THE ROMAN CANON

After initial discussions concerning possible modifications to the text of the Roman Canon, with a view to making it more accessible to today's culture, it was decided (on the express authority of Pope Paul VI) to publish it integrally as Eucharistic Prayer I.

The origins of the Roman Canon are somewhat obscure; while it cannot be dated with any precision, its distinctive style has suggested to some a connection with the introduction, by at least the third quarter of the 4th century, of Latin as the liturgical language of the city to replace Greek which had formerly been used. Even if the oldest manuscript editions date from the 8th century, parallels and quotations from it are, in fact, extant from the end of the 4th century.

The prayer resembles the Jewish blessing prayers in being an assemblage of individual prayers rather than a flowing, through-composed text such as we find in Eastern anaphoras. This characteristic was accentuated during the Middle Ages by the addition of the formula "through Jesus Christ our Lord" to the end of various units (an addition suppressed in the present official text).

The literary origins of the Canon are usually located in Egypt, in the Alexandrian tradition, but in some aspects it reflects the Antiochene tradition; theologically, the prayer exhibits archaic features, such as the absence of mention of the Holy Spirit in the part of the prayer commonly identified as the epiclesis or as the prayer most corresponding to it.

Though the body of the Canon is a largely fixed formula, some variants are possible for certain feasts, while it has a large number of variable prefaces, a distinctive feature of the Roman tradition. It is only in the preface of the Canon that the thanksgiving motif, which gives the anaphora its name ("eucharist"), is to be found; the rest of the prayer is dominated rather by the sacrificial motif.



INTRODUCTORY DIALOGUE

Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

PREFACE
(variable)

ACCLAMATION

Priest and People:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

We come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice.

[Intercessions: For the Church]

We offer them for your holy catholic Church, watch over it, Lord, and guide it; grant it peace and unity throughout the world. We offer them for N. our Pope, for N. our bishop, and for all who hold and teach the catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles. Remember, Lord, your people, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N.

Remember all of us gathered here before you. You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves to you. We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves and those who are dear to us. We pray to you, our living and true God, for our well-being and redemption.

[In Communion with the Saints]

In union with the whole Church we honor Mary, the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles and martyrs Peter and Paul, Andrew, [James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; we honor Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian] and all the saints. May their merits and prayers gain us your constant help and protection.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]

Father, accept this offering from your whole family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]

Bless and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you, an offering in spirit and in truth. Let it become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]

The day before he suffered he took bread in his sacred hands and looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father, he gave you thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you.

When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory of me.

[Memorial Acclamation]

Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
People:
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.

Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Lord Jesus, come in glory.

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory.

Lord, by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.

You are the Savior of the world.

[The Memorial Prayer]

Father, we celebrate the memory of Christ your Son. We, your people and your ministers, recall his passion, his resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory; and from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice: the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation. Look with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you accepted the gifts of your servant Abel, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchisedech.

Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven. Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]

[For the Dead]

Remember, Lord, those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those for whom we now pray, N. and N. May these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence light, happiness, and peace.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]

For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the fellowship of your apostles and martyrs, with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, [Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia] and all the saints. Though we are sinners, we trust in your mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but grant us your forgiveness.
Through Christ our Lord.

Through him you give us all these gifts.
You fill them with life and goodness,
you bless them and make them holy.

[Concluding Doxology]

Through him, with him, in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours,
almighty Father,
for ever and ever.

All reply: Amen.