This page walks through a Low Mass of the 1962 Roman Missal, the traditional Latin Mass, from start to finish. It is written for someone going for the first time: what is happening at each point, and whether people kneel, stand or sit. Keep it open on your phone at the back of the church, or read it the night before.
Three things help a first visit.
A missal is the book of the Mass. A hand missal (or "daily missal") is a version for the people in the pews, with the Latin on one side and an English translation beside it. It contains the Ordinary, the prayers that are the same at every Mass, and the Propers, the parts that change with the day: the Introit, Collect, Epistle, Gradual, Gospel, Offertory verse, Secret, Communion verse and Postcommunion. Ribbons let you mark the Ordinary and the Mass of the day and turn between them.
To start with, the free booklet at the door is enough: it covers the Ordinary, and you can listen for the readings. When you want the full missal, two of the best in print are the 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal from Angelus Press, one of the finest publishers of traditional Catholic books, and the 1962 Daily Missal from Baronius Press, which uses the Douay-Rheims for its Scripture texts. Both follow the 1962 calendar. It is also sold through the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales. Your own chapel may sell missals or order one for you, so ask after Mass.
The Mass has two halves. The first, the Mass of the Catechumens, is prayer and readings. The second, the Mass of the Faithful, is the offering of the bread and wine, the Consecration and Holy Communion. The old names come from the early Church, when those still preparing for baptism were sent out before the second half.
The priest comes in with the server, carrying the covered chalice. He sets it on the altar, opens the missal and comes down to the foot of the altar steps. Stand as he comes in.
At the bottom of the steps the priest makes the Sign of the Cross and says Psalm 42 (Judica me) with the server, a prayer of longing to go up to God's altar. It is left out in Passiontide and at Requiem Masses. Then the priest says the Confiteor, the prayer confessing sin, and the server says it in turn for the people, and the priest prays for their forgiveness. Kneel.
| Introibo ad altare Dei. | I will go in to the altar of God. |
| Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam. | To God who giveth joy to my youth. |
Then the priest goes up the steps, praying quietly to be made clean, and kisses the altar.
At the right-hand side of the altar (the "Epistle side") the priest reads the Introit, a short verse, usually from the Psalms, that changes every day and sets its tone. It was once the chant sung as the clergy came in. Kneel.
Back at the centre, the priest and server say Kyrie, eleison ("Lord, have mercy") three times, Christe, eleison three times, and Kyrie, eleison three times again: nine cries for mercy. The words are Greek, a survival from the earliest days of the Church in Rome. Kneel.
On feasts and most Sundays the priest says the Gloria in excelsis Deo, the hymn of praise that begins with the angels' song at Bethlehem. It is left out on the ordinary Sundays and weekdays of the penitential seasons, Advent and the weeks before Easter, and at Requiems. Kneel.
The priest kisses the altar, turns to the people and greets them, and the server answers for everyone.
| Dominus vobiscum. | The Lord be with you. |
| Et cum spiritu tuo. | And with thy spirit. |
He then says Oremus ("Let us pray") and reads the Collect, the prayer of the day, which gathers up the prayer of the Church on that feast or season. On some days more than one is said. Kneel.
The priest reads the first reading, usually from one of the letters of the Apostles, in Latin. At the end the server answers Deo gratias ("Thanks be to God"). Sit.
Still at the Epistle side, the priest reads the Gradual, verses of a psalm between the two readings, followed by an Alleluia or, in penitential seasons, a longer psalm called the Tract. Sit.
The server carries the missal across to the left-hand side (the "Gospel side"). The priest bows at the centre and prays that his heart and lips be made clean to proclaim the Gospel, then reads it. As he announces it he signs the book and then himself on the forehead, lips and breast with his thumb, and many people make the same small crosses. Stand.
On Sundays and feasts the priest often reads the Epistle and Gospel again in English and then preaches. The sermon is in English. Sit.
On Sundays and greater feasts the priest says the Nicene Creed, the Church's profession of faith. At the words Et incarnatus est ("and was made flesh") everyone kneels or genuflects for a moment, in honour of the Incarnation. Otherwise stand.
The priest greets the people again and reads the Offertory verse. The Mass of the Faithful now begins. He offers the bread on the paten, pours wine and a drop of water into the chalice and offers it, then washes his fingers (the Lavabo, from the psalm he says as he does so). Turning to the people he says Orate, fratres ("Pray, brethren"), asking them to pray that his sacrifice and theirs be acceptable to God; the server answers. Sit; in some places people kneel from here on.
The priest says the Secret, the prayer over the offerings, in a low voice that cannot be heard. It is the oldest offertory prayer of the Roman Mass, and changes each day like the Collect. It ends aloud with Per omnia saecula saeculorum ("for ever and ever"). Sit or kneel as those around you do.
