Prefatory Rite
The Prefatory Rite is the solemn prayer of praise and thanksgiving sung or recited after the Offertory at the beginning of the sacrificial action. The term "P." derives from the ancient practice of a solemn formula or prayer proclaimed before an assembly (etymologically *prae* in a local sense = *coram*). In the sense of a liturgical formula, it appears in canon 12 of the Second Council of Milevis (416) and in the Gregorian Sacramentary. In St. Cyprian (*De oratione Dominica*, 31), the term "P." is restricted to the introductory verses *"Sursum corda"* ("*praefatione praemissa... dicendo: Sursum corda*"), also in the ancient sense of an admonition or warning before an important action (*prae* in a temporal sense = *ante*). From the time of St. Justin, Hippolytus, the Apostolic Constitutions until the Middle Ages, the Prefatory Rite formed a single complex with the Canon ("*Incipit Canon actionis*" in the Gelasian Sacramentary, as in the Gregorian), at least the common Prefatory Rite, while the others occur in the text. Under Gallican influence, the detached Prefatory Rite became a preliminary formula but retained the first element of the ancient "Eucharistia" of praise and thanksgiving, while the other element, the supplication, became part of the Canon.
In the early centuries, the celebrant was free to compose the Prefatory Rite, but the *Traditio Apostolica* already recommends using a fixed formula. In the very ancient collection of Roman liturgical libelli (the so-called "Leoniano" of Verona), there are 267 Prefatory Rites; in the "Gelasian," 54; in the 8th-century "Gelasian" of St. Gall, 186. The traditional Roman use of the "Gregorian-Adrianum" includes them only on the feasts of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and of the Apostles (Peter and Paul), as well as on special occasions no longer in practice, such as the birthday of the Pope, ordination days for priests, for spouses, and in the dedication of an altar. In the Middle Ages, Prefatory Rites were added for the Most Holy Trinity, Lent, the Passion, and the Blessed Virgin (under Urban V in 1095). This number of 11 Prefatory Rites remained until recent times, under the influence of the pseudo-decree attributed to Pelagius II (d. 590) as cited by Burchard of Worms (d. 1025) and later incorporated into Gratian’s Decree. In 1919, Benedict XV introduced the Prefatory Rites of St. Joseph and the Dead; in 1925, Pius XI added that of Christ the King, and in 1928, that of the Sacred Heart. Besides these Prefatory Rites of the universal Church, some dioceses (Lyons, Besançon) and religious orders have their own.
The content of the Prefatory Rite comes from the great prayer of the "Eucharistia," of thanksgiving and praise, inaugurated by the *birkat* of the Jews at the end of meals, following the example of Christ at the Last Supper. According to the most ancient tradition, God is praised and thanked for the creation of the world and all His benefits, especially for the Redemption, the Passion and death of the Savior, His Resurrection and Ascension. Thanks are given to the Father through His Son. This central theme of thanksgiving already appears in early documents, for example, in the *Didachē*, St. Justin, and Hippolytus of Rome (*Traditio Apostolica*), etc. The praise of God soon gave way to thanksgiving.
The initial dialogue between the celebrant and the people contains the three traditional phrases with the people’s responses: the celebrant’s greeting and the two exhortations *"Sursum corda"* (John 11:41; Col 3:1; Lam 3:41) and *"Gratias agamus"* (a similar formula pronounced by the Jews after the meal), already referred to by St. Cyprian and Hippolytus. The fundamental structure of the Prefatory Rite is contained in the common Prefatory Rite.
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### 1921 Prefatory Rite — Apostolic Prefecture and Apostolic Prefect
It begins with an invocation to the Father (as also read more clearly in *De sacramentis*, IV, 5, 21: *"Domine, sancte Pater, omnipotens aeternus Deus"*: cf. A. Baumstark, *Liturgie comparée*, 2nd ed., Chevetogne 1939, p. 72). This is followed by an expansion according to the liturgical year or feast in three ways: a) after *"Deus"*, it continues with *"Et te... Iesum Chr. D. N. Per quem"* (for the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph) or with *"Qui... Per Chr. D. N. Per quem"* (Lent and Passion); b) a Christological expansion is inserted *"Quia... et ideo"* (Christmas, Epiphany, Sacred Heart of Christ the King); at Easter, the beginning varies; c) the expansion follows after *"Per Chr. D. N. Qui... Et ideo"* (Ascension) or *"Per Chr. D. N. In quo... Et ideo"* (for the Dead). Only the Prefatory Rite of the Apostles is a supplication; all others are hymns of glorification and thanksgiving. According to this content, the style of the Prefatory Rites is elevated, and the melody varies between ferial and solemn tones. Other particulars: at the greeting, the celebrant does not turn to the people, since the sacrifice has begun and turning is no longer permitted; during the singing, as throughout the Canon, the hands are held elevated and extended. In the Eastern liturgy, unlike the Latin, the Prefatory Rite is never changed or is changed with the entire formula or liturgy.
In the Gallican liturgy, the term "P." is used as *praefatio missae*, in the sense of a preamble to the collect (as in the Latin-Roman liturgy on Good Friday). In the same sense, the term "P." appears in *praefatio symboli*, *praefatio orationis Dominicae* in the Order of Baptism. The prayer corresponding to the Roman Prefatory Rite in the Gallican liturgy is called *contestatio* (a term perhaps already known to St. Augustine) or *immolatio*; in the Mozarabic liturgy, it is in Latin.
By analogy with the Prefatory Rite of the Mass, other Prefatory Rites were composed for use outside the sacrifice on special and solemn occasions: consecration of a bishop, ordination of a priest, deacon, virgins, blessing of an abbot, blessing or consecration of objects (church, palms, baptismal font, paschal candle, *Exultet*). To abbreviate the beginning of the Prefatory Rite *"Vere... salutare"*, a sign was used formed by the initials of the first two words, VD, fused into a single siglum. Simple in the Carolingian era, the siglum became richly developed with elaborate ornamentation in the Romanesque period; simpler in the Gothic period (14th–15th centuries), it was omitted in printed books.
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