hands, looked up to you, His own Father, our God and the God of all, gave thanks (Amen.), and blessed (Amen.), and hallowed, and broke (Amen. For the remission of sins, O God, and to have mercy on us.), and distributed to His holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Take, eat, (Pray earnestly, Presbyters!) this is my body, which is broken for you, and given for the remission of sins.” (Amen.)

Likewise also the cup after supper, having taken and mingled with wine and water, and looking up to heaven (Look down upon us and have mercy on us.), looking up to heaven to you, His own Father, our God and the God of all, He gave thanks (Amen.), He hallowed (Amen.), He blessed (Amen.), He filled with the Holy Spirit (Amen, Amen, we believe and confess that you are the Son of the living God.) He distributed to His holy and blessed Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Drink all of this (Yet pray earnestly!); this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed and distributed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.” (Amen.)
“Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim my death, and confess my resurrection and ascension until I come.”

• Liturgy of St. Mark

On the night when He was betrayed, or rather when He gave Himself up for the life of the world, He took bread in His holy, pure, and blameless hands, gave thanks, blessed, sanctified, broke, and gave it to His holy Disciples and Apostles saying, “Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)
Likewise, after supper, He took the cup, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)

• Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

For when He was about to go forth to His voluntary, ever memorable, and life-giving death, on the night on which He was delivered up for the life of the world, He took bread in His holy and pure hands, and presenting it to you, God and Father, and offering thanks, blessing, sanctifying, and breaking it, He gave it to His holy Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you and for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)
Likewise, He took the cup of the fruit of vine, and having mingled it, offering thanks, blessing, and sanctifying it, He gave it to His holy Disciples and Apostles, saying, “Drink of this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins.” (Amen.)
“Do this in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim my death, and you confess my resurrection.”

• Divine Liturgy of St. Basil

Taking the bread in His holy, divine, immortal, spotless and creative hands, He blessed it, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His chosen, holy Disciples who were seated, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body, which is distributed for you and for many, for the expiation and remission of sins.” (Amen.)
Likewise taking the cup, He blessed it, gave thanks, drank and gave it to His chosen, holy Disciples who were seated, saying, “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the expiation and remission of sins.” (Amen.)

• Armenian Surp Badarak

Note how these liturgies add a few words that are not found in the Synoptics or even Paul, or even put Paul’s words into Jesus’ mouth.

 

[patrick457]

**17.) The Fraction and Agnus Dei

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4629/xti9416cpa90agnusdei.jpg

Agnus Dei I (Lux et Origo), Gregorian Chant**

Pope: Pax + Domini sit + semper vobis+cum.
R.: Et cum spiritu tuo.

We now go on to the ceremony of the Sancta, the Kiss of Peace, the Fraction, and the Commixtion.

When the pontiff says, The peace of the Lord be with you alway, he makes a cross with his hand thrice over the chalice, and drops a consecrated fragment [reserved from the last solemn mass] into it. Meanwhile the archdeacon gives the kiss of peace to the chief hebdomadary bishop, then to the rest of the clergy in order, and then to the people.
Then the pontiff breaks one of the loaves on its right side, and leaves the fragment which he breaks off upon the altar: but the rest of his loaves he puts on the paten which the deacon is holding, and returns to his throne. Immediately the chancellor, the secretary, and the chief counsellor, with all the district-officials and notaries, go up to the altar, and stand in their order on the right and left. The invitationer and the treasurer, and the notary of the papal vicar, when the choir sing O Lamb of God, go up and stand facing the pontiff in order that he may sign to them to write down the names of those who are to be tions to invited either to the pontiff’s table, by the invitationer, or to the papal vicar’s, by his notary: and when the list of names is completed, they go down and deliver the invitations.
The archdeacon now lifts up the chalice and gives it to the district-subdeacon, who holds it near the right corner of the altar. Then the subdeacons-attendant, with the collets, who carry little sacks, draw near to the right and left of the altar: the collets hold out their arms with the little sacks, and the subdeacons-attendant stand in front, in order to make ready the openings of the sacks for the archdeacon to put the loaves into them, first those on the right, and then those on the left. The collets then pass right and left among the bishops around the altar, and the rest i.e. the subdeacons] go down to the presbyters, in order that they may break the consecrated loaves. Two district-subdeacons, however, have proceeded to the throne, carrying the paten to the deacons, in order that they may perform the fraction. Meanwhile the latter keep their eyes on the pontiff so that he may sign to them when to begin: and when he has signed to them, after returning the pontiffs salutation, they make the fraction.
The archdeacon, after that the altar has been cleared of the loaves, except the fragment which the pontiff broke off his own loaf and left on the altar (which is done so that, while the solemnities of mass are being celebrated, the altar may never be without a sacrifice), looks at the choir, and signs to them to sing, O Lamb of God, and then goes to the paten with the rest. The fraction being finished, the second deacon takes the paten from the subdeacon and carries it to the throne to communicate the pontiff: who after partaking, puts a particle which he has bitten off the holy element Sancta] into the chalice which the archdeacon is holding, making a cross with it thrice, and saying, May the commixture and consecration of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be to us who receive it for life eternal, Amen. Peace be with thee. [And he answers] And with thy spirit. And then the pontiff is communicated with the chalice confirmatur] by the archdeacon.

Pope: Fiat commixtio et consecratio Corporis et Sanguinis Domini nostri Iesu Christi accipientibus nobis in vitam aeternam. Amen.
V.: Pax tecum.
R.: Et cum spiritu tuo.

 

[patrick457]

Ever wonder where the custom of the priest dropping a particle of the Host during the Agnus Dei came from?

http://www.spcoluzern.ch/images/upload/Image/Sopocani/p_Holy Communion of the Apostles.jpg

xix. 'The Sancta and the Fermentum.

The kindred ceremonies of the Sancta and the Fermentum are sometimes confused, but they are quite distinct both in origin and intention.
In the former, the pontiff drops into the chalice a fragment of the consecrated bread reserved from a previous day, at the words, The peace of the Lord be with you alway.
It is a symbol of the unity of the Eucharist in point of time; uniting the communicants with those at the previous solemn mass, and so on back through the ages as long as the ceremony had existed.
The latter was similar, but different. When the pope was unable to celebrate solemn mass in person, he sent a fragment of the loaves consecrated by him at some previous mass to the stational church, by the hands of the subdeacon-oblationer; and the same custom obtained at masses celebrated at the titular churches. This was put into the chalice by the celebrant instead of the Sancta, and at the same liturgical moment. It is to this custom that the notice in the Life of Zephyrinus (203-221) refers: the Liber Pontificalis tells us that this pope ordained that when he was not present in person, but only by deputy, the mass should not proceed till the presbyter had received from the bishop (i.e. the pope) a consecrated corona or loaf. The same book tells us that Melchiades (311-314) ‘caused that consecrated oblation-loaves should be sent to the churches of that consecrated by the bishop; which is known as the Fermentum, or leaven.’ Siricius (385-398) is also recorded to have ‘ordained that no presbyter should celebrate masses throughout the week, unless he should receive a certified consecrated [loaf] from the bishop of the place appointed ? for the stational mass],’ words which appear to refer to the same practice.
Innocent I, writing to Decentius in 416, says:

‘But concerning the Fermentum, which we send on Sundays to the titular churches, you wished to consult us superfluously, since all our churches are situate within the city, the presbyters of which being unable to meet together with us on that day, because of the people committed to their care, therefore receive by the hands of collets Fermentum consecrated by us, so that they may not appear to be separated from communion with us, specially on that day. I do not, however, think that this should be done for country churches, because the sacraments should not be carried about far (we do not send to the presbyters attached to the different cemetery-oratories), and their presbyters have the
power and licence to consecrate.’

The Fermentum was sent, as we see from these quotations, to symbolize the unity of the Eucharists celebrated at the same time by presbyters in their parish churches, or by the pope’s deputy at the stational church, with the pope’s Eucharist. As the Sancta demonstrated unity in point of time, so the Fermentum demonstrated it in point of place. Both set forth the teaching of the Church that all persons offer as the one mystical Body of Christ, a united body at one with itself, and that, as one of our reformers puts it, the virtue of the Eucharistic sacrifice * doth not only extend itself to the living and those that are present, but likewise to them that are absent, and them that be already departed or shall in time to come live and die in the faith of Christ.’

This note of unity in celebrating one Eucharist in one Church or diocese is strongly emphasized by St. Ignatius. In his epistle to the Ephesians he hopes that they will be united in one faith, in obedience to their bishop and presbyterate with entire affection, and in breaking one Loaf, which is the medicine of immortality. In that to the Philadelphians he urges them to ‘endeavour to use one Eucharist. For one is the Flesh of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and one the chalice in the unity of his Blood; one the altar, and one the bishop, with the presbyterate, and the deacons my fellow-servants.’ And more plainly still in the epistle to the Smyrnaeans: ‘Let no one do any of those matters which pertain to the Church without the bishop. Let that Eucharist be esteemed valid which is either offered by the bishop or by him to whom he has given permission.’

