ELEVATION. — A rite of the Mass by which the celebrant raises the sacramental Species in order to expose them to the adoration of the faithful. In the Mass, a twofold E. of the sacred Species is distinguished: the more solemn one occurs immediately after the Consecration, the other at the end of the Canon properly so called, with the words « omnis honor ». This, called Elevatio minor, is the more ancient. Originally it served to admonish the faithful to remain ready for Communion, and it is the only one used in the Eastern liturgies; according to the Byzantine rite, the sacred Species are shown to the faithful before Communion with the words « Sancta sanctis ».
The first E., on the other hand, is proper to the Western liturgy. Developing in France in the 12th century, it soon spread throughout the Latin Church: Innocent III (1198-1216), in his De sacro altaris mysterio, written when he was a cardinal, does not yet mention it, whereas Honorius III in 1219 presupposes it to be in use. Its origins are not well known.
It was commonly held that it had been provoked by the heresy of Berengarius, who denied the divine presence; but H. Thurston, followed by modern scholars, attributes it to Eudes de Sully, bishop of Paris (1196-1208), who is said to have prescribed the E. of the Host immediately after the Consecration in reaction to the erroneous opinion of certain Parisian theologians, such as Peter the Chanter and Peter Comestor, according to whom the transubstantiation of the bread would take place together with that of the wine, after the words pronounced over the chalice (cf. Sum. Theol., 3ª, q. 78, s. 6).
Recently, however, E. Dumoutet, followed by A. Wilmart, has considered the problem to be much more complex, relating it to the origins of a devotion very widespread in the Middle Ages: the desire to see the Host. Through a process of mutual influence, while this desire to contemplate the consecrated Host, certainly sharpened in reaction to the Sacramentarian controversies, led to the introduction of the E., the latter in turn greatly influenced the development of Eucharistic piety. It therefore seems that Eudes de Sully, in prescribing the E., intended only to satisfy a feeling of public piety toward the Eucharist.
The E. of the chalice was added at a later time; at Rome it was already in use at the beginning of the 14th century, as is shown by the Ordo Romana XIV (1311), the ceremonial of the time of Clement V. liturgy, the E. constitutes the most important fact in the history of the Mass in the Middle Ages. It perceptibly modified the course, until then continuous, of the ancient Canon, making the Consecration the culminating point of the Mass. Through its demonstrative power, the new rite gave popular piety a new direction. The solemn exposition of the consecrated Host required from the faithful assent and adoration (Sum. Theol., loc. cit.): sentiments at first manifested only through the pious outward posture of the person, but later also expressed in formulas intended for private use, which constituted a kind of direct response by those assisting to the celebrant’s gesture.
Hence arose a sui generis Eucharistic literature, generally consisting of brief rhythmic compositions, whose principal elements are preserved in the Books of Hours of the 15th century and, more anciently, in the Libelli precum, such as the Orationale of Reichenau (14th century). They are greetings, repeated Ave addressed to the Body and Blood of the Lord, tributes of faith and love to the Most Holy Sacrament. In the present state of the manuscripts, 51 formulas are known, such as: Ave domine I. Chr. Verbum Patris (much used); Ave pretiotissimum et sanctissimum Corpus; Ave salus mundi Verbum Patris; Coram te, dulcissime Iesu, corde protestor; Domine I. Chr. qui hanc sacratissimam Carnum (very frequent); In praesentia Corporis et Sanguinis tui; Salve sancta Caro Dei, Per quam salvi fiunt rei.
But none of these compositions possesses the importance Anima Christi (v.), Adoro te devote (v.) Ave verum (v.): three jewels of semiliturgical literature.
On 12 June 1907, Pius X granted the faithful an indulgence of 7 years (and 7 quarantines) whenever they devoutly look upon the Holy Host, repeating with St Thomas the Apostle: Dominus meus et Deus meus! (Io. 20, 28). Regarding other indulgences and prayers now suggested for the E., cf. the volume published by the S. Penitenzieria Apostolica, Preces et pia opera indulgentiis ditata (Rome 1938), nn. 106, 107, 113, 115. — Vedi tav. XVII.