The text and rubrics of the Roman Canon have undergone revisions over the centuries, while the canon itself has retained its essential form as arranged no later than the 7th century. However, there have been changes between the 1962 and 1970 versions outside of the preface and the Sanctus, specifically the 1902 English version of Nicholas Gihr's The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (1902), and the version of the text from 1970. The rubrics, as is customary in similar liturgical books, indicate the manner in which to carry out the celebration. Audibility of recitation The 1962 canon, according to the Ritus servandus in celebratione Missæ, IX, of the 1962 Roman Missal, is spoken in a tone described as silentio, a word that in the context of liturgy is officially translated into English as "quietly".General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 33, 88, 132, 134, 141, 142, 143, 145, 155, 156, 158, 163, 175, 178, 241, 244, 246, 262, 267, 268 The English version of Nicholas Gihr's book on the Mass translates secreto as "silently", but explains that it means that the canon is to be said not in absolute silence but "in a voice so subdued that the celebrant may hear himself, but not be heard by those around him".Nicholas Gihr, The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; Dogmatically, Liturgically and Ascetically Explained, Herder 1908, p. 581. However, the rubrics of the canon indicate that, when saying the phrase "Nobis quoque peccatoribus", he raises his voice a little (elata aliquantulum voce), while the final "Per omnia saecula saeculorum" is to be spoken understandably (intelligibili voce).
Audible recitation of the whole 1962 Roman Canon was permitted in 1967.Frank Leslie Cross, Elizabeth A. Livingstone (editors), The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press 2005), p. 281
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which covers the ground previously occupied by the Ritus servandus of pre-1970 editions, states: "The nature of the 'presidential' texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention."General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 32 In addition, in a Mass with a congregation, "it is very appropriate that the priest sing those parts of the Eucharistic Prayer for which musical notation is provided".General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 147
The whole of the 1962 canon and of the preceding offertory prayers was recited aloud by newly ordained priest(s), along with the ordaining bishop, in the Mass of their ordination. The words of consecration in particular were to be said "slowly and rather loud". The canon was also recited jointly by the ordaining bishop and by the bishop he ordained in the rite of episcopal ordination. These were the only concelebrations admitted within the Latin Church at that time. That by newly ordained priests was limited in that they received communion only under the form of bread, reception from the chalice being reserved for the bishop.Adrian Fortescue, "Concelebration" in The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York 1908)
Different reasons are proposed to explain why from the seventh century, beginning in Gaul, priests in the West came to pray the Roman Canon inaudibly for all but themselves.Theodor E. Klauser and Josef A. Jungmann, cited in "The Roman Canon: Its History and Theology", p. 3. According to Elizabeth Harrington, "by the late 800s it came to be considered too holy to be heard by the people and was prayed in a low voice"."Eucharistic Prayer I" Liturgy Brisbane. The spread of the practice from East Syria, where it had originated, to the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire is witnessed to by Emperor Justinian's legislation against it in 565, a time when it was still unknown in Rome.Uwe Michael Lang, "The Liturgy and Sacred Language", pp. 11–13 of an extract from T&T Clark Companion to Liturgy, Alcuin Reid (editor), Bloomsbury 2015, pp. 372–373. Uwe Michael Lang proposes another factor for its adoption in the West: the impossibility for the priest of making his voice heard in the vast Roman basilicas and other large churches.
Te igitur 1962 and 1970 Latin text1902 English translationTe igitur, clementissime Pater, per Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, Dominum nostrum, supplices rogamus, ac petimus, uti accepta habeas, et benedicas hæc dona, hæc munera, hæc sancta sacrificia illibata, in primis, quae tibi offerimus pro Ecclesia tua sancta catholica: quam pacificare, custodire, adunare, et regere digneris toto orbe terrarum: una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. et Antistite nostro N. [et Rege nostro N.] et omnibus orthodoxis atque catholicæ et apostolicæ fidei cultoribus.We, therefore, humbly pray and beseech Thee, most merciful Father, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, that Thou wouldst accept and bless these gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices, which, in the first place, we offer Thee for Thy holy Catholic Church, which Thou mayst vouchsafe to pacify, guard, unite and govern throughout the world: together with Thy Servant N., our Pope, N. our Bishop, as also all orthodox believers and promoters of the Catholic and Apostolic faith.
While the 1962 and 1970 texts are identical, the 1962 rubrics indicate that the priest, who has joined his hands at the Sanctus, extends them, raises them a little and again joins them. Then, bowing profoundly before the altar, he speaks the words of the prayer as far as "rogamus et petimus", at which point he kisses the altar and joins his hands in preparation for making the sign of the cross three times over host and chalice together at the words "hæc dona, hæc munera, hæc sancta sacrificia illibata". He says the rest of the prayer with hands extended within the limits then indicated for that posture: neither higher nor wider than the shoulders, with fingers joined and palms facing each other.Ritus servandus in celebratione Missæ , V, 1 According to the 1970 rubrics, the priest simply begins the prayer with hands extended in an unspecified way and at the word "benedicas" makes a single sign of the cross over host and chalice, the only time in the whole course of the Roman Canon that he makes the sign of the cross over either, in contrast to the 1962 rules, which have the priest do so 25 times within the Canon, 15 of them after the consecration.
