Sanctus

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History

The Sanctus is the last part of the Preface in the Mass, sung in practically every rite by the people (or choir). It is one of the elements of the liturgy of which we have the earliest evidence.St. Clement of Rome (d. about 104) mentions it. He quotes the text inIsaiah 6:3, and goes on to say that it is also sung in church; this at least seems the plain meaning of the passage: "for the Scripture says . . . Holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts; full is every creature of his glory. And we, led byconscience, gathered together in one place in concord, cry to him continuously as from one mouth, that we may become sharers in his great and glorious promises" (1 Corinthians 34:6-7). It seems clear that what the people cry is the text just quoted. Clement does not say at what moment of the service the people cry those words; but again we may safely suppose that it was at the end of what we call the Preface, the place at which the Sanctus appears in every liturgy, from that of "Apost. Const.", VIII, on. The next oldest witness isOrigen (d. 254). He quotes the text of Isaias and continues: "The coming of myJesus is announced, wherefore the whole earth is full of his glory" (In Isa., hom., I, n. 2). There is nothing to correspond to this in the Prophet. It seems plainly an allusion toliturgical use and so agrees very well with the place of the Sanctus. TheAnaphora of Sarapion ofThmuis (Egypt, fourteenth century) gives the Sanctus almost exactly in the form of the Alexandrine Liturgy (Funk, "Didascalia",Paderborn, 1905, II, 174), but says nothing about its being sung by the people. From the fourteenth century we have abundance of testimony for the Sanctus in everyliturgical centre. InEgyptSt. Athanasius (d. 373) mentions it (Expos in Ps, cii, P.G. XXVII, 434); atJerusalem St. Cyril (d. 373) (Mystagogical Catechesis 5, no. 6), and at AntiochSt. John Chrysostom (d. 407) alludes to it (in Ps. cxxxiv, n. 6, P.G., LV, 393).Tertullian (d. about 220) ("de Oratione", 3) andVictor of Vite (d. 486) ("Hist. persec. Vandal", III, P.L., LVIII quote it in Africa; Germanus ofParis (d. 576) in Gaul (in Duchesne, "Origines du Culte", 2d ed., Paris, 1898, p. 204),Isidore of Seville (d. 636) inSpain (ibid.). The Sanctus is sung by the people in "Apostolic Constitutions", VIII, XII, 27 (Brightman, "Eastern Liturgies", 18-19) and so in almost all rites. The scanty state of ourknowledge about the early Roman Mass accounts for the fact that we have no allusion to the Sanctus till it appears in the first Sacramentaries. The Leonine and Gelasian books give only the celebrant's part; but their prefaces lead up to it plainly. The Gregorian Sacramentary gives the text exactly as we still have it (P.L. LXXVIII, 26). But the passage quoted from St. Clement and then the use ofAfrica (always similar toRome) leave nodoubt that atRome too the Sanctus is part of the oldestliturgical tradition. In view of Clement's allusion it is difficult to understand Abbot Cabrol's theory that the Sanctus is a later addition to the Mass ("Les Origines liturgiques", Paris, 1906, p. 329).

The connection in which it occurs in the liturgy is this: in all rites theEucharistic prayer (Canon Anaphora) begins with a formal thanksgiving toGod for his benefits, generally enumerated at length (seePREFACE). This first part of theprayer (our Preface) takes the form of an outline of creation, of the manygraces given to Patriarchs and Prophets in theOld Law and so to the crowning benefit of ourredemption by Christ, to His life and Passion, to the institution of theHoly Eucharist and the words of institution, all in the scheme of a thanksgiving for these things (cf. ib.). Before theprayer comes to the mention of our Lord it always refers to theangels. In "Apost. Const.", VIII, XII (Brightman, op. cit., 15-18), they occur twice, at the beginning as being the first creatures and again at the end of theOld Testament history — possibly in connection with the place of Isaias who mentions them. In St. James's liturgy this part of theAnaphora is much shorter and theangels are named once only (ibid., p. 50); so also in St. Mark they come only once (pp. 131-32). They are always named at length and with much solemnity as those who join with us in praisingGod. So the description inIsaiah 6:1-4, must have attracted attention very early as expressing thisangelic praise ofGod and as summing up (in v. 3) just the note of the first part of theAnaphora. The Sanctus simply continues the Preface. It is a quotation of what theangels say. We thankGod with theangels, who say unceasingly: "Holy, holy, holy", etc.Logically the celebrant could very well himself say or sing the Sanctus. But, apparently from the beginning of itsChristian use (so already Clem. Rom.), one of the dramatic touches that continually adorn the liturgy was added here. We too desire to say with theangels: "Holy, holy, holy"; so when the celebrant comes to the quotation, the people (or choir) interrupt and themselves sing these words, continuing his sentence. The interruption is important since it is the chief cause of the separation of the original first part of theeucharistic prayer (the Preface) atRome from the rest and the reason why this first part is still sung aloud although the continuation is said in a low voice. The only rite that has no Sanctus is that of theEthiopic Church Order (Brightman, op. cit., 190).

