E SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

88 THE CANON OF THE MASS.
But portions of it may
be earlier. The narrative
introductory to the Consecration and the words of con
secration of the Chalice certainly contain Apostolical
traditions of the actions and words of our Blessed
Saviour, who (as we know from St. John xxi. 25)
said and did many things which are not in the holy
Gospels. The order in which the Apostles names are
given is not precisely the same as in any
of the
Gospels ; the names of the Apostles may have been
written earlier than the Gospels. Further, the list of
saints given in the Canon consists of Apostles and
martyrs merely, a sign that at least a portion
of the
Canon is earlier than the fourth century, when the
names of Confessors were added to the Church s list
of saints.
The Canon begins after the Sanctus and ends
before the Pater noster, according to some ; according to
others, the Canon ends with the priest s Communion.
By the strict law of the Church in the Council
of Trent, the Canon is said by the priest in a low voice
(submissa voce) and the priest never raises his voice
from the prayer which begins the Canon Teigitur, \Wt
therefore humbly pray and beseech Thee, until the
Patev noster, except at the Nobis quoque peccatovibns.
The rubric is that the Canon be said so as to be
inaudible to the congregation, because the great act of
sacrifice in the Canon belongs to the priest alone, and
secondly, because silence in the most important portion
of the Mass is most impressive for all who assist
at the Sacrifice, and it promotes recollection.
The priest begins the Canon by extending and
raising his ha?nds and fixing his eyes on the crucifix.
He then lowers his hands and joining them, he lays
them on the altar, and at the same time makes a