The 1962 Ritus servandus in celebratione Missæ laid down that in praying for the Pope the priest should bow his head at the mention of the Pope's name, as at the name of Jesus (bowing towards the cross) or of the Blessed Virgin Mary or another saint (bowing toward their image, if present).V - De Oratione, 2 The 1970 rules require such a bow only "when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honour Mass is being celebrated" and do not specify the direction of the bow.General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 275.
In the 1970 text a footnote after "et Antistite nostro N." indicates that at that point mention may be made of the coadjutor bishop or auxiliary bishops.
The oldest texts of the Roman Canon mention only the Pope. The addition of the local bishop and "all the worshippers of the orthodox, catholic, and apostolic faith" (not limited to clergy) is found in manuscripts from the mid-ninth century on, often with the mention of the civil ruler ("et rege nostro").Ildar H. Garipzanov, The Symbolic Language of Royal Authority in the Carolingian World (c.751-877) (BRILL 2008), p. 94 Because of the diversity of religious attitude of civil rulers in the 16th century, Pope Pius V omitted mention of the king in the Roman Missal that he issued in 1570 in response to the decrees of the Council of Trent. The omission of the king's name led to a probibition in France of Pius V's Missal, while Philip II of Spain (1556–1598) obtained authorization for mention of his name in his kingdom, as did Emperor Napoleon III of France in 1855.Prosper Guéranger, The Holy Mass (Ravenio Books 2014, reprint of the 1885 book) In English-speaking lands the practice was in evidence in the 19th century.The Roman Missal for the Use of the Laity: Containing the Masses Appointed to be Said Throughout the Year (Keating, Brown & Company, 1806), p. xxxiiiDaniel Rock, Hierurgia, or, Transubstantiation, invocation of saints, relics, and purgatory, besides those other articles of doctrine set forth in the holy sacrifice of the mass (Dolman 1851), p. 27Bishop John England, The Garden of the Soul: A Manual of Spiritual Exercises and Instructions for Christians, Who, Living in the World, Aspire to Devotion: with an Explanation of the Mass (Sadlier 1871), p. 422 Editions of the Roman Missal continued to be printed in various places with "et rege nostro N.", such as one in Naples in 1853, only a few years before the overthrow of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Missale Romanum (Typographia Simoniana, Naples 1853), p. 187 The practice continued in Austria and Hungary until well into the 20th century.Adrian Fortescue, The Mass: A Study of the Roman Liturgy (Longmans, Green and Co. 1917), p. 329 Neither the 1962 nor the 1970 editions of the Roman Canon show any trace of it.
Memento, Domine 1962 and 1970 Latin text1902 English translationMemento, Domine, famulorum, famularumque tuarum N. et N. et omnium circumstantium, quorum tibi fides cognita est et nota devotio, pro quibus tibi offerimus: vel qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis, pro se, suisque omnibus: pro redemptione animarum suarum, pro spe salutis et incolumitatis suæ: tibique reddunt vota sua æterno Deo, vivo et vero.Remember, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids, N. and N. and all here present, whose faith and devotion are known to Thee; for whom we offer, or who offer up to Thee this Sacrifice of praise for themselves and all pertaining to them, for the redemption of their souls, for the hope of their salvation and safety, and who pay their vows unto Thee, the eternal God, living and true.
At the indication "N. et N.", a rubric states that the priest joins his hands and prays briefly for those for whom he intends to pray.
Older manuscripts of the Roman Canon had "qui tibi offerunt" ("they offer it") without the preceding "pro quibus tibi offerimus vel" ("for them we offer you ... or"). Like Fortescue who also views the phrase as a later addition, Bradshaw and Johnson see as significant this addition of an originally alternative phrase that later became part of the fixed text: without it, the persons named were those who offered; with it, it was the priest who offered for them, a step towards considering irrelevant the actual presence of laypeople at the celebration of Mass.Paul F. Bradshaw, Maxwell E. Johnson, The Eucharistic Liturgies: Their Evolution and Interpretation (Liturgical Press 2012), p. 218
"Sacrifice of praise" is a phrase taken from Psalm 49/50:23. The word "salus" can refer either to bodily health or to spiritual salvation.
In a concelebrated Mass, it is appropriate that this prayer and the following one (the Communicantes) be assigned to one or other concelebrant to pronounce alone with hands extended.General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 220
Communicantes