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Can anyone explaine the difference between Mass and Liturgy?

Do you want an explanation of the roots of the words?

The differences in religious terms is that the Roman Catholic Eucharist is commonly called Mass while in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, the Eucharist is called the Divine LIturgy.

"Technically" speaking, a Roman Catholic Mass is a "Divine Liturgy". However, we call it a "Mass" because of the final words of the priest, in Latin, "Ite, missa est", meaning "Go, you are sent forth". At some point, people called the Liturgy the "Missa", the "Sending Forth", which eventually became morphed into "Mass".

As the Latin Church only had one Liturgy for the Eucharistic celebration (commonly known as Mass), the distinction is important because in the Byzantine Rite, besides the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (the common "Mass"), has the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil (celebrated on special fests of the year), the Liturgy of the Presantified Gifts (celebrated on Holy Week), and the Divine Liturgy of St. James the Brother of the Lord.

The traditional Mass of the Latin Church, the Tridentine Mass, may also be called "Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory of Rome." But the term mass is the way the Eucharistic Celebration is denominated in the West.

The Liturgy of St Basil is also celebrated on the Sundays of the Great Fast (Lent). The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is not restricted to Holy and Great Week, but is celebrated on the evenings of Wednesday and Friday during the Great Fast. The Liturgy of the Presanctified is essentially Vespers with a Communion service, the Eucharist having been consecrated (presanctified) at the previous Sunday's Divine Liturgy. The Weekdays of the Great Fast are aliturgical meaning no Eucharistic Liturgy is served during the weekdays of the Great Fast (except when the Feast of the Annunciation falls on a weekday). Interestingly, some texts refer to the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts as the Liturgy of St Gregory Dialogos (Pope St Gregory the Great).

Among some of the older Eastern Catholics "Mass" is used in refernce to the Divine Liturgy. Among some of the Orthodox in Spanish-speaking countries, they also use the term misa to refer to the Divine Liturgy.

(Subdeacon) John Montalvo

I've observed some Eastern Orthodox making an odd use of the Western word, "Mass."

In some cases, I've heard some older immigrant Orthodox, both Antiochian and Russian, refer to the Panikhida (Memorial Service patterned on Matins) as a "Mass."

I noticed on the sign outside Ss. Peter and Paul Russian Orthodox Cathedral (OCA) in Montreal the times for "Messes" ("Masses"). And in my own OCA church, some of the Russian-born parishioners will sometimes refer to the Divine Liturgy as a "Mass." Doesn't Nasser do the same thing in his early book of the Divine Liturgy translated from Arabic into English for the Antiochians?

OrthodoxEast

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Just as the word �Mass� has its origins in the Latin �missa�, meaning being �sent�, the word �Liturgy� has its origins in the Greek. �Leitourgia� is a composite word whose elements are �leitos� (from �leos�, people or public) and �ergo� (future stem �erxo�) meaning �to do.� The meaning therefore is the work (public duty) of the people.

The Liturgy and its rites were delivered by the Apostles to the churches, which they had established. The Apostles were taught by the Lord himself, who for forty days, following His resurrection spoke to them �of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God� (Acts 1:3).

Saint Paul emphasizes this fact when he says, �For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread ...� (1Cor 12:23). Here, St. Paul emphasizes the fact that each Apostle received the liturgical tradition from the Lord Himself. Every local church had received the rite of the Eucharist with its first evangelization. This is important. It means that the living tradition of the Liturgy as the heart of its corporate life went back into the very roots of every apostolic church.

Hope this helps,
Deacon El

And another thought occurs to me [ with my RC hat on here ]

The Mass can be sub-divided into the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Angela

Dear Friends,

Deacon Pekarik has raised a fascinating issue here!

The word "Liturgy" or "public duty" has its roots in the pagan Roman civil service.

Any Roman administrator fulfilled "liturgy" in performing his duties as an agent of the government.

The Church, as in other things, simply adopted this term from the Roman political/cultural milieu in which it lived.

Even the double-looped chains that our priests wear their pectoral Crosses on come from Roman times. It was the "chain of office" and had a double loop to indicate that the Roman civil servant had a double responsibiity and authority that included the service of others.

And our Cathedrals were based on the old Roman court buildings where public services were performed. These, rather than the architecture of the pagan temples, were preferred by the early Church because they could accommodate more people and for other reasons.

The Sanctuary is where the throne of the Roman judges were located and "Altar" in the East is still referred to as the "Throne."

Alex

Slava Jesu Kristu,

I think it only natural that the early Fathers would have used what they knew to form the form of Byzantine/Roman Christianity that we have today. It certainly would have made for a smoother transition to the early laity still adjusting to the "new" religion. An early version of economia if you will. Their tradition, of course, has now become ours. I think this is why some Protestant versions of Christianity are so foreign to us. To remove the customs brought forth through the centuries seems so unnatural to me.

Dmitri

Dear Dmitri,

Well, when do you celebrate Mardi Gras? Along with everyone else I hope!

Alex

Slava Jesu Kristu,

Oh, of course. Usually we receive a special dispensation to "relax" the fast a little on Fat Tuesday. So, I get to have the cream cheese King Cake versus just the plain kind. I eat it with as much humility as I can during a parade, that is.

Dmitri

Dear Dmitri,

Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

I once had a King Cake that was, I assume, the regular variety.

They make them with cream cheese? That must be sinfully delicious!

Is it considered the best type?

Also, is the little plastic child to be found in it a representation of the Baby Jesus?

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ,

King Cakes come in all types. Traditionally, they are made with a cinnamon type dough. This is by no means the only type however. They can be filled with cream cheese, apples, pears, jams, really anything you can bake in a regular cake. The baby is a representation of the Christ child. The season of Carnival begins on Epiphany and lasts through Fat Tuesday on the Western calandar. Obviously, the cake is named after the three wise men and the baby is, well, THE baby. The cake itself is of French origin and during the middle ages was know as the Epiphany Cake. As lagniappe, the offical colors of Carnival in New Orleans are purple, green, and gold. And flags of that colour are allowed to be flown over the city during that time. I haven't strayed too much off topic, have I?

Dmitri

I had my first experience with a King Cake last year and I was "fortunate" enough to get the piece with the plastic figurine in it. I had no idea what it was, as I never heard of a King Cake before. My roommate thought it was the funniest thing when I pulled this little figure out and said, "Now what the *&#$ is this doing in my cake???" (I had a long, long day). She then explained the whole thing to me. I went from being irate to very bemused, at the cake itself and at myself for being such an emotional fool. :p

In Christ,
mikey.