A short dialogue opens the great prayer of thanksgiving: the priest says Sursum corda, inviting all to lift up their hearts to the Lord, and the server answers for the people. The priest then reads the Preface, a hymn of thanks which varies with the season and feast and ends by joining the angels in their praise. Kneel (in some places people stay seated until the Sanctus).
The priest says "Holy, Holy, Holy" (Sanctus), the song of the angels in Isaias, followed by Benedictus qui venit, the cry of the crowds on Palm Sunday. The server rings the bell. Kneel from here until after Communion.
The Canon is the heart of the Mass, the fixed Eucharistic prayer of the Roman Rite, and it is said silently. The priest prays for the Church, the Pope and the bishop, and for the living he wishes to remember, and recalls Our Lady, the Apostles and the early martyrs of Rome. This is the quietest part of the Mass: a time for your own silent prayer. Kneel.
The priest takes the host and says over it the words of Christ at the Last Supper, then does the same over the chalice. By these words the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. After each, he genuflects, lifts the Sacred Host and then the Chalice high above his head for the people to see and adore, and genuflects again. The server rings the bell at each elevation. Look up at the Host and the Chalice as they are raised; bow your head as the priest genuflects. Kneel.
| Hoc est enim Corpus meum. | For this is my Body. |
The Canon continues silently: the priest offers the sacrifice to God, prays for the dead, and asks a share with the saints for "us sinners", striking his breast. It ends aloud with Per omnia saecula saeculorum, and the server answers Amen.
The priest says the Our Father aloud; the server answers the last line for everyone, Sed libera nos a malo ("But deliver us from evil"). The priest then breaks the Host and lets a small piece fall into the chalice. Kneel.
Striking his breast, the priest says three times Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi ("Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world"), twice ending "have mercy on us" and the third time "grant us peace". He then says quiet prayers before his own Communion and receives the Host and the Precious Blood. Kneel.
The priest turns to the people holding up a Host and says:
| Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. | Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world. |
| Domine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum: sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea. | Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed. |
The second line, the words of the centurion in the Gospel, is said three times. Those receiving go up and kneel at the altar rail. Communion is given under the form of bread only, on the tongue. There is often a white cloth along the rail: place your hands under it. As he gives the Host the priest says a short Latin blessing, "May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ keep thy soul unto life everlasting. Amen", and he says the Amen himself, so you do not answer. Simply open your mouth, put out your tongue a little, receive, and return to your place.
Only Catholics who are properly prepared receive Holy Communion: in a state of grace and having kept the Eucharistic fast, which under the present law of the Church is one hour. If you are not receiving, stay kneeling in your place and make a spiritual communion. Afterwards there is time for silent thanksgiving: kneel, or sit once the Blessed Sacrament has been put back in the tabernacle.
The priest cleans the chalice and reads the Communion verse at the Epistle side. Then he greets the people once more and reads the Postcommunion, a prayer of thanks and petition that matches the Collect and Secret of the day. Kneel.
The priest turns to the people and says Ite, missa est. The words are hard to put into English; the old meaning is the formal sending-away of the people. At Requiems the priest says instead Requiescant in pace ("May they rest in peace"). Kneel.
| Ite, missa est. | Go, it is the dismissal. |
| Deo gratias. | Thanks be to God. |
The priest says a short prayer that God may accept the sacrifice (Placeat tibi), then turns and blesses the people in the name of the Trinity. Make the Sign of the Cross. Kneel.
At the Gospel side the priest reads the opening of St John's Gospel (John 1:1-14), "In the beginning was the Word". At the words below everyone genuflects with the priest. This reading began as a private devotion after Mass and became part of the Missal of St Pius V. Stand, and genuflect at the Incarnation.
| Et Verbum caro factum est. | And the Word was made flesh. |
After a Low Mass the priest kneels at the foot of the altar and leads the people in the prayers called after Pope Leo XIII, who first asked for them: three Hail Marys, the Hail Holy Queen, the prayer to St Michael the Archangel, and a threefold invocation of the Sacred Heart. Pope Pius XI later asked that they be offered for the people of Russia. They are not part of the Missal itself, and they are not said after a sung Mass. Kneel, and join in.
Then the priest leaves. Stand as he goes. Many people stay on for a few minutes of quiet thanksgiving.
Everything above describes a Low Mass, said by one priest with a server. It is the usual weekday Mass, and many Sunday early Masses are Low Masses too. The fuller form of the rite is the High Mass, where everything that can be sung is sung.
At a sung Mass the people stand more: at the Gloria and Collect, for the Preface, at the Pater Noster and at the Postcommunion. Leonine prayers are not said. The order of the Mass is otherwise the same as at Low Mass, so the walk-through above still holds.
Customs vary from church to church. If the people around you kneel where this list says sit, kneel with them.
For the Mass of Pope St Paul VI, see the Novus Ordo explained.