Pontifical Mass is the
solemn Mass celebrated by a bishop with the ceremonies prescribed in
the "Cæremoniale Episcoporum", I and II. The full ceremonial is carried
out when the bishop celebrates the Mass at the throne in his own
cathedral church, or with permission at the throne in another diocese.
The "C remoniale" supposes that the canons are vested in the vestments
of their order, the dignitaries, of whom the first acts as assistant
priest, in copes, those of the sacerdotal order in chasubles, those of
the diaconal order, of whom the first two act as assistant deacons, in
dalmatics, and the subdeacons in tunics over the amice and the surplice
or the rochet. In addition a deacon and subdeacon in their regular
vestments and a master of ceremonies assist the bishop. Nine acolytes
or clerics minister the book, bugia, mitre, crosier, censer, two
acolyte candles, gremiale, and cruets, and four minister in turn at the
washing of the bishop's hands. Mention is also made of a train-bearer
and of at least four and at most eight torch-bearers at the time of the
Elevation. All these clerics should wear surplices except the four who
attend to the washing of the bishop's hands; the first four may also
wear copes. The ornaments worn or used by the bishop, besides those
ordinarily required for Mass, are the buskins and sandals, pectoral
cross, tunic, dalmatic, gloves, pallium (if he has a right to use it),
mitre, ring, crosier, gremiale, basin and ewer, canon, and bugia. A
seventh candle is also placed on the altar besides the usual six.
The bishop vested in the
cappa magna enters the cathedral, visits the Blessed Sacrament, and
then goes to the chapel, called the secretarium, where he assists at
terce. During the singing of the psalms he reads the prayers of
preparation for Mass and puts on the vestments for Mass as far as the
stole, then vested in the cope he sings the prayer of terce, after
which the cope is removed, and he puts on the rest of the vestments.
The procession headed by the censer-bearer, cross-bearer, and acolytes
then goes to the main altar. The bishop recites the prayers at the foot
of the altar, puts on the maniple, and after kissing the altar and the
book of gospels and incensing the altar, goes to the throne, where he
officiates until the Offertory. His gloves are then removed; having
washed his hands, he goes to the altar, and continues the Mass. The
ceremonies are practically the same as for a solemn Mass; however, the
bishop sings Pax vobis instead of Dominus vobiscum after the Gloria; he
reads the Epistle, Gradual, and Gospel seated on the throne; gives the
kiss of peace to each of his five chief ministers; washes his hands
after the ablutions; sings a special formula of the episcopal blessing,
making three signs of the cross in giving it, and begins the last
Gospel of St. John at the altar and finishes it while returning to the
throne or to the vesting-place. In pontifical Requiem Mass the buskins
and sandals, gloves, crosier, and seventh candle are not used. The
bishop does not read the preparation for Mass and vest during terce and
he puts on the maniple before Mass begins.
A titular bishop usually
officiates at the faldstool. He has no assistant deacons, their duties
being performed by the deacon, subdeacon, and master of ceremonies;
there is no seventh candle on the altar, and ordinarily the crosier is
not used; he vests in the sacristy or at the faldstool; he recites the
entire Gospel of St. John at the altar. The same parts of the Mass are
said at the faldstool as at the throne. Sometimes the ordinary
celebrates pontifical Mass at the faldstool, without assistant deacons.
Solemn Mass celebrated with some of the pontifical ornaments and
ceremonies by abbots and prothonotaries is also called pontifical. That
of abbots is similar to a bishop's Mass celebrated at the throne.
Certain points of difference are explained in the Decree of the Sacred
Congregation of Rites of 27 September, 1659. The privileges and
limitations in the use of the pontifical insignia by the different
classes of prothonotaries are set forth in the Constitution of Pius X,
"Inter multiplices curas" (21 February, 1905).
The solemn pontifical Mass
celebrated by the pope in St. Peter's has some peculiar ceremonies. In
the papal Mass a cardinal-bishop acts as assistant priest,
cardinal-deacons are assistant deacons and deacon of the Mass, an
auditor of the Rota is subdeacon, there is a Greek deacon and a
subdeacon, and the other offices are filled by the assistants to the
pontifical throne, the members of the prelatical colleges, etc. The
procession of cardinals, bishops, prelates, and those who compose the
capella pontificia vested according to their rank and in the prescribed
order precedes the Holy Father into St. Peter's. The pope, wearing the
falda, amice, alb, cincture, pectoral cross, stola, cope (mantum), and
tiara is carried into the basilica on the sedia gestatoria under the
canopy and with the two flabella borne on either side. Seven acolytes
accompany the cross-bearer. The pope is received at the door by the
cardinal-priest and the chapter, visits the Blessed Sacrament, and goes
to the small throne for terce, where he receives the obedience of the
cardinals, bishops, and abbots. While the psalms are being chanted, he
reads the prayers of the preparation for Mass, during which his buskins
and sandals are put on, and then he sings the prayer of terce. After
that vestments are removed as far as the cincture, and the pope washes
his hands, and puts on the subcinctorium, pectoral cross, fanon, stole,
tunic, dalmatic, gloves, chasuble, pallium, mitre, and ring. He does
not use the crosier or the bugia. He then gives the kiss of peace to
the last three of the cardinal-priests.
The Epistle is sung first
in Latin by the Apostolic subdeacon and then in Greek by the Greek
subdeacon, and likewise the Gospel first in Latin by the
cardinal-deacon and then in Greek by the Greek deacon. While elevating
the Host and the chalice the pope turns in a half circle towards the
Epistle and Gospel sides. After he has given the kiss of peace to the
assistant priest and assistant deacons, he goes to the throne, and
there standing receives Communion. The deacon elevates the paten
containing the Host covered with the asterisk, and places it in the
hands of the subdeacon, which are covered with the linteum pectorale,
so that the subdeacon can bring it to the throne, then the deacon
elevates the chalice and brings it to the pope at the throne. The pope
consumes the smaller part of the Host, and communicates from the
chalice through a little tube called the fistula. He then divides the
other part of the Host, gives communion to the deacon and subdeacon,
and gives them the kiss of peace, after which he receives the wine of
the purification from another chalice and purifies his fingers in a
little cup. The deacon and subdeacon, having returned to the altar,
partake of the chalice through the fistula, the subdeacon consumes the
particle of the Host in the chalice, and both the deacon and the
subdeacon consume the wine and the water used in the purification of
the chalice. The pope returns to the altar to finish the Mass. After
the blessing the assistant priest publishes the plenary indulgence. At
the end of the last Gospel the pope goes to the sedia gestatoria, puts
on the tiara, and returns in procession as he had entered.
Publication information
Written by J.F. Goggin.
Transcribed by Wm Stuart French, Jr.. Dedicated to Rt. Rev. Walter A.
Coggin, O.S.B. Third Abbot Nullius Belmont Abbey, Belmont, N.C., U.S.A.
Council Father, Second Vatican Council
The Catholic Encyclopedia,
Volume XII. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil
Obstat, June 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John
Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
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