Understanding the Mass: The Church Gathered in the Presence of God

 
Did You Know?

 - The Procession: The priest and ministers (representing the whole people of God) symbolically move from the ordinary (the world) to the extraordinary (the sanctuary, which is a symbol of heaven itself) – from the secular to the sacred, from the everyday to the eternal.

 - The Altar: The altar represents Christ himself. When we see the priest kiss the altar, we should reverence Christ in our heart. The altar is the center, where the mystery of our faith is celebrated.

 - Sign of the Cross: We begin Mass with the Sign of the Cross. This is not an introduction to prayer, but is in fact a prayer in and of itself. It is a prayer! It affirms our faith in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We recall our baptism and are reminded of the great act of love of Christ, who suffered and died for us.