Votive Mass

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In the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, a votive Mass (Latin missa votiva) is a Mass offered for a votum, a special intention.

The Mass does not correspond to the Divine Office for the day on which it is celebrated. Every day in the year has appointed to it a series of canonical hours and (except Good Friday) a Mass corresponding, containing, for instance, the same Collect and the same Gospel. Normally the Mass corresponds to the Office, but on occasion, may not. These are votive Masses.

History

The principle of the votive Mass is older than its name. Almost at the very origin of the Western liturgies (with their principle of change according to the Calendar) Mass was occasionally offered, apparently with special prayers and lessons, for some particular intention, irrespective of the normal Office of the day. Among the miracles quoted by Augustine of Hippo in "De civ. Dei", XXII, 8, is the story of one Hesperius cured of an evil spirit by a private Mass said in his house with special prayers for him—a votive Mass for his cure.

The first Sacramentaries contain many examples of what we should call votive Masses. So the Leonine book has Masses "in natale episcoporum" (ed. Feltoe, pp. 123–26), "de siccitate temporis" (ibid., 142), "contra impetitores" (ibid., 27), and so on throughout. Indeed the Masses for ordination and for the dead, which occur in this book and throughout the Roman Rite and Gallican Rite, are examples of votive Masses for all kinds of occasions, for ordinations (ed. Wilson, pp. 22–30, etc.), for those about to be baptized (ibid., 34), anniversaries of ordinations (153-54), nuns (156), for the sick (282), for marriages (265), kings (276), travellers (283), the dead (301 sq.), and a large collection of Masses of general character to be said on any Sunday (224-44). In this book the name first occurs, "Missa votiva in sanctorum commemoratione" (p. 367; Rheinau and S. Gallen MSS.). The Gregorian Sacramentary, too, has a large collection of such Masses and the name "Missa votiva" (e.g., Patrologia Latina, LXXVIII, 256).

Throughout the Middle Ages the votive Mass was a regular institution. The principle came to be that, whereas one official (capitular) high Mass was said corresponding to the Office, a priest who said a private Mass for a special intention said a votive Mass corresponding to his intention. The great number of forms provided in medieval Missals furnished one for any possible intention. Indeed it seems that at one time a priest normally said a votive Mass whenever he celebrated. John Beleth in the thirteenth century describes a series of votive Masses once said (fuit quoddam tempus) each day in the week: on Sunday, of the Holy Trinity; Monday, for charity; Tuesday, for wisdom; Wednesday, of the Holy Ghost; Thursday, of the Angels; Friday, of the Cross; Saturday, of the Blessed Virgin (Explic. div. offic., 51). This completely ignores the ecclesiastical year.

But there was a general sentiment that, at least on the chief feasts, even private Masses should conform to the Office of the day. The Feast of the Holy Trinity began as a votive Mass to be said on any Sunday after Pentecost, when there was no feast.

Rulings

This idea of allowing votive Masses to be said only when no special feast occurs finally produced the rules contained in later missals (1570). According to these, there is a distinction between votive Masses strictly so called and votive Masses in a wider sense. The first are those commanded to be said on certain days; the second kind, those a priest may say or not, at his discretion.

Strict votive Masses are, first, those ordered by the rubrics of the Missal, namely a Mass of the Blessed Virgin on every Saturday in the year not occupied by a double, semi-double, octave, vigil, feria of Lent, or ember-day, or the transferred Sunday Office (Rubr. Gen., IV, 1). This is the "Missa de S. Maria" in five forms for various seasons, among the votive Masses at the end of the Missal. To this we must add votive Masses ordered by the pope or the ordinary for certain grave occasions (pro re gravi). Such are for the election of a pope or bishop, in time of war, plague, persecution, and so on.

Such votive Masses may be ordered by the ordinary on all days except doubles of the first or second class, Ash Wednesday, and the ferias of Holy Week, the eves of Christmas and Pentecost; except also days on which the office is said for the same intention or event as would be prescribed by the votive Mass. In this case the Mass should conform to the office as usual. A third kind of strictly votive Mass is that said during the devotion of the so-called "Forty Hours". On this occasion the Mass on the first and third days is of the Blessed Sacrament; on the second day it is for peace. But on doubles of the first and second class, Sundays of the first and second class, on Ash Wednesday, in Holy Week, during the octaves of Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, on the eves of Christmas and Pentecost, the Mass of the day must be said, with the collect of the Blessed Sacrament added to that of the day under one conclusion.

The other kind of votive Mass (late sumpta) may be said by any priest on a semidouble, simple or feria, at his discretion, except on Sunday, Ash Wednesday, the eves of Christmas, Epiphany, Pentecost, during the octaves of Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Holy Week, and on All Souls' Day. Nor may a votive Mass be said on a day whose Office is already that of the same occasion; but in this case the corresponding Mass of the day must be said, according to the usual rubrics. A votive Mass may be taken from any of those at the end of the missal, or of the common of Saints, or of their propers, if the text does not imply that it is their feast. A Sunday or ferial Mass may not be used as a votive Mass. Nor may it be said of a Beatus, unless this is allowed by special indult.

