Contents
Introduction xiii
Part I: History 1
1. Phases of Development 3
The beginnings (second and third centuries) 3
Further developments during antiquity 8
The Sacramentaries 12
The Roman rite within the rites of late antiquity 15
The Roman Mass in the Middle Ages 17
Return to Rome 21
The reforms of the Council of Trent 24
Cause and purpose [24]—The Missale Romanum of 1570 [27]—
The question of immutability and enduring force of validity [35]—Later
revised editions of the Missale Romanum until 1962 [38]
2. Terminology 43
3. Organic Development and Continuity 51
Part II: Form 67
4. Gradations of Ritual 69
5. Structure and Components of the Celebration of the Mass 75
The Mass of the Catechumens 75
Opening [75]—Kyrie [83]—Gloria [85]—Oration [87]—Readings
from Scripture [89]—Interlectional chants [90]—Credo [92]
Mass of the Faithful 94
Oblation [94]—Preface [99]—Sanctus [101]—The Canon [102]—
The Communion [107]—The Conclusion [120]
6. The Liturgical Year 127
The Beauty of the Cycle of the Liturgical Year 127
Gradations 128
Preparation and Progression 130
Vigil [130]—Septuagesima, Quadragesima, Passiontide [131]—Octaves
[132]—Ember days [133]—Stational liturgy [135]
7. Direction of Prayer 141
Historical development 141
Eastward prayer orientation 144
Theocentrism and sacrificial character 148
Concentration and discretion 150
8. Sacred Language 153
Latin 153
Origin and character of sacred language [153]—The beginnings of the
Latin liturgical language [156]—Advantages of liturgical Latin [159]
Gregorian chant 178
Formation [178]—Liturgical advantages [182]
9. Rituality and Sacrality 191
Rite 191
Guarantee of synchronic and diachronic unity [191]—On the meaning
of the intangible [195]
Rubrics 197
Guarantors of non-arbitrariness [197]—Objectification and
de-individualization [200]
Ceremonies 201
Through the visible to the invisible [201]—Perfection of form and
intensification of liturgical gestures [204]—Richness of symbolism [209]
Coherence of form and content 214
Sacrality and beauty 218
Entrance into the sphere of holiness [218]—Reflection of heaven [222]
Participatio actuosa 225
Concept and meaning [225]—Earthly contemplation [229]
Part III: Theology 233
10. The Traditional Rite of the Mass as Celebrated Dogma 235
11. Orations 239
Realism of the worldview and idea of man 240
The Church Militant 244
The saints 246
The Last Things 247
The school of prayer 249
12. Epistle and Gospel 251
Formation of the lectionary 251
Selection criteria 253
13. Offertory 255
Formation 255
The notion of sacrifice 256
14. The Roman Canon 263
History 263
Theology 271
Words of consecration 278
Signs of the Cross 281
Structure and style 282
The silent Canon 285
Summary 291
15. Lex orandi—lex credendi 293
True reflection of traditional teachings 293
The liturgy as locus theologicus 295
The most important instrument of tradition 301
List of Abbreviations 305
bibliography 309
Index of Persons 325
Index of Subjects 327
