Concelebration

In the Catholic Church, concelebration (from Lat., con + celebrare,to celebrate together) is the presiding of a number of priests at the celebration of the Eucharist with either a priest or bishop as the principal celebrant and the other priests and bishops present in the sanctuary assisting in the consecration of the Eucharist. The concelebrants assist the principal celebrant by reciting the Words of Consecration together with him, thus effecting the transubstantiation of the eucharistic elements.They may also recite portions of the Eucharistic Prayer. This article treats principally of the practice in the Latin Rite within the Roman Catholic Church.

History

Concelebration is and has always been common in Eastern Christianity, but in the Roman Catholic Church the practice fell into disuse for several centuries but has been revived with the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Concelebration in the Latin Church

It is known from early Christian art uncovered through archaeology that concelebration took place in the Early Church in the West, although it is not known precisely when it fell into disuse. It is known that the practice gradually came to be reserved for the greater festival days and other solemn occasions. According to Pope Innocent III (r.1198-1216) the cardinals in Rome still concelebrated with the pope on certain feast days. It is known that from the medieval period (particularly following the Black Death when masses for the dead celebrated daily by all priests became the norm, with the exception of the Sundays). By the Second Vatican Council there were only two occasions when concelebration took place in the Roman Rite: