GALLICAN, LITURGY. - It is the complex of official rites and prayers that was in use, especially before Charlemagne, in the Latin West, particularly in Gaul and, in a somewhat different form, in all the countries of northern Italy and beyond the Alps, not excluding Britannia maior, Hibernia, and Spain. The rite declined under Pepin the Short and Charlemagne, as a consequence of that progressive Romanization which was one of the guiding lines of Carolingian policy.
I. HISTORY
The Gallican liturgy, in the documents that remain of it, appears formally different from the Roman one, although, with the passage of time, it underwent notable infiltrations from it. Its origin is disputed: if it did not arise from the Eastern liturgies, it nonetheless was largely influenced by them, not only because certain formulas are found verbatim in the Syro-Byzantine liturgy, but also because the whole structure, for example that of the Mass, shows a great resemblance to the Byzantine rite. The opinion of F. Probst, that the Gallican liturgy would reflect a Roman liturgy prior to Pope Damasus, did not win much support. To explain these analogies some had recourse to St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon, asserting that the Gallican rite derived from the liturgy of Ephesus of the 2nd century; others, among them Duchesne, perhaps with more foundation, traced it back to the 4th century and in particular to Auxentius, bishop of Milan from 355 to 374, a native of Cappadocia; others instead think of Ravenna.
II. SOURCES
Several Mass formularies (6 Sunday Masses and one proper to St. Germanus), purely Gallican, perhaps from 7th-century Burgundy, were published, according to a palimpsest codex of Reichenau, by Fr. J. Mone, Lateinische und griechische Messen aus dem zweiten bis sechsten Jahrhundert (Frankfurt am Main 1850); M. Neale and G. H. Forbes, The ancient Liturgies of the Gallican Church (Burntland 1855), pp. 105-204; Pl. 72, 295-318; H. Lietzmann, Ordo Missae Romanus et Gallicanus (Kleine Texte, 19; 3rd ed. Bonn 1923).
The three sacramentaries, more or less defective, and already mixed with Roman elements, known by the names Missale Gallicum (Sacramentary of Autun), Missale Gallicanum Vetus (Sacramentary of Auxerre of the 7th century), and Missale Francorum (8th century), provide a series of Masses and a part of the baptismal rite; the Missale Francorum furthermore contains the prayers of ordination, of the consecration of virgins and of widows, as well as that of altars, which are of great value for the understanding of our present text. They were first edited by Cardinal Tommasi, Codices sacramentarum nongentis annis vetestiores (Rome 1680), then by J. Mabillon, De liturgia Gallicana libri tres (Paris 1685); reprinted in: L. Muratori, Liturgia Romana vetus (Venice 1748) and Pl. 72, 225-318.
The Missal of Bobbio (7th century), containing, along with the prefaces and the Canon of the Mass, other texts of the Roman liturgy, was first edited by J. Mabillon, Museumum Italicum seu collectio veterum scriptorum ex bibliothecis Italicis eruta (I, 2 [Paris 1687]), pp. 278-297 and Pl. 72, 451-560; critical edition: J. Wickham Legg and E. A. Lowe, The Bobbio Missal (London 1917); and in facsimile: E. A. Lowe, The Bobbio Missal. A Gallican Sacramentary (ibid. 1920); studies on the text: A. Wilmart, E. A. Lowe, H. A. Wilson, The Bobbio Missal. Notes and Studies (ibid. 1924). Besides some small palimpsest fragments, the euchological texts have been augmented especially by G. Morin, Un recueil gallican inédit de bénédictions épiscopales en usage à Présing aux VII-IX siècles (in Revue bénédictine, 29 [1912], pp. 168-94) and Fragments inédits et jusqu'à présent uniques d'antiphonaire gallican (ibid., 22 [1905], pp. 320-56).