The Gloria is to be said in votive Masses pro re gravi unless the colour be violet; also in votive Masses of the Blessed Virgin on Saturday, of angels, whenever said, in those of saints, when said on a day on which they are named in the Martyrology or during their octaves. The Creed is said in solemn votive Masses pro re gravi. The first and third Masses of the Forty Hours have the Gloria and the Creed, not the Mass for Peace (but if said on a Sunday it has the Creed). Solemn votive Masses have only one collect; others are treated as semidoubles, with commemorations of the day, etc., according to the usual rule. The colour used for a votive Mass corresponds to the event celebrated, except that red is used for Holy Innocents. It is red for the election of a pope, white for the anniversary of a bishop's election or consecration, violet in the general case of asking for some special grace and for the Passion.

The particular case of votive Masses for each day of the week, corresponding to votive Offices ordered by Pope Leo XIII, was abolished by the Decree "Divino afflatu" of 1 November 1911. Requiems and Masses for marriages are really particular cases of a votive Mass.

References

Attribution

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Votive Mass". Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites:
- BONA, Rerum liturgicarum libri II, I, xv, 3;
- BENEDICT XIV, De SS. sacrificio Missae, III, xxiii;
- DE HERDT, S. Liturgiae praxis, I (Louvain, 1894), 26-54;
- LE VAVASSEUR-HOEGY, Manuel de liturgie, I (Paris, 1910), 222-231

v t e Order of Mass in the Roman Rite

Forms	Pre-Tridentine Mass Tridentine Mass extraordinary form Mass of Paul VI

Types	Low Mass Missa Cantata Solemn Mass Pontifical High Mass Papal Mass Ritual Masses Chapter and Conventual Mass Coronation Mass Nuptial Mass Red Mass Requiem Mass sine populo Votive Mass

Order of Mass	Pre-Mass: Vesting prayers in the sacristy Asperges me Vidi aquam in Eastertide Liturgy of the Word: Sign of the Cross Psalm 43 Entrance Antiphon Penitential Rite Confiteor / Kyrie Gloria Dominus vobiscum Collect Oremus First Reading Responsorial Psalm or Gradual Epistle Alleluia Gospel verse / sequence Gospel Homily Credo Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed or Apostles' Creed General Intercessions Liturgy of the Eucharist: Offertory Orate fratres / prayer over the gifts Preface Sursum corda / Sanctus / Hosanna Eucharistic Prayer/Canon of the Mass oblation / epiclesis / Words of Institution / elevation / anamnesis texts & rubrics Roman Canon History Eucharistic Prayer II Eucharistic Prayer IV Memorial Acclamation Lord's Prayer embolism / doxology Pax Sign of peace Agnus Dei Fraction Holy Communion Communion antiphon Ablutions Postcommunion Dismissal Ite, missa est / Benedicamus Domino Last Gospel Post-Mass: Leonine prayers Recessional hymn

Participants	Acolyte Altar server female Bishop Boat boy Cantor Choir Crucifer Deacon Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion Laity Eucharistic Congress Lector Priest Subdeacon Usher

Parts of the Sanctuary / Altar	Altar crucifix Altar rails Ambo Communion bench Credence table Kneeler Lavabo Misericord Piscina Tabernacle

Altar cloths	Altar linens Antependium Burse Chalice veil Corporal Lavabo towel Pall Purificator

Candles and lamps	Altar candle Altar candlestick Paschal candle Sanctuary lamp Triple candlestick Votive candle

Liturgical objects	Altar bell Aspergillum Censer Chalice Ciborium Collection basket Cruet Flabellum Funghellino Holy water Incense use Manuterge Paten Processional cross Pyx Sacramental bread wafer Sacramental wine (or must) Thurible Water

Liturgical books of the Roman Rite	Ceremonial of Bishops Gospel Book Graduale Lectionary Roman Missal

Vestments (pontifical)	Alb Amice Chasuble Dalmatic Episcopal sandals Liturgical colours Headcover Humeral veil Pallium Stole Surplice Tunicle Vimpa

Liturgical year (Roman Calendar)	Advent Christmastide Ordinary Time Septuagesima Lent Passiontide Holy Week Paschal Triduum Eastertide Ascensiontide

Eucharistic discipline	Abstemius Anima Christi Concelebration Church etiquette Closed Communion Communion and the developmentally disabled Communion under both kinds Denial of Communion Canon 915 Eucharistic fast First Communion Frequent Communion Genuflection Host desecration Infant communion Intinction Reserved sacrament Thanksgiving after Communion Viaticum

Eucharistic theology	Body and Blood of Christ Corpus Christi (feast) Crucifixion of Jesus and substitutionary atonement Epiousios Grace ex opere operato In persona Christi Historical roots of Catholic Eucharistic theology Koinonia Last Supper Mirae Caritatis Mysterium Fidei (encyclical) Origin of the Eucharist Real presence Transubstantiation Year of the Eucharist

Regulations and concepts	Ad orientem & versus populum Calendar of saints Canon law Code of Rubrics Commemoration Ecclesiastical Latin General Instruction of the Roman Missal Holy day of obligation Intercession of saints Ordinary & propers Pro multis Sunday Lord's Day Vernacular

Related	Agape feast Catholic liturgy Christian prayer effects of prayer Congregation for Divine Worship Council of Trent Ecclesia de Eucharistia Eucharistic adoration & benediction Dominicae Cenae / Holy Hour Eucharistic miracle Fermentum Fourth Council of the Lateran Gelineau psalmody Gregorian chant History of the Roman Canon Lex orandi, lex credendi Liturgical Movement Liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII Mediator Dei Missale Romanum (apostolic constitution) Pope Paul VI Roman Catholic theology Sacraments of the Catholic Church Second Vatican Council Sacrosanctum Concilium Tridentine Mass Summorum Pontificum Tra le sollecitudini

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