This ceremony of the Fermentum was a visible sign, so long as it lasted, of the unity (and consequent validity) of the Eucharist celebrated by the presbyters of the diocese in various places, with that offered by the bishop.

xx. Agnus Dei.

The singing of Agnus Dei during the fraction was introduced by Pope Sergius I (687-701). At first it seems to have only been sung once, and by clergy and people together. But in Ordo I the people’s part has disappeared, and in the Ordo of St. Amand it is sung by the choir and then by the collets. It is still only sung twice in the Ordo of John of Avranches, in the eleventh century. In the twelfth century Beleth says that it is sung twice with the ending Have mercy upon us, and a third time with Grant us thy peace; but Innocent III tells us that in many churches the ancient custom still obtained of singing it thrice uniformly with Have mercy upon us, as was always done in the Lateran. John the Deacon, in the thirteenth century, also tells us that Grant us thy peace, was never sung at the Lateran after O Lamb of God, etc.
Agnus Dei has never been introduced into the mass of Easter Even, except in the Ordo Romanus of Einsiedeln, which also differs from all other Ordines in several other respects.​

 

[patrick457]

I say, this thread should totally be raised up. It is one of those few that I’m proud of.

18.) Communion
The Ordo goes on:

Then the archdeacon comes with the chalice to the corner of the altar, and announces the next station: and after he has poured a small quantity of the contents of the chalice into the bowl (scyphum) held by the collet, there approach to the throne, so that they may communicate from the pontiff’s hand, first the bishops in order, and then the presbyters in like manner, so that they may communicate after them. Then the chief hebdomadary bishop takes the chalice from the hands of the archdeacon, in order to administer the species of wine to the remaining ranks down to the chief counsellor. Then the archdeacon takes the chalice from him, and pours it into the bowl which we mentioned above: he then hands the empty chalice to the district-subdeacon, who gives him the reed wherewith he communicates the people with the species of wine (qui tradit ei pugillarem cum quo confirmat populum). But the subdeacon-attendant takes the chalice and gives it to the collet, who replaces it in the sacristy (paratorium). And when the archdeacon has administered the cup to those whom the pope communicated, the pontiff comes down from his throne, with the chancellor (primicerio notariorum) and the chief counsellor (primicerio defensorum), who hold his hands, in order to communicate those who are in the places allotted to the magnates (eos qui in senatorio sunt), after which the archdeacon communicates them with the cup.
After this the bishops communicate the people, the chancellor signing to them to do so with his hand under his planet, at the pontiff’s formal request: and then the deacons administer the cup to them. Next they all pass over to the left side of the church, and do the same there. Moreover, the presbyters, at a sign from the chancellor (primicerio), by command of the pontiff, communicate the people also, and afterwards administer the cup to them as well.
Now as soon as the pontiff began to communicate the magnates, the choir immediately began to sing the communion-anthem (antiphonam ad communionem) by turns with the subdeacons; and they go on singing until, when all the people have communicated, the pontiff signs to them to sing Glory be to the Father, and then, after repeating the verse, they cease.
Then a district-subdeacon stands before the pontiff in order that he may sign to him: but the pontiff first looks at the people to see if they have finished communicating, and then signs to him. Then he goes to the pontiff’s shoulder and looks towards the precentor (primum scholae), making a cross on his forehead as a sign to him to sing Glory be: and the precentor returns his salutation, and sings Glory be to the Father, etc., As it was in the beginning, etc., and the verse (Gloria, Sicut erat, et versum).

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3171/506pxmuranochristiandip.jpg
One of two leaves of the Murano Diptych from Monza cathedral (4th century)

Communion: Pascha nostrum, sung by Ensemble Organum (from Chants de L’Eglise de Rome: Période Byzantine)

V: Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus:
Choir: Alleluia: itaque epulemur in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
V.: Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia eius. (Ps. 117:1)
R.: Pascha nostrum…
V.: Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus: exultemus et laetemur in ea. (Ps. 117:24)
R.: Pascha nostrum…
V.: Gloria Patri…
R.: Pascha nostrum…