-
30
From Passover to Eucharist: First Celebration of Eucharist
Jesus asked his disciples to prepare to celebrate the Passover meal.
Jesus started by praising God, he then took the bread, gave thanks for it and broke tradition, saying: “Take and eat. This is my body that will be given up for you.”
Jesus took the cup filled with wine and again broke tradition saying, “Take and drink, this is my blood… It will be shed for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins.”
Then Christ encouraged us to repeat this ceremony saying: “Do this in memory of me.” -
Period: 30 to 312
From Meal to Worship Part 2
Around the words of institution they added prayers of thanksgiving, praise and intercession. By the year 150, St. Justin Martyr said the basic structure of the Mass was already in place. Eucharist celebrations were held in people’s homes up until the year 313. A typical Sunday included two readings by a lector, a homily by the priest, then the Eucharistic Prayer and the distribution of Communion. -
Period: 30 to 312
From Meal To Worship Part 1
They first named it the “Breaking of the Bread”. They saw the need to separate the rite from a meal because they wanted a more prayerful setting for this act of worship. So Eucharist was moved to Sunday in memory of Christ’s resurrection. Early Christians created something similar to a Liturgy of the Word that included readings from Scripture, singing of psalms and an instruction. -
313
The Growing Body of Christ
Turning point. Constantine gave freedom to Christians and built basilicas for Eucharistic worship. Processions, courtly movement in the sanctuary, chants and sung litanies, incense and bells, kissing sacred objects and genuflections became part of the structure of the Eucharist. The celebrants wore vestments. Plates and cups became chalices and patens. Important bishops like Augustine developed a theology of the Eucharist – “The Body of Christ [Eucharist] builds the Body of Christ [Church]. -
Period: 400 to Dec 31, 1400
The Eucharist Becomes Distant For Most Part 1
The Medieval times saw stunning cathedrals built, colourful
religious processions, pilgrimages to holy shrines, birth of new religious orders and much more. This led some to call this period the “ages of faith”. However active participation in the Mass declined. The altar was hidden from public view and priests conducted the liturgy without the need for participation of the congregation in the Eucharist. The Mass remained in Latin, even though most people didn't speak it. -
Period: 400 to Dec 31, 1400
The Eucharist Becomes Distant for Most Part 2
The people asked the priest to hold up the host for their view and adoration. Many Catholics stopped receiving communion so adoration of the Blessed Sacrament became popular. Berengar of Tours taught that Jesus wasn’t present in the host which was only a symbol of his presence. The Church in 1215 affirmed Christ’s Real Presence and introduced the concept of transubstantiation (the substance of bread becoming the substance of Christ) to support this doctrine. -
Period: Jan 1, 1545 to Dec 31, 1570
Reformation and the Tridentine Mass Part 1
28 years after Martin Luther’s Reformation the Council of Trent opened in 1545. The Council called for a renewal of the mass. In 1570 Pope Pius V responded with a standard book for the celebration of Mass for the Western Church. The priest would celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist at the altar. People would be devotional rather than liturgical. The Mass text was in Latin. This format of the Tridentine Mass lasted from the 1570s until Vatican II in the 1960s. -
Period: Jan 1, 1570 to
Reformation and The Tridentine Mass Part 2
In the Tridentine Mass, the priest had his back to the people and was separated from them by altar railings. The altar was placed against the wall. A pulpit was placed near the middle of the Church showing the importance of a sermon but not a homily. Most masses were celebrated in silence. Catholics turned to new schools of spirituality to satisfy their spiritual longings. In the 19th century, it was clear that a return to the sources of the liturgy was needed. -
Period: to
Mass in the Era of Vatican II Part 1
The Vatican II (1962-65) approved the Constitution on the Liturgy. Liturgical change had already begun. Benedictines had revived earlier practices such as Gregorian chant and were studying the roots of Christian liturgy and the ways Christians once had participated. Pope Pius X encouraged the use of Gregorian chant, frequent Communion and lowering the age for First Communion to seven years. In 1951 Joseph Jungmann, published The Mass of the Roman Rite, which revealed the history of the Mass. -
Period: to
Mass in the Era of Vatican II Part 2
In the last part of the 20th century the effects of the constitution started to take place. Changes included: the priest facing the people, vernacular languages replacing Latin, people shaking hands at the greeting of peace, the congregation being asked to participate actively in the Mass, to sing and pray at various times and people were invited to receive Communion either in the hand or on the tongue and to stand at its reception. -
Period: to
Mass in the Era of Vatican II Part 3
Other changes also included: people were offered the chalice so they could receive the Eucharistic Bread and Wine. Laity and religious persons could serve Communion as extraordinary ministers. Entrance processions were added. People brought up the gifts at the presentation of the offerings. Mass readings provided a three-year series of Scripture in which large sections of the Bible would be heard. Homilies, were expected to explain Scripture and apply it to everyday life.