The Canon of the Mass

Canon of the Mass.

Here followeth the Canon.

Therefore, O most merciful Father, we humbly pray thee, through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,

The priest shall incline his body until he say,

and entreat thee

Here the priest shall raise himself and shall kiss the altar on the right of the sacrifice, saying:

to accept and bless

Here shall the priest make three crosses over the chalice and bread, saying:

these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices.

Having made the signs over the chalice he shall raise his hands, saying thus:

which we offer to thee, in the first place, on behalf of thy holy Catholic Church, which do thou vouchsafe to keep in peace, to guard, to unite, and to govern, throughout the whole world; together with thy servants our Pope N. and our Bishop N.

That is to say, the bishop of the diocese only,

and our King N.

The above persons are mentioned by name. Then shall follow:

and all who are orthodox, and who hold the catholic and apostolic faith.

Remember, O Lord, thy servants and thy handmaidens N. and N.

In praying for whom a due order dictated by charity ought to be observed. The priest prays five times: firstly, for himself; secondly, for his father and mother, that is to say both carnal and spiritual, and for his other relations; thirdly, for his special friends, parishioners and otherwise; fourthly, for all persons present; fifthly, for all Christian people; and here the priest may commend all his own friends to God. I counsel, however, that no one should pause at this point too long, both on account of possible distractions of mind, and also on account of suggestions which may be made by evil angels, as well as on account of other dangers.

and all here present, whose faith is approved, and whose devotion is known to thee; on behalf of whom we offer unto thee, or who offer unto thee this sacrifice of praise, for themselves and for all pertaining to them, for the redemption of their souls, for the hope of their own salvation and security, and who are paying their vows unto thee, the eternal, living, and true God.

In communion with and reverencing the memory, in the first place, of the glorious and ever virgin

Inclining a little as he says,

Mary, mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ; as also of thy blessed apostles and martyrs—Peter, Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon, and Thaddaeus, Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian.

¹ Parentibus, a late Latin word in this sense. ² An addition not found in many editions. ³ “Vel,” originally a rubric which has crept into the text. ⁴ Warren notes that Paul, not Matthias, takes Judas Iscariot's place in this list and is named next to St. Peter.

Laurence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian, and of all thy saints; through whose merits and prayers do thou grant that in all things we may be defended by the aid of thy protection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here the priest shall regard the host with great veneration, saying:

We beseech thee, therefore, O Lord, graciously to accept this oblation of our service, and of thy whole family, and to dispose our days in thy peace, bidding us to be delivered from eternal damnation, and to be numbered among the flock of thine elect. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here let him regard the host again, saying:

Which oblation, we beseech thee, O almighty God, that thou wouldest vouchsafe in all respects

Here he shall make three crosses over each oblation, while he says,

to bless, approve, ratify, and make reasonable and acceptable, that it may become to us

Here he shall make a cross over the bread, saying,

the body

And here over the chalice,

and the blood

And joining his hands he shall say,

of thy most dearly beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here shall the priest raise and join his hands, and afterwards wipe his fingers, and elevate the host, saying:

¹ Warren notes that this elevation of the host before consecration is a peculiarity of the Anglican ritual (Sarum, York, and Hereford Uses).

Who on the day before he suffered took bread into his holy and adorable hands, and lifting up his eyes to heaven,

Here shall he raise his eyes,

to thee, O God, his almighty Father,

Here shall he incline, and afterwards raise himself a little, saying,

gave thanks to thee, blessed it, brake it,

Here shall he touch the host, saying,

and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, and eat ye all of this. For this is my body.

These words ought to be said in one breath, and one utterance, without the interposition of any pause. After these words the priest should incline to the host, and afterwards elevate it above his forehead, so that it can be seen by the people, and then reverently replace it before the chalice, making the form of a cross therewith. Then he shall uncover the chalice, and hold it between his hands, not disjoining the thumb from the forefinger, except only when he makes the benedictions, saying thus:

Likewise, after supper, taking this most excellent chalice into his holy and adorable hands, and giving thanks to thee,

Here he shall incline, saying,

he blessed it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and drink ye all of this.

Here shall the priest elevate the chalice a little, saying thus:

For this is the cup of my blood of the new and everlasting testament, the mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.

¹ Effundetur. Warren notes that the present tense “is shed” in the Anglican rite corresponds to the old Gallican effunditur in the Sacramentarium.