How to celebrate Mass "ad orientem"

Following Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Cardinal Sarah has repeatedly called for a return to ad orientem worship - in which the priest and the people face together in the same direction toward the front of the church for those parts of the Mass which are addressed directly to God. Most recently, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Divine Liturgy has asked priests to implement ad orientem worship as soon as possible, hopefully at least by the First Sunday of Advent - for this is an act of true renewal and “is something good for the Church and the people of God.”

Many priests will be asking, how exactly does ad orientem work? When would I turn to face the people and when would I face forward “with the people” towards God?

We will give the basic indications, drawn from the GIRM (which is the official book telling the priest how to celebrate Mass) and from the comments of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as well as those of Cardinal Sarah. I will also add certain practical points learned since I transitioned my own parish to ad orientem two years ago.

Ad orientem is part of the Novus Ordo

In response to the ridiculous insinuations made by some (including even high ranking officials in the Church) that ad orientem worship is somehow only a part of the Traditional Latin Mass or “extraordinary form” and that re-introducing this in the new Mass would therefore be some unjust “mixing of the forms,” we stress that neither the Second Vatican Council, nor any Pope, nor any official mandate from the Church has ever directed the priest to face the people during the whole of the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy.

The General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) and other documents of the Church do not mandate that the priest either face the people or face with the people ad orientem. One line is often misinterpreted as promoting the priest facing the people: GIRM 299. Many are familiar with the debate surrounding this paragraph, and we will not reproduce it here. We need only point out that the Congregation for the Divine Liturgy has closed this debate by stating, “As both positions [i.e. ad orientem and facing the people] enjoy favor of law, legislation may not be invoked to say that one position or the other accords more closely with the mind of the Church.” (10 April 2000)

On the other hand, the rubrics of the Missal and the directions of the GIRM many times presuppose that the new Mass would be celebrated ad orientem. Facing with the people is not something which belongs only to the Traditional Latin Mass, it is also a legitimate part of the Mass of the Second Vatican Council. In no way should ad orientem be thought of as “going back” or “pre-Vatican II” – this is simply the normal way that the Church presupposed the new Mass would be celebrated, as is indicated by the rubrics and directives in the GIRM.

Interpreting the directions of the GIRM

The GIRM does not always indicate which way the priest should be facing. The clearest indications are found at the “Orate fratres” (the “pray, brethren” before the prayer over the gifts) and at the communion rite. In these places, the priest is specifically directed to turn and face the people at certain moments, and then to turn to face the altar at others. We also note that, in the opening rites of the Mass, the priest is directed to face the people for the sign of the Cross and the greeting, but nothing further is said.

Following the Church's tradition and her perennial liturgical practice, it would be safe to assume that the priest is always meant to be facing towards the altar “ad orientem” excepting for those places in which he is expressly directed to face the people. This is the most natural way to read the GIRM, since the indication to face the people is given as a change in direction -- the priest had been facing towards the altar, towards the front of the church, UNTIL he was directed to turn and face towards the people.

Consider two examples to illustrate this point:

1)     In the entrance rites, the procession to the altar has directed the priest in a forward movement -- he clearly approaches the sanctuary facing forward, towards the altar and towards the front of the church. The priest only faces towards the people at that moment when the GIRM directs a change in momentum as he faces the people to make the sign of the Cross. In the entrance rites, the priest is facing ad orientem, except when the GIRM indicates otherwise.

2)    At the offertory it is presumed by the GIRM that the priest is facing ad orientem until he is directed to turn and face the people as he says, “Orate fratres” ("pray, brethren”). He then returns to facing toward the altar and towards the front of the church for the Eucharistic prayer.

When the GIRM and the Missal give no clear indication of which way the priest is to face, it is presumed that he should be facing ad orientem with the people towards the Lord.

Cardinal Sarah and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI indicates that ad orientem is fitting for those portions of the Mass in which the priest addresses God directly. Cardinal Sarah stresses this same point as he states that the priest should face ad orientem not only for the Eucharistic Prayer but also for the Gloria and the Creed.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Spirit of the Liturgy (chapter 3): “On the other hand, a common turning to the East during the Eucharistic Prayer remains essential. This is not a case of something accidental, but of what is essential. Looking at the priest has no importance. What matters is looking together at the Lord. It is not now a question of dialogue, but of common worship, of setting off towards the One who is to come. What corresponds with the reality of what is happening is not the closed circle, but the common movement forward expressed in a common direction for prayer.”

Cardinal Sarah in an interview with “Famille Chretienne” (23 May 2016): “I proposed that the priests and the faithful turn toward the East at least during the Penitential Rite, during the singing of the Gloria, during the Propers and during the Eucharistic Prayer.”

The basic lesson from these two figures of the Church's Magisterium is that those words which are directed to God should be accompanied by a posture which is likewise directed towards God - ad orientem.