The Sanctus in the Eastern Rites

In theliturgies of St. James and St. Mark and the Byzantine Rite (Brightman, loc. cit.) the introductory sentence calls it the "hymn of victory" (ton epinikion hymnon). This has become its usual name in Greek. It should never be called the Trisagion, which is a differentliturgical formula ("HolyGod, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One have mercy on us") occurring in another part of the service. In "Apost. Const.", VIII, XII, 27, the form of the Epinikion is: "Holy, holy, holy the Lord of Hosts (sabaoth). Full (are) theheaven and the earth of his glory. Blessed for ever.Amen." St. James has: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord (voc.) of hosts. Full (are) theheaven and the earth of thy Glory.Hosanna (he) in the highest. Blessed (is) he that comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna, (he) in the highest." In this the cry of the people onPalm Sunday (Matthew 21:9, modified) is added (cf. the Jacobite form, Brightman, p. 86). Alexandria has only the text of Isaias (ib. 132; and Coptic, in Greek, 176;Abyssinian, p. 231). In the Greek Alexandrine form (St. Mark) the text occurs twice. First the celebrant quotes it himself as said by thecherubim andseraphim; then he continues aloud: "for all things always call thee holy (hagiazei) and with all who call thee holy receive, Master and Lord, our hallowing (hagiasmon) who with them sing, saying . . ." and the people repeat the Epinikion (Brightman, p. 132). TheNestorians have a considerably extended form ofIsaiah 6:3, andMatthew 21:9, in the thirdperson (ib. 284). The Byzantine Rite has the form of St. James (ib. 323-324), so also theArmenians (p. 436). In all Eastern rites only the sentence that immediately introduces the Epinikion is said aloud, as an Ekphonesis.

The Sanctus in the West

In Latin it is the "Tersanctus" or simply the "Sanctus". "Hymnus angelicus" is ambiguous and should be avoided, since this is the usual name for theGloria in Excelsis. Germanus ofParis bears witness to it in theGallican Rite (Ep. I; P.L., LXXII, 89 seq.; see above). Its form was as atRome. The Mozarabic Sanctus is almost the Roman one; but it has for the firstHosanna: "Osanna filio David" (more literallyMatthew 21:9) and the additional exclamations "Agyos, agyos, agyos Kyrie o theos" (P.L., LXXXV, 548 cfr. 116).Milan has exactly our form. It may be noted that the Gallican and Mozarabicliturgies, following the tradition of Antioch andJerusalem (Brightman, op. cit., pp. 19, 51), continue theAnaphora by taking up theidea of the Sanctus: "Vere sanctus, vere benedictus Dominus noster Iesus Christus" (P.L., LXXXV, 548) and so coming almost at once to the words of Institution: Thisprayer, which varies in each Mass, is called "Post Sanctus", or "Vere Sanctus".Milan has one remnant of this onHoly Saturday (Duchesne, ib. 205). AtRome the Sanctus is described in "Ordo Rom.", I, as "hymnus angelicus, id est Sanctus" (P.L., LXXVIII, 945). It is sung by the regionarysubdeacons (ib.). So also "Ordo Rom.", II, which notes thatHosanna is sung twice (ib. 974). C. Atchley thinks that this marks the beginning of the addition of the Benedictus verses to the Sanctus, that originally these were an acclamation to the celebratingbishop and that they were only later directed towards theHoly Eucharist. In "Apost. Connst.", VIII, XIII, 13 (Brightman, 24), these verses are sung at theElevation just before Communion, then they were pushed back to become an appendix to the Sanctus, where they coincide more or less with the moment ofconsecration. Mr. Atchley further thinks that the Benedictus in theRoman Rite is a Gallican addition of the eleventh century ("Ordo Romanus Primus", London, 1905, pp. 90-5). That the verses ofMatthew 21:9, were first used as a salutation to thebishop is quite probable (cf. Peregrinatio Silviæ, ed. Gamurrini, 59-60). It is less likely that they are a late Gallican addition atRome. Their occurrence in theliturgy of Jerusalem-Antioch may well be one more example of the relation between that centre andRome from the earliest ages (seeCANON OF THE MASS).

