Text and Rubrics of The Roman Canon - First Intercession

First Intercession

In the Missal, the next prayer is preceded by the rubric "Infra Actionem" (Within the Action), which was originally a heading over variations of this prayer, placed among other prayers for certain feasts, to indicate that they were to be inserted in the Canon. The feasts at which these variations are still used are Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost, and throughout their octaves. Since 1970, only Christmas and Easter have octaves.

The prayer is as follows:

Communicantes, et memoriam venerantes, in primis gloriosae semper Virginis Mariae, Genetricis Dei et Domini nostri Iesu Christi: sed et beati Ioseph, eiusdem Virginis Sponsi, et beatorum Apostolorum ac Martyrum tuorum, Petri et Pauli, Andreae, (Iacobi, Ioannis, Thomae, Iacobi, Philippi, Bartholomaei, Matthaei, Simonis et Thaddaei: Lini, Cleti, Clementis, Xysti, Cornelii, Cypriani, Laurentii, Chrysogoni, Ioannis et Pauli, Cosmae et Damiani) et omnium Sanctorum tuorum; quorum meritis precibusque concedas, ut in omnibus protectionis tuae muniamur auxilio. (Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.)

(In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, (James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude: Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian) and all your Saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help.. )

Since 1970, the parts in brackets may be omitted, and the rubric has been removed that required the priest, if he pronounces the conclusion "Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen", to join his hands and open his arms again at the start of the following prayer. At all other points of the Canon in which "Per Christum Dominum nostrum" may or must be used, the post-1962 Missal directs that the priest should join his hands.

In his revision of the Missal, Pope Pius V removed some saints' names and other clauses that were then included, though some survived locally. The words "beati Joseph, eiusdem Virginis Sponsi" were added by Pope John XXIII.