E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

THE CANON OF THE MASS. 87
in the prayers Communicantes and Hanc igitttr) always
remains the same. As the Sacrifice in itself never
varies, there is a special fitness that the prayer which
accompanies it, and as it were enshrines it, should be
unchangeable.
Other names are given to the Canon by early
writers: thus, St. Gregory calls it the "prayer" by
excellence, others the "
action," the latter word is still
kept in the Missal and forms the title of the prayer
"
Communicantes in the Canon. The Canon is called the
Christ in
action," because the Body and Blood of Jesus
the Mass is wrought or made (conficitur) by the greatest
"
action
"
or act in this world. The power to perform
"
action is given to the priest at his ordination.
that "
Of what does the Canon consist ? The Council of
Trent (Sess. xxii. ch. 4) commits itself to these asser
tions the Canon consists first of our Lord s very
words ; secondly, of prayers received from the tradi
tions of the Apostles ; thirdly, of prayers piously
ordered by holy Pontiffs. The Council defines that
the Canon of the Mass is free from errors, and that
the entire Canon is redolent of holiness.
The words : a holy sacrifice and spotless Victim
were added by St. Leo the Great. Pope St. Gregory
the Great (590 604) added the words : and dispose
our days in Thy peace, and bid us be saved
from eternal damnation, and to
the flock of Thy elect. He is
be numbered in
also said to have
added the names of the holy virgins and martyrs
SS. Agatha, Lucia, Agnes, Cecilia, and Anastasia.
As to the antiquity of the Canon we are certainly
safe in saying that it is some 1,300 or 1,400 years old,
there has been no addition to the Canon since the time
of Gregory the Great.