Evening mass
The evening mass describes an early Christian and early church custom, which has gradually disappeared later, to hold the celebration of Holy Mass on the evening of one day. They create the opportunity for many to be able to celebrate Holy Mass even on weekdays.
Since liturgical Sundays and solemn feasts begin the evening before with the first Vespers , it is possible to fulfill the so-called Sunday obligation in an evening mass. An evening mass can generally be celebrated before every Sunday or high festival, only if there is overlap with higher-ranking festivals and in the Triduum Sacrum , no evening masses are possible.
history
With the Bull Sanctissimus in 1566 , Pope Pius V banned all evening masses including the evening celebration of Easter Vigil under penalty of suspension a divinis .
In the 20th century, in connection with the Eucharistic movement promoted by Pope Pius X , the striving for evening mass awoke again in the period before the First World War . Participation in Holy Mass on Sundays and public holidays should be made easier for the faithful and daily attendance at Holy Mass should be encouraged.
The spread of the evening mass was strongly favored in the Second World War (prohibition of morning mass after alarm nights). Initially, the church feared that Sunday would be profaned if the faithful attended the service on the evening before or on Sunday evening. The Church was therefore reluctant to allow evening mass in general. Still through the Can. 821 § 1 of the Codex Iuris Canonici of 1917, the celebration of masses in the afternoon and evening ( serius quam una hora post meridiem `` later than one hour after noon '') was prohibited - only the Christmas mass was allowed as a convention or community mass according to § 2 at midnight celebrated, other masses that night required a papal indult .
Pius XII. allowed evening masses to be celebrated on March 19, 1957: the bishops can allow evening mass to be held every day where the important spiritual well-being of the faithful requires it. At the same time, the commandment of Eucharistic sobriety before receiving Holy Communion was changed . The sobriety requirement previously applied from midnight on the day on which you wanted to communicate. This time was shortened to at least three hours with the possibility of attending an evening mass, and later to at least an hour.
Canon Law
The Codex Iuris Canonici regulates the evening mass:
"Can. 931: The celebration and distribution of the Eucharist may take place on any day and at any hour, unless this is excluded according to liturgical norms. "
"Can. 1248 § 1: Whoever takes part in a mass, wherever it is celebrated in Catholic rite on the holiday itself or on the evening before, is sufficient to participate in the celebration of the mass. "
