Mass (Catholic Church)

Mass (Catholic Church)

The Mass or Eucharist is the central act of worship in the Catholic Church, which describes it as "the source and summit of the Christian life". Many of the other sacraments are celebrated in the framework of the Mass. The term "Mass" is generally used only with Latin Rite, while the Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches use the term "Divine Liturgy" and other such Churches use analogous terms in accordance with each one's tradition.

The term "Mass" is derived from the Late Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: "Ite, missa est" ("Go; it is the dismissal"). "In antiquity, missa simply meant 'dismissal'. In Christian usage, however, it gradually took on a deeper meaning. The word 'dismissal' has come to imply a 'mission'. These few words succinctly express the missionary nature of the Church"

For information on the theology of the Eucharist and on the Eucharistic liturgy of other Christian denominations, see "Mass (liturgy)", "Eucharist" and "Eucharistic theology".

For information on the history and of development of the Mass see Eucharist and Origin of the Eucharist, and with specific regard to the Roman Rite Mass, Pre-Tridentine Mass, Tridentine Mass and Mass of Paul VI.