TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS
The Traditional Latin Mass or the Tridentine Mass or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass was celebrated in previous centuries before the Mass of Pope Paul VI or the Novus Ordo Mass. The Traditional Latin Mass has Three Level of Celebration but often declared four levels. But before 1962, there is only two levels of celebration. The Traditional Latin Mass used the Latin Language and prayers are mostly sung.
1. THE LOW MASS or MISSA LECTA
The Low Mass was often celebrated in weekdays, Saturday and in Sunday Afternoon. The Low Mass was celebrated by the Priest with only one Altar Server, the prayers were only read, no music, no opening and closing procession and the mass last in 1 hour. There is also no Sprinkling of Holy Water and incensing the Altar and the People. And when the Mass is ended, the Priest together with the faithful the Leonine Prayers (Three Hail Mary, Salve Regina, Prayer to Saint Michael the Arcangel and Three Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on us).
2. THE SUNG MASS or MISSA CANTATA
The Sung Mass was often celebrated in Sunday Morning and on special occasions or feast day. The Mass was celebrated by the Priest with more altar servers, the prayers were sung, there are music, choir, opening and closing procession, sprinkling of Holy Water and Incensing the altar, bread and wine and the people. Unlike the Low Mass, the Sung Mass last in 1 and half hour except on special occasions or feast day where it lasts in two hours. And there are no Leonine Prayers after the mass.
3. THE HIGH MASS or MISSA SOLEMNIS
The High Mass, like the Sung Mass, it was often celebrated in Sunday Morning and on important feast day. But the difference is the Deacon and Subdeacon are the ones who mainly assist the Priest in celebrating the Mass, and they have special role in the Mass. For example, in the Low Mass and Sung Mass, the Priest is the only person who will read the Epistles and the Gospel. But in the High Mass, the subdeacon is reading the Epistles while the Deacon is the one who reads the Gospel. The High Mass last in 1 and half hour except on special occasions or feast day where it lasts in two hours. And there are no Leonine Prayers after the mass. But after Vatican II, some churches of the traditional priest societies are not able to celebrated the High Mass because the absence the subdeacon. The the order of subdeacons was abolished during the Vatican II Council, only the Traditional Priest Societies keep this order, and the subdeacons are mostly in seminaries to study. Sometimes, when a church celebrates the High Mass, the other priest are the ones who filed the role of the deacon and subdeacon.
a. THE PONTIFICAL HIGH MASS – The Pontifical High Mass is similar to the High Mass but the bishop is the one who celebrate the Holy Mass, and his main assistants are the priest who filed the role of the deacon and subdeacon. While the deacons, subdeacons and the altar servers are additional help in the mass. The Pontifical High Mass is under the High Mass, but sometimes considered as the fourth level of celebration.
THE NOVUS ORDO MASS
The Novus Ordo Mass was codified by Pope Paul VI under the Vatican II Council. The Mass is similar to the protestant mass and now the Mass that mostly used in the Catholic Church. The only difference of the Novus Ordo Mass is that there are no subdeacons, altar servers are mostly replaced by the lay ministers, lay ministers especialy a woman read the Old Testament, Epistles and Gospel, which is very different to the traditional because only men can assist in the mass.
1. DAILY MASS
The Daily Mass was celebrated in weekdays, Saturday and sometimes in Sunday Afternoon. The Daily Mass is similar to the Low Mass of the Traditional Latin Mass. No opening and closing procession, no music, and sometimes no sprinkling of the Holy Water and incense. The daily mass last in 45 minutes or more, sometimes in last in 30 minutes or more.
2. ORDINARY MASS
The Ordinary Mass was celebrated in Sunday Morning but somes in Sunday afternoon. This mass is similar to Sung Mass and High Mass. Most of the prayers was sung, there are music and choir, opening and closing procession and sprinkling of holy water and incensing the altar table and the people. This mass can be celebrated by the bishops. The Ordinary Mass last for an hour or more if there’s a special occasion. Though some faithful don’t know the difference of the Daily and Ordinary Mass because some Priest celebrate Daily Mass but add some parts of the Ordionary Mass like music or incensing.
