InChristianliturgy, "thePax" is an abbreviation of theLatin salutations "pax vobis" ("peace to you") or "pax vobiscum" ("peace with you"), which are used in theCatholicMass, theLutheranDivine Service, and theWestern Orthodox Mass.
Like the other liturgical salutations,e. g., "Dominus vobiscum", thePax is of biblical origin.[1]
TheVulgate version of theGospels contains such forms as "veniet pax vestra", "pax vestra revertetur ad vos" (literally, "may your peace return to you"; figuratively, "let your peace rest on you" or "may you be treated with the peace with which you treat others" (Matthew 10:13)), "pax huic domui" ("peace to this house" (Luke 10:5)), "pax vobis" ("peace be with you" (Luke 24:36,John 20:21, and20:26)). The salutation "gratia vobis et pax" or "gratia misericordia et pax" is the opening formula of most of theEpistles ofSaint Paul,Saint Peter, andSaint John, and of theBook of Revelation.[1]
Jesus Christ and theTwelve Apostles quoted the formula from theOld Testament,[2][1] and they were preserved in theliturgy andChristian epigraphy. Like the "Dominus vobiscum", they were first used in the liturgy, specifically in the form of "pax vobis", by the bishop in welcoming the faithful at the beginning of theMass before the collect or oratio.[1]
When theConfiteor,introit, andGloria in excelsis were later added to theMass, the "pax vobis" and "Dominus vobiscum" were preserved. The form "pax vobis" was employed bybishops andprelates only at the firstcollect, whilepriests used "Dominus vobiscum". Hence the "Dominus vobiscum" became the ordinary introduction to all the orations and most of the prayers.[1] Greek Christians have preserved "pax omnibus" and "pax vobiscum".
There was a certain rivalry between the two formulae "pax vobis" and "Dominus vobiscum", and some councils, especially that ofBraga in AD 561, ordained that both bishops and priests use the same form of salutation (for the texts, see the bibliography).[1]
Besides this episcopal or sacerdotal salutation, "pax tecum", "pax vobis", or "pax vobiscum" are used in the liturgy at thekiss of peace.[1] "Te" of "tecum" and "vobis" are theablative forms of the second person singular and plural pronouns, respectively; both are translated in English as "you" (or “thee” and “you” respectively).[3]
On such occasions the liturgy contains prayers or collectsad pacem.[4][1] In theAmbrosian Liturgy, at the end of the Mass, the congregation is dismissed with "ite in pace".[5]Edmond Martene[6] gives other instances of the use of "pax".[1]
InChristian epigraphy, there are a variety of formulae: "pax"; "in pace"; "pax tecum"; "vivas in pace"; "requiescat in pace"; "pax Christi tecum sit"; "anima dulcissima requiescas in pace"; "dormit in pace"; and "in locum refrigerii, lucis et pacis" (from the formula of the Mass at the Memento of the Dead).[7][1]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pax in the Liturgy".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.For the formula Pax and other formulas in funeral epigraphy:
