• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too…” Pope Benedict XVI (7 July 2007)

  • About
  • Symposium
  • Hymnal
  • Jogues Missal
  • Site Map
  • Donate
Views from the Choir Loft

The Preface of the Holy Cross

Fr. David Friel · March 18, 2018

HE TWO-WEEK season known as “Passiontide” traditionally begins today. This is the period of proximate preparation for the Paschal festivities. It is marked liturgically in a number of ways.

In the Ordinary Form and the Extraordinary Form, for example, this is the time during which sacred images are veiled in the church (with the exception of the Stations of the Cross). In the Extraordinary Form, Passiontide is further distinguished by the suppression of the Gloria Patri and the omission of the Judica (Psalm 42) at Mass.

Another special feature of Mass during Passiontide in the Extraordinary Form is the use of the preface of the Holy Cross, which is among the most superlative examples of all such texts. I reproduce here the Latin original of this preface:

Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salutáre,
nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere:
Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens, ætérne Deus:

Qui salútem humáni géneris in ligno crucis constituísti,
ut unde mors oriebátur, inde vita resúrgeret;
et, qui in ligno vincébat, in ligno quoque vincerétur:
per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Per quem maiestátem laudant Angeli,
adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes.
Cæli cælorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim,
sócia exsultatióne concelebrant.

Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admítti iúbeas, deprecámur,
súpplici confessióne dicéntes:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth…1

And here is my own English translation of the preface:

It is truly worthy and just, fair and salvific,
for us to give you thanks always and everywhere,
Lord, holy Father, almighty, eternal God.

You placed the salvation of the human race upon the wood of the cross,
so that where death arose, there life might rise again;
and the one who conquered on a tree, might also be conquered on a tree:
through Christ our Lord.

Through whom the Angels praise your majesty, Dominions adore, Powers tremble.
Heaven and the Virtues of heaven, and the blessed Seraphim, unite to celebrate together with exultation.

Graciously grant, we pray, that our voices may be joined to theirs, in humble praise, saying:

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts…

The bold sections above are the heart of this magnificent preface, most likely authored by the great eighth-century liturgist, Alcuin of York.

Our first extant source for this text is the Masses of Alcuin. 2 Among this collection of 278 Masses, Deshusses identifies 223 formularies that are simply borrowed from other sacramentaries or that can be found only in one or two MSS. From among the remaining 55 Masses, Deshusses highlights a subset of 21 or 22 that, on account of their homogeneous structure and style, ought to be considered the authentic work of Alcuin, either as editor or as author. 3 Structurally, these formularies are distinguished by their inclusion of the three standard orations, possibly a preface, and a super populum. Stylistically, the choice of words is marked by high refinement and an affinity for elegant comparisons and inversions.

The votive Mass “De Sancta Cruce” is among this special subset, and it includes the preface that remains in use verbatim in Missale Romanum 2008 for both the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th) and the votive Mass “De Mysterio Sanctae Crucis.” (See also this short history of the feast of the Exaltation.) In Missale Romanum 1570 (and MR 1962), this is the same preface used during Passiontide.

This preface contains rich scriptural allusions. The statement, “qui salutem humani generis in ligno crucis constituisti,” alludes strongly to the following Gospel passage: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15, RSV). These verses, in turn, recall Numbers 21:5-9, wherein the Israelites who had been bitten by fiery serpents are healed by looking upon a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole. It is a beautiful and essential feature of this story from Numbers that the people were healed by means of the same instrument by which they had been struck, namely a serpent; the preface capitalizes upon the same device, extending the imagery to the tree of paradise and the tree of Calvary.

Another scriptural reference apparent in the preface is the phrase, “qui in ligno vincebat, in ligno quoque vinceretur.” 4 The preface text does not specify the subject of this phrase, but scriptural context reveals it to be Satan, who defeated Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3). By whom or what, however, was Satan, himself, conquered on a tree? Scripture answers this question, too, where Peter observes that “he, himself [Christ], bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24, RSV).

The Church offers so much for our reflection during the season of Lent, and the offerings are raised to an even richer register during Passiontide. Let’s not miss the powerful message of this beautiful, ancient, and eloquent preface.




NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:

1   Missale Romanum ex decreto sacrosancti oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II instauratum, auctoritate Pauli Pp. VI promulgatum, Ioannis Pauli Pp. II cura recognitum, editio typica tertia, reimpressio emendata (Vatican City: Typis Vaticanis, 2008).

2   Le Sacramentaire grégorien: Ses principales formes d’après les plus anciens manuscrits, édition comparative, vol. 2, ed. Jean Deshusses (Fribourg, Switzerland: Éditions Universitaires Fribourg, 1979), 1837. See also Edmond Moeller, Corpus Praefationum, CCL 161C (Turnhout: Brepols, 1980), 1200.

3   Deshusses, vol. 2, 25-26.

4   A very similar thought is expressed in a homily of Theodore the Studite: “ἐπειδὴ τὸ πρὶν διὰ ξὐλου τεθανατὠμεθα, ὲν ξύλῳ τὴν ἀθανασίαν εὑράμεθα · ὑπὸ ξύλου χατασοφισθέντες τὸ πρότερον, ἐν ξύλῳ τὸν σοφιστὴν ὄφιν ἀπεχρουσάμεθα.” Theodore the Studite, Oratio in adorationem crucis, in J.-P. Migne, Patrologia Graeca 99: 696.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Extraordinary Form 1962 Missal, Latin, Roman Missal Third Edition, Traditional Latin Mass Last Updated: January 1, 2020

Subscribe to the CCW Mailing List

About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

Primary Sidebar

Corpus Christi Watershed

Quick Thoughts

Alabama Assessment!

We received this evaluation of Symposium 2022 from an Alabama participant:

“Oh, how the Symposium echoed the words of Cardinal Merry Del Val: …choosing only what is most conformed to Thy glory, which is my final aim. In one short and fast paced week, the faculty and attendees showed me the hand of God and our Lady working in our lives. The wide range of education—from Gregorian Chant, jazz modes in organ improvisation, to ‘staying sane’ while leading a choir—were certainly first-class knowledge from the best teachers of the art. However, the most powerful lesson was learning how to pray as a choir. The sacrifice of putting songs together, taking time to learn the sacred text, meditating on the church teaching through the chants, and gaining the virtues required to persevere in these duties were not only qualities of a choir but of a saint. The sanctification of the lives of the attendees was a beautiful outcome of this event … and that in itself is worth more than a beautifully-sung Solesmes style chant!”

—Jeff Ostrowski
PDF Download • Trinity Sunday (22 pages)

Feel free to download this Organ Accompaniment Booklet for Trinity Sunday (Second Vespers). Notice how the modes progress by number. Psalm 1 is mode 1; Psalm 2 is mode 2; Psalm 3 is mode 3; Psalm 4 is mode 4; Psalm 5 is mode 5. I am told by an expert that other feasts (such as Corpus Christi) are likewise organized by mode, and it’s called a “numerical office.”

—Jeff Ostrowski
10 June 2022 • “Official” rhythm of plainsong

I continue to search for the most beautiful way to present the “pure” Editio Vaticana scores. (Technically, the “pure” rhythm of the official edition is what everyone is supposed to use.) You can download my latest attempt, which is the Introit for this coming Sunday: Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Because this is not an ancient feast, the Introit had to be adapted (perhaps around 750AD). Prior Johner says the adaptation is “not an entirely happy one.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“Place the missal in the hand of the faithful so that they may take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass; and that they faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church.”

— Ven. Pope Pius XII

Recent Posts

  • “I Decided to Get a Plane Ticket and Fly 8,700 Miles From Singapore to Take Part.”
  • Alabama Assessment!
  • “How Has Nobody Done This Before?” • Vol. 1
  • “Exceeded Every Expectation!” • Mr. O’Brien’s Review
  • “81 Photos” • Sacred Music Symposium 2022

Copyright © 2022 Corpus Christi Watershed · Gabriel Lalemant on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Corpus Christi Watershed is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to exploring and embodying as our calling the relationship of religion, culture, and the arts. This non-profit organization employs the creative media in service of theology, the Church, and Christian culture for the enrichment and enjoyment of the public.