Tradintine Mass celebrated in Asilo

CEBU, Philippines - An extraordinary form of mass was celebrated for the first time yesterday at the chapel of Asilo de la Milagrosa by the former Archbishop of Hong Kong, Cardinal Joseph Zen Zekiun.

The Tradintine Mass is a celebration of the Eucharist in Latin.

Unlike the ordinary mass that is being practiced today, the celebrant in the Tradintine Mass faces the altar most of the time. Cardinal Zen only faced the congregation when he delivered his homily.

Cardinal Zen was also seated with the altar boys around him while giving his sermon. He explained that his first exposure to Latin Mass was when the Catholic missionaries visited their place in China. According to Cardinal Zen, the ordinary mass of today is very much different from the Tradintine Mass.

Pope Pius V, during the Vatican II Council, allowed local churches in 1962 to use the local language to allow an interaction between the parishioners during the mass.

Cardinal Zen said that while the form was changed, the host remains the same. The bread still symbolizes the body of Christ and the wine of His blood.

 “Mass is a sacrament of faith” Cardinal Zen said.

Livory Baguio, a youth from Lapu-Lapu City, said she was very happy and blessed to have attended the Mass in Latin for the first time.

Although she did not understand the language, Baguio said she felt the holiness of the celebration and the presence of the Holy Spirit. — (FREEMAN)