The Lectionary of Luxeuil (7th century), precious for the reconstruction of the ancient calendar of this liturgy in Paris, contains lessons, biblical pericopes, extracts from the sermons and from the Passiones of the martyrs, which were read in the night Office (J. Mabillon, De liturgia Gallicana, pp. 106-73; cf. Pl. 72, 171-216; P. Salmon, Le lectionnaire de Luxeuil, Rome 1944). It is completed by an evangeliary of Paris of the 7th century (G. Morin, Le lectionnaire de l'église de Paris au VIIe siècle, in Revue bénédict., 1 [1893], pp. 438-41), by some notes of an evangeliary of Trier (D. De Bruyne, Les notes liturgiques du manuscrit 134 de la cathédrale de Trèves, ibid., 33 [1921], pp. 46-52), by a lectionary of the Old Testament of Schlettstadt (G. Morin, Un lectionnaire mérovingien avec fragments du texte oriental des Actes (ibid., 25 [1908], pp. 161-66) and especially by a palimpsest codex of Weissenburg (A. Dold, Das älteste Liturgiebuch der lateinischen Kirche. Ein altgallikanisches Lektionar des 5. - 6. Jahrhunderts aus dem Wolfenbüttler Palimpsest-Codex Weissenburgensis 76. Mit Anhang: Abermale neue Bruchstücke des Salzburger Kurzzahramentars, Beuron 1935); there are also added: Em. Chatelain, Fragments palimpsestes d'un lectionnaire mérovingien (in Revue d'hist. et de littér. religieuses, 5 [1914], pp. 193-99, and A. Wilmart, Le lectionnaire d'Ariane, in Revue Mabillon, 13 [1923], pp. 40-53). On a certain number of liturgical notes in some texts of the letters of St. Paul and the catholic epistles, which refer to the ancient Gallican use, cf. G. Morin, Notices d'ancienne littérature chrétienne. Les notes liturgiques du manuscrit Vat. Regin. lat. 9 (in Revue bénédictine, 15 [1898], p. 105 f.; Un système inédit de lectures liturgiques, ibid., 20 [1903], pp. 355-58 and 28 [1911], p. 324 f.) at the end of the article: Liturgie et basiliques de Rome au milieu du VIIe siècle d'après les listes d'Évangiles de Wurzbourg. An explanation of the decrees of a synod in the Kingdom of the Franks, erroneously ascribed to St. Germanus bishop of Paris (d. in 576) which likewise offers the order of the Mass and of Baptism of a local church of Burgundy (Autun?) of the 7th century, is the so-called Expositio brevis antiquae liturgiae gallicanae (Pl. 72, 89 f.; critical ed. with commentary by J. Quasten [Opuscula et textus, Series liturgica, 3] Münster in W. 1924).
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE GALLICAN LITURGY
Advent, which counts six weeks and with which the liturgical year begins, starts with the feast of St. Martin (Nov. 12). The Sanctoral comprises, besides the feasts of the Roman calendar, those of St. Genevieve, St. Saturninus, Ferreolus, Eulalia, a feast of the Chair of St. Peter in January, and another of the Madonna also in January. The Divine Office shows great divergences in the various provinces and comes fairly close to that of the Celtic liturgy. At the beginning of the day, Matins corresponded to our Lauds, and was formerly called ad secundam, Vespers ad duodecimam or lucernarium, Compline ad initium noctis, and during the night the nocturns (Matins). The number and designation of the psalms varied; in the night Office the canticles were also admitted, among which the Benedictus, the Magnificat, and even the Gloria in excelsis hold a place of honor. The Gallican Mass has some features of resemblance with the ancient Roman Mass, others with the Mozarabic and Ambrosian, and still others with the Byzantine and Syro-Greek.
After the entrance antiphon, the Trisagion and Kyrie, the Benedictus (prophetia) is sung, followed by the Collectio post prophetam. The greeting formula is always, as in Spain, Dominus sit semper vobiscum. There are three readings: one from the Old Testament (profesia), another from the Apostle (Epistle; in Paschal time the Apocalypse and the Acts, in Lent the historical books of the Old Testament, on the feasts of the Saints their life); after the reading, the canticle of the three youths; the third, from the Gospel, is surrounded with great solemnity: first the Trisagion is sung again, after the Sanctus; then follows the diaconal litany, to which the whole people responds. Among the various types the best known is the Deprecatio s. Martini; afterwards the catechumens are dismissed. The offering of the bread and wine, made by the faithful and accompanied by a chant, is followed by the solemn procession with the oblations, with a moving prayer over the veil at the end, and the reading of the names of the living and the dead from the diptychs, concluded with the Collectio post nomina; those present then exchange the kiss of peace, which ceremony ends with the Collectio post pacem. The Preface, which takes the name contestatio or immolatio, is distinguished from the Roman one by its length, prolixity and variety of text. To the Sanctus, after a very brief prayer of transition (Collectio post Sanctus), the Consecration is immediately added, with the historical account of the eucharistic institution. The prayer that follows bears the significant title post secreta, post mysteria or post Eucharistiam, and sometimes contains a true epiclesis, that is, the invocation of the Holy Spirit, as in the Eastern liturgies. To it is immediately added the solemn fraction of the bread: with a chant (confractorium) the Host is divided into nine parts, each of which represents a mystery of the life of Christ; with them a cross is formed, in ancient times the members of the Crucified (forbidden by the Second Council of Tours [567], can. 3). Then follows the Pater noster framed by an introductory formula and an embolism (Deliver us), similar to the Roman one, with the Commixtio of the particle regnum in the chalice. The Communion of the priest is preceded by a solemn blessing of the people; at the Communion of the faithful, who receive the Host in the hand (that of the women is covered by a linen cloth, dominicale), the antiphon ad accedentes is sung, generally taken from Ps. 33. After the Postcommunion, the dismissal formula: In pace, Missa acta est, or others.
