Levite office

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Levite office with presbyter assistance in the Usus extraordinarius of the Roman rite ( elevation of the chalice after the conversion)

A Levitic mass or levitated high mass (named after the Old Testament Levites ), popularly also called triple or three-horse high mass , is a solemn form of holy mass in which the celebrant is assisted by a deacon and a sub- deacon, and in the primary office or with prelates an additional presbyter assistant .

history

The office of the Levites developed from 10/11. Century from the solemn episcopal mass , at which the bishop assisted several deacons and sub-deacons. In 1031, the Synod of Limoges stipulated that abbots and priests should not be assisted by more than three deacons on feast days, while five or seven deacons could assist a bishop. The oldest evidence of a mass celebration with only one deacon and one sub-deacon comes from a church ordinance of the Bishop of Avranches , Johannes (Jean), from 1065; At the same time, the convent mass was celebrated in a similar way in Cluny Abbey . Up to the appearance of the Caeremoniale episcoporum 1600, the course of the mass largely corresponded to the course of the pontifical office, also with regard to the involvement of lamp holders and the use of incense .

In the High Middle Ages the Levite Office took place almost daily as a " high mass " ( summum officium , Missa solemnis ) in cathedrals , monastery and collegiate churches as a common form of the convent mass or the chapter office, namely as a clerical service without the participation of lay people . In recent times it has been transferred to parish services in parish churches on the one hand and limited to Sundays and public holidays on the other hand in the monasteries.

Since the high Middle Ages it was not a matter of course that the Levites also received communion. In the 11th century, two pieces of the broken host were intended for deacon and sub-deacon. Later the Levites communicated only on Sundays - in some regions until the 15th century or later even under the form of bread and wine - then only once a month or less.

The Second Vatican Council emphasizes the importance of "Levites", ie deacons, sub-deacons and lower clerics, for solemn worship:

"The liturgical act assumes its most elegant form when the service is solemnly held with singing and Levites (in the original: ministri sacri ) take part and the people actively participate."

- SC 113

Pope Paul VI put out the ordination as subdeacon in 1972 with the Motu proprio Ministeria quaedam . With the abolition of the subdiaconate and the promotion of the Eucharistic concelebration of the priests, the previous Levite office changed. It now takes the form of mass with deacon ( Missa cum diacono ), as it was previously used in some religious liturgies, e.g. B. the Carthusian rite , and has recently been practiced in some monasteries. Even with non-solemn services, a deacon (or several of them) can and should now perform the liturgical service . Other helper services that used to be the responsibility of the subdeacon are now performed by lay Christians. The earlier practice that a priest in dalmatic takes on the role of deacon is excluded . "In fact, it is better that priests who are present at a celebration of the Eucharist, dressed in the liturgical vestments, usually perform the ministry related to their consecration and consequently participate as concelebrants".

In the Usus extraordinarius of the Roman Rite , which Pope Benedict XVI has been holding since 2007 . is limited, Levite offices are still celebrated today.

Duties of the Levites at Holy Mass

If no deacon or sub-deacon was present, their liturgical roles could also be taken over by priests, the function of sub-deacon also by a male layman.

In addition to the deacon and subdeacon, acolytes took part in the solemn celebration. They carried candlesticks with burning candles to the entrance and preaching of the Gospel and helped to prepare gifts for the mass by offering the subdeacon wine and water; Thuriferare took care of the service with the censer , and a cleric or acolyte, possibly another subdeacon, carried the processional cross for entry and exit. A priest without a cope could act as a ceremonial at every high mass, mainly to assist the celebrant at the missal . The assistance of a presbyter assistant with a choir mantle was reserved for the bishops and prelates who were entitled to use the pontificals . The presbyter assistant , who supported the newly ordained priest, was tolerated at the Primary Mass .

