Ordinary of the Mass

The ordinary, in Roman Catholic and other Western Christian liturgies, refers to the part of the Mass or of the canonical hours that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed. It is contrasted to the ''proper'', which is that part of these liturgies that varies according to the date, either representing an observance within the liturgical year, or of a particular saint or significant event, or to the ''common'' which contains those parts that are common to an entire category of saints such as apostles or martyrs.

The ordinary of both the Eucharist and the canonical hours does, however, admit minor variations following the seasons (such as the omission of "Alleluia" in Lent and its addition in Eastertide). These two are the only liturgical celebrations in which a distinction is made between an ordinary and other parts. It is not made in the liturgy of the other sacraments or of blessings and other rites.

In connection with liturgy, the term "ordinary" may also refer to Ordinary Time – those parts of the liturgical year that are neither part of the Easter cycle of celebrations (Lent and Eastertide) nor of the Christmas cycle (Advent and Christmastide), periods that were once known as "season after Epiphany" and "season after Pentecost".

Also, the term "ordinary liturgy" is used to refer to regular celebrations of Christian liturgy, excluding exceptional celebrations.

Mass

The Mass ordinary ( la, Ordinarium Missae), or the ''ordinarium'' parts of the Mass, is the set of texts of the Roman Rite Mass that are generally invariable. This contrasts with the proper (''proprium'') which are items of the Mass that change with the feast or following the Liturgical Year. Ordinary of the Mass may refer to the ''ordinarium'' parts of the Mass or to the Order of Mass (which includes the proprium parts).

The ordinarium texts listed below are generally invariable with some exceptions as indicated, for example for Requiem Masses. The ''Kyrie'', ''Sanctus'', and ''Agnus Dei'' are part of every Mass. Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus are often sung, by a choir if not by the whole congregation.

The ''Kyrie Eleison'' is a Greek text (traditionally rendered in Latin script), the others are in Latin, with some words like Hosanna derived from Hebrew. Over time, the use of other languages, once a rare privilege only given to the Slavs of Dalmatia (in present-day Croatia) who used Old Church Slavonic written in Glagolitic characters, has become more common than the use of Latin and Greek.

I. Kyrie

Kyrie eleison ("Lord, have mercy") is the first section of the Mass ordinary. During the Middle Ages, prior to the Council of Trent, the Kyrie was frequently troped: it was common in certain uses of the Roman Rite (such as the Sarum Use) to add tropes to the ''Kyrie''. The tropes were essentially texts particular to a specific feast day interpolated between the lines of the ''Kyrie''. English renaissance composers seem to have regarded the Sarum rite Kyrie as part of the propers and begin their Mass settings with the Gloria. The 1970 revision of the Roman Missal has extended the availability of this practice to all Masses (though in a different way).

II. Gloria

Gloria ("Glory to God in the highest"). The ''Gloria'' is reserved for Masses of Sundays, solemnities, and feasts, with the exception of Sundays within the penitential season of Lent (to which, before 1970, were added the Ember Days occurring four times a year, and the pre-Lenten season that began with Septuagesima), and the season of Advent (when it is held back as preparation for Christmas). It is omitted at weekday Masses (called ferias) and memorials, and at requiem and votive Masses, but is generally used also at ritual Masses celebrated on occasions such as the administration of another sacrament, a religious profession or the blessing of a church. On May 22, 2019, Pope Francis altered part of the Gloria in Italy, changing from "Peace on earth to people of goodwill" to "Peace on Earth to people beloved by God." The changes, which were first approved by the General Assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Italy, are part of the third edition of the Roman Missal.

III. Credo

Credo ("I believe in one God"), the Nicene Creed. The ''Credo'' is used on all Sundays and solemnities. Until simplified by Pope Pius XII in 1956, the rules (some 400 words in Section XI of the ''Rubricae Generales Missalis'') were much more complicated, listing, among other Masses, those of Doctors of the Church, those celebrated during octaves and certain votive Masses. The Apostles' Creed may always be substituted.

IV. Sanctus

Sanctus ("Holy, Holy, Holy"), the second part of which, beginning with the word "Benedictus" ("Blessed is he"), was often sung separately after the consecration if the setting was long.

It was at one time popular to replace at a Solemn Mass the second half of the ''Sanctus'' (the ''Benedictus'') with hymns such as the O Salutaris Hostia, or, at requiems, with a musical setting of the final invocation of the Dies Irae: "Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem."

V. Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei ("Lamb of God"). Until the 1970 revision of the Roman Missal, the ''Agnus Dei'' was modified for Requiem Masses, and prayed not ''miserere nobis'' (have mercy on us) and ''dona nobis pacem'' (grant us peace), but ''dona eis requiem'' (grant them rest) and ''dona eis requiem sempiternam'' (grant them eternal rest).

VI. Ite, missa est

The phrase ''Ite, missa est'' ("Go, it is the dismissal", referring to the congregation) is the final part of the Ordinarium in the post-Tridentine Mass but is omitted if another function follows immediately. In the Tridentine Mass, it was followed by a private prayer that the priest said silently for himself, by the final blessing, and by the reading of the Last Gospel (usually John 1:1–14), and in some Masses, it was replaced by ''Benedicamus Domino'' or ''Requiescant in pace''. These phrases are sung to music given in the Missal, as is the choir's response, ''Deo Gratias'' or (after ''Requiescant in pace'') ''Amen''. Because of their brevity, the responses have seldom been set to polyphonic music except in early Masses such as the Messe de Nostre Dame by Machaut. The same holds for other short sung responses, such as ''Et cum spiritu tuo'', ''Gloria Tibi, Domine'', ''Habemus ad Dominum'', and ''Dignum et iustum est''.

Canonical hours

The ordinary of the canonical hours consists chiefly of the psalter, an arrangement of the Psalms distributed over a week or a month. To the psalter are added canticles, hymns, and other prayers.

Traditionally the canonical hours were chanted by the participating clergy. Some texts of the canonical hours have been set to polyphonic music, in particular, the Benedictus, the Magnificat, and the Nunc dimittis.

Notes

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Order of Mass