We do notknow at what moment the chant of the Sanctus was taken from thesubdeacons and given to theschola cantorum. This is merely part of a general tendency to entrust music that was getting more ornate and difficult to trained singers. So the Gradual was once sung by adeacon. The "Ordo Rom. V" implies that thesubdeacons no longer sing the Sanctus (P.L. LXXVIII, 988). In "Ordo XI", 20 (ib. 1033), it is sung by the "Basilicarii".St. Gregory of Tours (d. 593) says it is sung by the people (de mirac. S. Martini, II, 14; P.L. LXXI). The notice of the"Liber Pontificalis" thatPope Sixtus I (119-128) ordered the people to sing the Sanctus cannot be correct. It seems that it was not sung always at every Mass. The Second Council ofVaison finds itnecessary to command that it should not be omitted inLent nor at requiems (Can. 3;Hefele-Leclercq, "Histoire des Conciles" II, 1114). There were alsolaws in theMiddle Ages forbidding the celebrant to continue the Canon before the choir had finished singing it (Martène, "De antiq. eccl, ritibus", I, 4, §7). The ringing of a bell at the Sanctus is a development from theElevation bell; this began in theMiddle Ages.Ivo of Chartres (d. 1116) mentions it (Ep. 142) and Durandus (Rationale, IV, 41, §53). It was rung to call people to church that they might see theElevation. The Sanctus bell is an earlier warning that the Canon is about to begin. Therubrics of theMissal still say nothing about the bell at the Sanctus. It was (and in places still is) usual to ring the great church bell, at least at high Mass. The hand-bell was only a warning to the ringers in the tower (Gavanti-Merati, "Thesaurus S. Rituum", II, 7,Venice, 1762, p. 156).

The text of the Roman Sanctus is first, Isa., vi, 3, with 'pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua" instead of "plena est omnis terra gloria eius". In this way (as at Antioch and Alexandria) it is made into aprayer by the use of the second person. In allliturgies theHebrew for "hosts"sabaoth) is kept, as in theSeptuagint (Vulgate, "exercituum"). The "Lord of hosts" is a very oldSemitic title, in thepolytheistic religions apparently for the moon-god, the hosts being the stars (as inGenesis 2:1;Psalm 32:6). To theJews these hosts were theangels (cf. Lc., II, 13). Then follows the acclamation ofPalm Sunday inMatthew 21:9. It is based onPsalm 117:25-26; but the source of theliturgical text is, of course, the text in the Gospel.Hosanna is in the Greek text andVulgate, left as a practically untranslatable exclamation of triumph. It means literally "Oh help", but inMatthew 21:9, it is already a triumphant interjection (likeAlleluia). In "Didache", X, 6, it occurs as aliturgical formula ("Hosanna to theGod ofDavid"). In themedieval local rites the Sanctus was often "farced" (interpolated with tropes), like the Kyrie and other texts, to fill up the long musicalneums. Specimens of such farcings, including one attributed toSt. Thomas Aquinas, may be seen inBona, "Rerum liturgicarum", II, 10, §4 (ed. Paris, 1672), p. 418. The skeleton of a Mass at the blessing of palms retains not only a Preface but also a Sanctus, sung to the original "simple" tone. The many otherprayers (blessing of the font, ordinations, etc.) that are modelled on the Preface diverge from its scheme as they proceed and do not end with a Sanctus.

Present rite

At high Mass as soon as the celebrant has sung the last word of the Preface (dicentes) the choir begins the Sanctus, continuing his phrase. They should sing it straight through, including the Benedictus. The custom of waiting till after theElevation and then adding the Benedictus, once common, is now abolished by therubric ("De ritibus servandis in cantu missæ, VII) of the Vatican Gradual. It was a dramatic effect that never had any warrant. Sanctus and Benedictus are one text. Meanwhile thedeacon andsubdeacon go up to the right and left of the celebrant and say the Sanctus in a low voice with him. Every one in the choir and church kneels (Cærim. Episcop., II, VIII, 69). The hand-bell is usually rung at the Sanctus; but atRome there is no bell at all at high Mass. While the choir sings the celebrant goes on with the Canon. They must finish or he must wait before the Consecration. At lowMass the celebrant after the Preface, bowing and laying the folded hands on thealtar, continues the Sanctus in a lower voice (vox media). The bell is rung three times. Although therubrics of theMissal do not mention this it is done everywhere by approved custom. It may be noticed that of the many chants of the Sanctus in the Gradual the simple one only (forferias ofAdvent andLent, requiems and the blessing of palms) continues the melody of the Preface and so presumably represents the same musical tradition as our Preface tone. As in the case of the Preface its mode isdoubtful.

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