WHERE DOES THE WORD “MASS” COME FROM?

Holy Mass

Have you noticed that, to refer to the Eucharist, we use the word: “Mass” And we say: ”Let’s go to Mass”; I am going to hear mass”; But where does this word come from? What does it mean?

The word mass came from the times when the Eucharist was celebrated only in Latin, the language used by the Roman Empire, which for many centuries was also the official language of the Catholic Church around the world. In the Latin Mass, the farewell greeting after the blessing is this: “Ite Missa est” and translates as: “Go, you are sent,” referring to the sending of the faithful to their homes after the Eucharistic celebration.

Thus, the word “Missa” or “Mass” means “sending” which is precisely what comes after having heard the Word of God, after receiving communion and praying. That is, we leave the house of God to go and fulfill our Christian mission.

Fr. Tarcisio