Concelebration (Catholic Church)
Encyclopedia
In the Catholic Church, concelebration (from Lat., con + celebrare,to celebrate together) is the presiding of a number of priests
at the celebration of the Eucharist
with either a priest
or bishop
as the principal celebrant and the other priests and bishops present in the sanctuary assisting in the consecration of the Eucharist. The concelebrants assist the principal celebrant by reciting the Words of Consecration
together with him, thus effecting the transubstantiation
of the eucharistic elements.They may also recite portions of the Eucharistic Prayer. This article treats principally of the practice in the Latin Rite within the Roman Catholic Church.
, but in the Roman Catholic Church the practice fell into disuse for several centuries but has been revived with the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
.
that concelebration took place in the Early Church in West
, although it is not known precisely when it fell into disuse. It is known that the practice gradually came to be reserved for the greater festival days and other solemn occasions. According to Pope Innocent III (r.1198-1216) the cardinals
in Rome still concelebrated with the pope
on certain feast days. It is known that from the medieval period (particularly following the Black Death
when masses for the dead
celebrated daily by all priests became the norm (with the exception of the Sundays). By the Second Vatican Council there were only two occasions when concelebration took place in the Roman Rite
:
1) At the ordination
of a priest, where the newly ordained concelebrated with the ordaining bishop, and
2) At the consecration of a bishop, when the newly consecrated bishop concelebrated with the consecrating bishop.
The liturgical reforms which took place following the Second Vatican Council included the provision for the return to the practice of concelebration of Mass
. Thus, communities with more than one priest could have several priests concelebrate the Eucharist rather than each celebrating it in private, emphasizing its communal nature. Liturgical law allows concelebration on any occasion, but it is more common at festivals, especially those at which the bishop traditionally presides, such as the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday.
An article in La Civiltà Cattolica
of 2 October 2004 pointed out that the reintroduction of eucharistic concelebration in the Latin Church
was in line with the teaching of Pope Pius XII
, who taught that the two "assistant bishops" at the consecration of a new bishop should speak all the words of consecration, thus indicating clearly that, instead of being merely witnesses, they were co-consecrating, concelebrating the sacrament of orders. He applied the same rule to concelebration of the Eucharist (at that time in use only at ordination to episcopacy and to priesthood) in his talk of 22 September 1956.
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
at the celebration of the Eucharist
Eucharist (Catholic Church)
"At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood."...
with either a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
or bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
as the principal celebrant and the other priests and bishops present in the sanctuary assisting in the consecration of the Eucharist. The concelebrants assist the principal celebrant by reciting the Words of Consecration
Words of Institution
The Words of Institution are words echoing those of Jesus himself at his Last Supper that, when consecrating bread and wine, Christian Eucharistic liturgies include in a narrative of that event...
together with him, thus effecting the transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
of the eucharistic elements.They may also recite portions of the Eucharistic Prayer. This article treats principally of the practice in the Latin Rite within the Roman Catholic Church.
History
Concelebration is and has always been common in Eastern ChristianityEastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises the Christian traditions and churches that developed in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Middle East, Northeastern Africa, India and parts of the Far East over several centuries of religious antiquity. The term is generally used in Western Christianity to...
, but in the Roman Catholic Church the practice fell into disuse for several centuries but has been revived with the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
.
Concelebration in the Latin Church
It is known from early Christian art uncovered through archaeologyArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
that concelebration took place in the Early Church in West
Western Christianity
Western Christianity is a term used to include the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church and groups historically derivative thereof, including the churches of the Anglican and Protestant traditions, which share common attributes that can be traced back to their medieval heritage...
, although it is not known precisely when it fell into disuse. It is known that the practice gradually came to be reserved for the greater festival days and other solemn occasions. According to Pope Innocent III (r.1198-1216) the cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in Rome still concelebrated with the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
on certain feast days. It is known that from the medieval period (particularly following the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
when masses for the dead
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
celebrated daily by all priests became the norm (with the exception of the Sundays). By the Second Vatican Council there were only two occasions when concelebration took place in the Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
:
1) At the ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
of a priest, where the newly ordained concelebrated with the ordaining bishop, and
2) At the consecration of a bishop, when the newly consecrated bishop concelebrated with the consecrating bishop.
The liturgical reforms which took place following the Second Vatican Council included the provision for the return to the practice of concelebration of Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. Thus, communities with more than one priest could have several priests concelebrate the Eucharist rather than each celebrating it in private, emphasizing its communal nature. Liturgical law allows concelebration on any occasion, but it is more common at festivals, especially those at which the bishop traditionally presides, such as the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday.
An article in La Civiltà Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica
La Civiltà Cattolica is a Rome based Italian biweekly magazine printed by the Jesuits. The bimonthly journal was founded in 1850 with papal funding by order of the Pope and readers have recognised it as representing contemporary Vatican opinion. It has been praised and highly regarded by readers...
of 2 October 2004 pointed out that the reintroduction of eucharistic concelebration in the Latin Church
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
was in line with the teaching of Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, who taught that the two "assistant bishops" at the consecration of a new bishop should speak all the words of consecration, thus indicating clearly that, instead of being merely witnesses, they were co-consecrating, concelebrating the sacrament of orders. He applied the same rule to concelebration of the Eucharist (at that time in use only at ordination to episcopacy and to priesthood) in his talk of 22 September 1956.