Step prayer . The celebrating priest, bowed, speaks the confiteor , the subdeacon on his left, the deacon on the right.
The deacon incenses the celebrant.
Preaching of the Gospel by the deacon - the sub-deacon holds the book for him.
Offering the chalice at the sacrifice
The deacon sings the Ite, missa est , in front of him stands the subdeacon in Tunicella, behind him the celebrating priest.
  • When moving in and out , the sub-deacon walked behind the acolytes with the candlesticks and in front of the deacon, who walked in front of the celebrant. When standing and sitting next to each other, the sub-deacon's seat was on the left of the celebrant and that of the deacon on the right; if an assistant presbyter took part, he would stand to the right of the celebrant, the subdeacon and deacon then both stood to the left. When the priest stood at the altar, the subdeacon stood or kneeled in front of or on the lowest altar step, the deacon stood or kneeled on a middle step or to the right of the celebrant.
  • If no ceremonial or presbyteral assistant was involved, the deacon turned to the appropriate page in the missal and showed the celebrant the beginning of the prayer.
  • The deacon and sub-deacon helped the celebrant to put incense into the censer that was handed to them by the Thuriferar; they accompanied him at the altar incense at the beginning of the holy mass and at the sacrifice , holding the hem of his chasuble . The deacon incensated the priest, standing in front of the lowest altar step, while the celebrant stood at the epistle side of the altar; He also incensated the subdeacon during the preparation of the sacrifice and was himself incensated by the Thuriferar.
  • The sub-deacon recited the epistle , the deacon the gospel . The lectionary could be held open to the sub-deacon by an acolyte, and to the deacon by the sub-deacon if the book could not be placed on an ambo while the lecture was being read or sung . The Levites recited the epistle and gospel contra altare , i.e. at least diagonally towards the altar and not directly towards the people - an indication of the character of the high mass as a clerical liturgy. Local custom, however, also called for a lecture in the people-facing position. On the days when the planeta plicata was worn, the Levites took it off for the lecture.
  • Before preparing the gifts, the sub-deacon carried the chalice from the sideboard to the altar, where he passed it on to the deacon; for this purpose, a velum was wrapped around him , with which he touched the vessels. At the altar, the subdeacon received the pots with wine and water from the ceremonial or acolyte ; The wine jug was handed to the deacon, who poured the wine into the chalice; then the subdeacon poured a few drops of water into the goblet and returned the jug. The deacon handed the chalice to the celebrant and assisted him with the elevation to the offering of the offerings.
  • After the gifts had been prepared, the deacon gave the subdeacon the godfather in his right hand. He covered it with the velum and went downstairs to the steps, where he stood in the middle, holding the veiled paten at face level , facing the altar until the end of the pater noster , and only went to the sanctus next to the priest at the altar; during the change he knelt on the lowest step. The veiling of the paten corresponded to the rite in the non-levitated mass, in which the priest partially pushed the paten under the corporal . It is explained with reverence for the body of Christ, which lay on the paten, and interpreted allegorically as Jesus hiding himself from his passion . To break the bread, the paten then picked up the consecrated host again on the altar.
  • During the conversion, the deacon took the palla from the chalice before the consecration of the wine and put it back on after the elevation. As the bread and wine were raised, he lifted the rim of the celebrant's chasuble with his left hand.
  • The deacon received the peace greeting from the priest, the sub-deacon from the deacon, whereupon the sub-deacon gave the peace greeting to other clerics present.
  • The deacon took the ciborium from the tabernacle for communion . To the domine, non sum dignus of the celebrant, the Levites stood on the right and left of the altar, facing the people; During the distribution of communion, the deacon held the paten under the chin of the communicant, the sub-deacon could accompany the celebrant with folded hands.
  • The subdeacon helped the celebrant with the purification of the liturgical vessels after communion and poured wine and water over his fingertips; the jugs of wine and water were handed to him by the ceremonial or the acolytes. He dried the goblet, covered it with the velum, and carried it to the sideboard.
  • The deacon sang the Ite, missa est standing on the middle step of the altar and turning to the people. On days when Benedicamus Domino was sung, he would do so facing the altar. At the end of the blessing, the Levites kneeled on the top step, for the final gospel they stepped next to the celebrants at the altar.

Robes

Deacon and subdeacon wore a shawl , alb and maniple , the subdeacon wore a tunicella over it , the deacon the oblique stole and the dalmatic in the liturgical color of the day or the occasion. On some days of penance it was customary for them to wear a planeta plicata , a chasuble rolled up in front. During Holy Mass, the subdeacon sometimes wore a velum, the assistant presbyter wore a choir cloak over the alb, but not a stole. The stole and manipula, dalmatic, tunicella, cope and velum were generally the same color and pattern as the celebrant's chasuble.

literature

  • Wilhelm Lurz: rite and rubrics of the holy mass. Illustrated and explained for the use of students and priests. 3rd edition, Echter-Verlag, Würzburg 1952.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. Volume 1, 5th, improved edition, Vienna et al. 1962, pp. 264–267, esp. Note 43–46.
  2. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. Volume 1, 5th, improved edition, Vienna et al. 1962, p. 269ff.
  3. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. 5th edition, Herder, Vienna-Freiburg-Basel 1962, Volume I, pp. 262f; Volume II, pp. 480f. - If priests took on the roles of deacon and sub-deacon, they usually celebrated another mass on that day as celebrant in the same church or in another church in the parish where they communicated.
  4. ↑ “During liturgical celebrations, everyone, be he liturist or believer, should in the exercise of his task only do that and all that is due to him from the nature of the matter and according to the liturgical rules.” Sacrosanctum Concilium , Art. see. Johannes Wagner: How dead is the office of the Levites? In: Gottesdienst 7 (1973), Heft 1, p. 138ff.
  5. ↑ Basic Order of the Roman Missal (2002) No. 14.
  6. ↑ For details see: Dr. Johannes Pinsk , Carl Johann Perl: The high mass. Meaning and shape of the high mass. Verlag Anton Pustet, Salzburg-Leipzig o. J. (1938), pp. 162-180; Müller-Frey: Rites and rubrics book for priests and candidates for the priesthood. 26th edition, St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig o. J. (1963), pp. 81-100 (VI. The solemn high mass. D. The function of the Levites).
  7. ↑ Aimé-Georges Martimort (ed.): Handbook of liturgical science. Vol. I, Herder, Freiburg-Basel-Wien 1963, pp. 106f.
  8. ^ Müller-Frey: Book of rites and rubrics for priests and candidates for the priesthood. 26th edition, St. Benno Verlag, Leipzig o. J. (1963), pp. 100f.
  9. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. Volume 2, 5th, improved edition, Vienna et al. 1962, p. 163f.
  10. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. Volume 1, 5th, improved edition, Vienna et al. 1962, p. 528 and note 56–60.
  11. ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann: Missarum Sollemnia. 5th, improved edition, Vienna et al. 1962, Volume 1, p. 155; Volume 2, pp. 382f.