Novus Ordo Missae

This article is about the post-Vatican-II changes to the Mass; for an explanation of the current structure of the Mass, see Mass (liturgy).

Beginnings of the revision

The Roman Missal had been subject to revision ever since it was codified by order of the Council of Trent. After only 34 years Clement VIII made a general revision, as did Urban VIII 30 years later; other Popes added new celebrations or made minor adjustments. But it was not until the twentieth century that work began on a more radical rewriting; up to that time, thousands of words had been added to the Missal but only 26 to the "Ordo Missae" part.

Related Topics:
Council of Trent - Clement VIII - Urban VIII

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In response to the desire of the First Vatican Council, Pope Pius X introduced in 1911 a new arrangement of the Psalter for use in the Breviary, and forbade the use of the previous arrangement. In his bull Divino afflatu, by which he ordered this change, he described it as "a first step towards a correction of the Roman Breviary and Missal."A commission of experts was to continue the work.

Related Topics:
First Vatican Council - Pope Pius X - 1911 - Breviary - Bull - Divino afflatu

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Pope Pius XII made substantial revisions of the Missal for the Easter Triduum and the Vigil of Pentecost. Among other changes, he moved the Holy Thursday Mass from the morning to the evening, making room for a morning Chrism Mass, and he inserted the rite of the washing of feet into the evening Mass. Changes to the Good Friday service included moving it from morning to afternoon, and opening to others Communion at the service, which formerly had been reserved to the priest.

Related Topics:
Pope Pius XII - Easter Triduum - Holy Thursday - Good Friday

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There were more numerous changes to the Easter Vigil service:

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• The service would no longer be celebrated on Saturday morning;
• The triple candlestick on which previously one candle at a time had been lit at the beginning of the service was abolished;
• New rites were inserted, including renewing baptismal promises (in the vernacular) and inscribing the Arabic numerals of the year on the Paschal candle;
• The Exsultet was amended to replace the prayer for the emperor with a newly composed prayer;
• Eight Old Testament readings were omitted, another was shortened, and the priest was relieved of the obligation to read the passages silently while they were being read or chanted aloud;
• The "Last Gospel" (John 1:1-14) that had customarily ended Mass was omitted.

At the Vigil of Pentecost, the traditional blessing of baptismal water, accompanied by the Litany of the Saints and six Old Testament readings, was omitted completely.

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Apart from adding a few feasts, John XXIII, the next Pope, made only two changes in the text of the Missal: he deleted the word "perfidis" (Latin: "faithless") from the Good Friday prayer for the Jews, and he added the name of Saint Joseph to the Eucharistic Prayer (Canon of the Mass). The second change was particularly significant, as many had considered the Canon of the Mass practically untouchable.

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