How to celebrate ad orientem

After processing to and reverencing the altar, before making the sign of the Cross, the priest faces the people. He continues to face the people for the greeting "The Lord be with you" and the opening of the penitential rite "Fratres, agnoscamus" ("Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins"). 

Prior to the Confiteor (“I confess”) the priest turns ad orientem, turning slightly to the right and the left when addressing the people "et vobis/vos, fratres" ("and you, my brothers and sisters"). He remains facing forward ad orientem for the prayer “Misereator nostri” (“May almighty God have mercy on us”).

At the Kyrie, the priest continues to face the front of the church. He remains facing ad orientem through the Gloria (if it is said/sung). The priest says “Oremus” ("Let us pray”) and the opening prayer all while facing with the people towards the front of the church. He is then seated.

Note for the Liturgy of the Word: If proclaiming the Gospel, the priest makes his preparatory prayer facing ad orientem in front of and toward the altar.

The Liturgy of the Word being completed, the priest faces ad orientem as the Creed is said/sung (if the Mass has a Creed).

Facing toward the people, the priest introduces the general intercessions when they are used. He faces ad orientem for their concluding prayer.

Ascending the altar and remaining on the “people’s side” (i.e. not walking around to the far side of the altar if it be free standing, but ascending facing with the people towards the front of the church), the priest faces ad orientem throughout the offertory rites (excepting if he receives the gifts) until the “Orate, fratres” (“pray, brethren”) when he faces the people also for their response “Suscipiat Dominus” (“May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands”), and turns again ad orientem towards the altar as he says the prayer over the gifts. NOTE: This turn is a full circle turn, the priest has turned around to his right to face the people for “Orate, fratres” and then continues the turn all the way around 360 degrees after the “Suscipiat”.

The priest remains ad orientem throughout the whole of the preface dialogue and the Eucharistic Prayer, as is clear from the GIRM which gives no indication that he should turn to face the people after expressly directing him to face the altar for the prayer over the gifts.

After the Lord’s Prayer and embolism as well as the prayer “Domine Iesu Christe, qui dixisti” (“Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles”), the priest faces the people as he gives the peace saying, “Pax Domini” (“The Peace of the Lord be with you always”). He then returns to ad orientem for the fracturing rite – note that this turn (following the tradition of the Chruch) would not be a full circle, but a turn back to the left to face the altar so as to avoid ever turning fully away from the Eucharstic Lord.

After the Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”), the priest holding the Host faces the people saying, “Ecce Agnus Dei” (“Behold the Lamb of God”) and then returns to facing the altar to consume the Host.

After the completion of the Communion Rite, the priest turns to face the people as he says “Oremus” (“Let us pray”), and then he turns again toward the front of the church ad orientem as he says the post Communion prayer.

Facing the people, the priest says “Dominus vobiscum” (“The Lord be with you”) and gives the final blessing. Still facing the people, the priest says, “Ite, Missa est” (“Go forth, the Mass is ended”). He then turns ad orientem to reverence the altar before the recessional.



When does the priest face the people?

For the sake of ease, we list below those times when the priest faces towards the people when celebrating Mass ad orientem. 

• When he makes the sign of the Cross and through the opening dialogue (including "Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins"), until prior to the Confiteor ("I confess") or penitential rite.
• When he introduces the prayers of the faithful or general intercessions
• In the offertory when saying the prayer "Orate fratres" ("Pray brethren")
• After the Our Father, at the sign of peace "Pax Domini" ("The peace of the Lord be with you always")
• When showing the Host to the people "Ecce Agnus Dei" ("Behold the Lamb of God")
• When inviting the people to pray the post Communion prayer as he says, "Oremus" ("Let us pray") -- but note that the prayer itself is said, ad orientem.
• For the final blessing and dismissal.

Please note, the relevant passages of the GIRM are found as follows:

For the entrance rites, GIRM 124-127.

For the Creed, GIRM 137-138.

For the Offertory, GIRM 146.

For the Communion Rite, GIRM 154, 157, 158, 165.

For the concluding rites, GIRM 167.



Update: A note for deacons

One reader asked whether the deacon would mostly face in the same direction as the priest, below is my reply:

The basic answer is, no, deacons generally do not face the people when the priest does. They would only face the people when addressing them (e.g. "Go forth the Mass is ended"). The deacon does face in the direction of the people at the "Behold the Lamb of God", but really he is facing towards the Host which the priest is holding (hence, towards the people, but turned somewhat inward towards the priest and the Host). It is worth noting that the deacon would turn somewhat towards the priest to receive the final blessing as well. 

The most noticeable times when the priest turns to the people while the deacon remains ad orientem would be those times at the altar - I am thinking especially of "Pray, brethren" and also "The Peace of the Lord be with you always."