ssal announced by the deacon to
the people before and after the mass of the faithful, the term _missa_
or mass is derived. It was in use in the early ages; for it is found
not only in the epistle to the bishop of Vienne attributed to Pope
Pius I, and in that of Pope Cornelius to Lupicinus: but S. Ambrose
also says "I continued my duty, and began to celebrate mass" and in
another place he exhorts the people to "hear mass daily[12]".

When the church had been cleared of all except the faithful, the
second part of our mass, or the mass of the faithful, began with the
Nicene symbol or creed. Then followed the offertory, or part of a
psalm sung anciently while the people made their offerings to the
church, particularly of bread and wine[13]. The priest offers to God
the bread, and wine mixed according to apostolic tradition[14] with
a little water, which our Saviour is believed to have mixed with
the wine at the last supper; he implores God's blessing on these
offerings, and washes his hands in token of the purity of soul[15]
with which the sacred mysteries should be approached, and at high mass
for the sake of outward cleanliness also, on account of the incense
which he has used. Having commemorated the passion, resurrection,
and ascension of Christ, as he does also after the consecration, he
calls on those present to join him in prayer, he says another prayer
or prayers called the _secret_, because said in secret, and then
recites the _preface_ to the canon, a prayer in which he unites with
the celestial spirits in praise and thanksgiving as Christ himself
gave thanks at the last supper: it concludes with the Tersanctus or
Trisagion "Holy, Holy, Holy etc." which, as Palmer observes, has been
probably used in the Christian liturgy of the east and west since the
ages of the apostles. V. 2. p. 219.

[Sidenote: Prayers for the dead.]

The canon of the mass next follows, which as well as many of the
preceding and following prayers is said in a low voice, according to
the ancient custom alluded to by Innocent I, S. Augustine, Origen, and
other Fathers[16]. In it the priest prays for the church, the Pope,
the bishop of the place, the living and the dead[17] he reveres the
memory of the B. Virgin, the Martyrs and other Saints[18], and having
once more implored the blessing of God, and spread his hands over the
victim, according to the custom of the Jews, he pronounces over the
bread and wine the words of consecration according