A peculiarity of Baptism is the washing of the feet (cf. P. De Puniet, La liturgie baptismale en Gaule avant Charlemagne, in Revue des questions historiques, 67 [1902], pp. 382-423).
In the rite of ordinations, the Statuta Ecclesiae antiqua have first the prayers, the handing over of the instruments and certain formulas of ordination which were later accepted in the Roman Church. The election of deacons, priests and the bishop is ratified by the faithful, as in the Byzantine Church (cf. G. Morin, Hiérarchie et liturgie dans l'église gallicane au Vᵉ siècle, in Revue bénédictine, 8 [1891], pp. 97-98; P. De Puniet, Le Pontifical romain. Histoire et commentaire I, Louvain-Paris 1930). The Rituale gallicano of the major sacramentals is animated by a spirit of more pronounced solemnity: it is much more complex in the euchological formulas and in the rites, and displays more prolix and pompous characteristics than the Roman liturgy, as indeed also in the other sacred functions. Many of the prayers and rites today in use in the Roman rite are of Gallican-Germanic origin (cf., for example, H. Dausend, Germanische Frömmigkeit in der kirchlichen Liturgie, Wiesbaden 1936).
Thus the Gallican rite of the dedication of a church takes delight in the use of (baptismal) symbolism, in multiplied and often very realistic rites; the formularies of the prayers are the expression of a more tender, more sensitive piety, and the style is more prolix and sentimental (cf. C. Callewaert, De Missalis Romani liturgia, I, Bruges 1937, pp. 12-15). While moreover the ancient Roman rite for the consecration of virgins had only a Praefatio and the velatio elegans, the Gallican liturgy, drawing inspiration from the nuptial blessing, added the handing over of the ring, the veil, the crown, with antiphons taken from the Office of St. Agnes, all dramatic elements which later passed also into the Pontificale romano (cf. I. Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum I, Turin 1919, p. 170 ff.; F. Oppenheim, Die Consecratio Virginum als gestengeschichtlichen Problem, Rome 1944, pp. 43-108). Likewise the blessing of abbots, which in the Sacramentario gregoriano is carried out with a single prayer, acquires in the Gallican rite that solemnity which brings it close to the consecration of a bishop; to the simplicity of the Benedictine rite of monastic profession, in the Gallican rite are added the blessing of the monastic habit, long prayers, litanies, a preface, etc. Similarly the rite of the coronation of an emperor or a king receives in the Gallican liturgy all the dramatic and august elements of unction, of the tradition of the insignia, etc. (cf. F. Oppenheim, Die religiösen Elemente in der christlichen Herrscherweihe des Mittelalters, in Ephémerides Liturgicae, 58 [1944], pp. 42-49).
IV. CHARACTERISTICS
In general it may be said that the Gallican liturgy is more solemn and more complete than the ancient Roman liturgy; in it the exterior, sensible, dramatic and symbolic elements are multiplied. The style of the prayers does not have the brevity, the force, the sobriety, the simplicity and perspicuity of the Roman ones. The prayers are directed to Jesus, not, as in the Roman liturgy, to the Father; often the qualities of Creator, of Almighty, of Redeemer, of Judge, etc., are attributed to him. The Gallican liturgy is likewise a precious testimony of what the life of the transalpine churches was in those centuries.
Bibliography8 works
Sanctorum aevi Merovingici selectos, Rome 1930, with many references to social merits, customs and folkloristic traditions connected with the Gallican liturgy; F. Oppenheim, De libris liturgicis deque iure ex eis momento, Turin 1940, pp. 62-66, 94-100; M. Righetti, Storia liturgica, I, Milan 1945, pp. 111-26.