§ 1. On Masses During the Last Three Days of Holy Week

281. On Holy Thursday private Masses are generally forbidden; one solemn Mass, however, is to be celebrated in all cathedral, collegiate, and parish churches. By indult it is not rarely granted that a solemn Mass also be said in public or semipublic oratories in which the Most Holy Eucharist is habitually reserved. The bishop can grant that parish or quasi-parish churches which do not have three clerics celebrate only a read Mass.⁴²¹

In some dioceses bishops permit that, not only in parish churches but also in others, for example, churches of seminaries, religious, etc., one Mass be read before the solemn Mass for the convenience of the people. But the bishop cannot grant a faculty of this kind by his own authority; either legitimate custom or an apostolic indult must be added. For the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites of March 27, 1773, is no longer found in the authentic collection of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and accordingly is considered abolished. A fortiori, the opinion formerly defended by several grave authors, asserting that according to the Latin rite private Masses are not absolutely prohibited either on Holy Thursday or on Holy Saturday, must be rejected.⁴²²

On Holy Thursday, with the permission at least of the bishop, it is lawful to sing Mass in non-parish churches, even though the Mass of the Presanctified is not celebrated in those same churches.⁴²³ In this case the consecration of the other Host and the procession are to be omitted. In parish churches, however, all the liturgical rites prescribed for these three days must be performed, at least according to the small Ritual of Benedict XIII. Nevertheless, the Sacred Congregation of Rites, on December 9, 1899, replied to the question, "Whether on Holy Thursday in parish and other non-parish churches a read Mass with singing can be celebrated without the functions of Good Friday and Holy Saturday being performed?": "In parish churches where there is a baptismal font, let the rubrics of the Missal and the decrees be observed.... In other non-parish churches, however, the function of Holy Saturday can be omitted, but not that of Good Friday; and let the Sepulcher be made." This response cannot be reconciled so easily with the response of the same Congregation of February 1, 1895. Perhaps it must be said that this latter decision regards a particular case. Hence in practice the Mass of the Presanctified is to be said in all churches in which Mass was held on Holy Thursday. Nevertheless, regular superiors who do not perform the solemn functions on these three days can celebrate a private Mass on Holy Thursday to furnish Holy Communion to their subjects, but in the domestic chapel or, if this is lacking, in the church with the doors closed.⁴²⁴

If some feast of precept, for example, St. Joseph, falls on Holy Thursday, the bishop must take care that as many Masses be said in the churches as suffice for the people to be able to satisfy the precept of hearing Mass.⁴²⁵ This by no means applies, however, if such feasts either are no longer of precept or are transferred to another day.⁴²⁶ All bishops and Cardinals who on Holy Thursday do not say the solemn Mass in their cathedral can say a private Mass in their domestic oratory or permit another priest to celebrate Mass before them.⁴²⁷

⁴²¹ Sacred Congregation of Rites, July 28 (31), 1821 (Decr. auth., n. 2616 ad 1). Cf. Gasparri, De euchar. I, n. 81.

⁴²² Cf. St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor. l. 6, n. 350, who says that private Masses are altogether unlawful on these days.

⁴²³ Sacred Congregation of Rites, February 1, 1895 (Decr. auth., n. 3842 ad 2).

⁴²⁴ Sacred Congregation of Rites, August 31, 1839.

⁴²⁵ Sacred Congregation of Rites, September 12, 1716.

⁴²⁶ Sacred Congregation of Rites, September 27, 1868.

⁴²⁷ Code of Canon Law, c. 349, § 1, n. 1; c. 239, § 1, n. 4.

282. Good Friday is called an aliturgical day, because, except in a case of grave necessity to consecrate a Host for administering Viaticum, no Mass can be celebrated. In such a case of necessity, the votive Mass of the Passion of the Lord is to be said; but this case can scarcely occur in our times, since particles for administering Viaticum are always reserved. When, however, some feast, for example, the feast of the principal patron which is of precept, falls on Good Friday or Holy Saturday, particular laws must be attended to.

The so-called Mass of the Presanctified, which is customarily celebrated on this day, is not a true Mass, since consecration is lacking; accordingly, no stipend can be accepted, nor are the faithful bound to assist, even if on this day a feast of precept from particular law occurs.

283. On Holy Saturday, private Masses separated from the other liturgical functions are prohibited much more strictly than on Holy Thursday. Accordingly, either a special pontifical indult or the necessity of confecting Viaticum is required for saying a private Mass. In parish churches in which there is a baptismal font, the Mass and the other functions must be performed; in other churches, however, they can be omitted, even if the sacred functions were held on Thursday and Friday.⁴²⁸ On Holy Saturday, Holy Communion can be distributed to the faithful not only immediately after the completion of Mass, but also amid the solemnities of the Mass.⁴²⁹ Concerning the distribution of Holy Communion on Good Friday by particular law, see what we said above in n. 220.

⁴²⁸ Sacred Congregation of Rites, December 9, 1903, ad 1 (Decr. auth., n. 4049).

⁴²⁹ Sacred Congregation of Rites, April 28, 1914 (Acta Apostolicae Sedis VI, 197); Code of Canon Law, c. 867, § 3.