P. Introibo ad altare Dei.
P. In-troh-ee-boh ahd ahl-tah-reh Day-ee.
P. I will go in to the altar of God.
S. Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.
S. Ahhd Day-oom kwee lay-tee-fee-caht yoo-ven-too-tem meh-ahm.
S. To God, the joy of my youth.
P. Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta: ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me.
P. Joo-dee-cah meh, Day-oos, et dees-cher-neh cau-sahm meh-ahm deh gen-teh non sahnc-tah: ahb hoh-mee-neh ee-nee-kwoh et doh-loh-soh eh-roo-eh meh.
P. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.
S. Quia tu es, Deus, fortitudo mea: quare me repulisti, et quare tristis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus?
S. Kwee-ah too es, Day-oos, for-tee-too-doh meh-ah: kwah-reh meh reh-poo-lees-tee, et kwah-reh trees-tees een-cheh-doh, doom ahf-flee-geet meh ee-nee-mee-koos?
S. For Thou, O God, art my strength: why hast Thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful while the enemy afflicteth me?
P. Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua.
P. Eh-meet-teh loo-chem too-ahm et veh-ree-tah-tem too-ahm: eep-sah meh deh-doox-eh-roont et ahd-doox-eh-roont een mon-tem sahnc-toom too-oom et een tah-behr-nah-coo-lah too-ah.
P. Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me and brought me to Thy holy hill, and into Thy tabernacles.
S. Et introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.
S. Eht in-troh-ee-boh ahd ahl-tah-reh Day-ee: ahd Day-oom kwee lay-tee-fee-caht yoo-ven-too-tem meh-ahm.
S. And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.
P. Confitebor tibi in cithara, Deus, Deus meus: quare tristis es, anima mea, et quare conturbas me?
P. Cone-fee-teh-bor tee-bee een chee-tha-rah Day-oos Day-oos meh-oos: kwah-reh trees-tees es ah-nee-mah meh-ah et kwah-reh con-toor-bahs meh?
P. I will confess to Thee on the harp, O God, my God: why art Thou sad, O my soul, and why dost Thou disquiet me?
S. Spera in Deo, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi: salutare vultus mei, et Deus meus.
S. Speh-rah een Day-o, kwoh-nee-ahm ahd-hook cone-fee-teh-bor eel-lee: sah-loo-tah-reh vool-toos meh-ee et Day-oos meh-oos.
S. Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.
P. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
P. Gloh-ree-ah Pah-tree et Fee-lee-oh et Spee-ree-too-ee Sahnc-toh.
P. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
S. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
S. See-coot eh-raht een preen-chee-pee-oh et noonk et sem-per et een seh-coo-lah seh-coo-loo-room. Ah-men.
S. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
P. Introibo ad altare Dei.
P. In-troh-ee-boh ahd ahl-tah-reh Day-ee.
P. I will go in to the altar of God.
S. Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.
S. Ahhd Day-oom kwee lay-tee-fee-caht yoo-ven-too-tem meh-ahm.
S. To God, the joy of my youth.
P. Adjutorium nostrum ✠ in nomine Domini.
P. Ahj-doo-toh-ree-oom nohs-troom ✠ een noh-mee-neh Doh-mee-nee.
P. Our help ✠ is in the name of the Lord.
S. Qui fecit caelum et terram.
S. Kwee feh-cheet cheh-loom et teh-rram.
S. Who made heaven and earth.
P. Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Joanni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis fratres: quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Joánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos fratres, oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
P. Cone-fee-teh-or Day-o om-nee-poh-ten-tee, beh-ah-teh Mah-ree-ah sem-per Vee-ree-nee, beh-ah-toh Mee-kah-ay-lee Ar-kan-jel-oh, beh-ah-toh Yo-an-nee Bahp-tees-teh, sahnctees Ah-poh-stoh-lees Peh-tro et Pow-loh, om-nee-boos Sahnctees, et voh-bees frah-tres: kwee-ah peck-kah-vee nee-mees koh-jee-tah-tsee-oh-neh, vehr-boh et oh-peh-reh: meh-ah kool-pah, meh-ah kool-pah, meh-ah mahk-see-mah kool-pah. Ee-day-oh preh-cor beh-ah-tahm Mah-ree-ahm sem-per Vee-ree-neem, beh-ah-tum Yo-an-nem Bahp-tees-tam, sahnctos Ah-poh-stoh-los Peh-trum et Pow-lum, om-nes Sahnctos, et vos frah-tres, oh-rah-reh pro meh ahd Doh-mee-noom Day-oom noh-stroom.
P. I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, brethren, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
S. Misereátur tui omnípotens Deus, et dimíssis peccátis tuis, perdúcat te ad vitam ætérnam.
S. Mee-seh-reh-ah-toor too-ee om-nee-poh-tens Day-oos, et dee-mee-sees peck-kah-tees too-ees, pehr-doo-caht teh ahd vee-tahm eh-tehr-nahm.
S. May Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to everlasting life.
P. Amen.
P. Ah-men.
P. Amen.
S. Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Joanni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et tibi, Pater: quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Joánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et te, Pater, oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.
S. Cone-fee-teh-or Day-o om-nee-poh-ten-tee, beh-ah-teh Mah-ree-ah sem-per Vee-ree-nee, beh-ah-toh Mee-kah-ay-lee Ar-kan-jel-oh, beh-ah-toh Yo-an-nee Bahp-tees-teh, sahnctees Ah-poh-stoh-lees Peh-tro et Pow-loh, om-nee-boos Sahnctees, et tee-bee, Pah-tehr: kwee-ah peck-kah-vee nee-mees koh-jee-tah-tsee-oh-neh, vehr-boh et oh-peh-reh: meh-ah kool-pah, meh-ah kool-pah, meh-ah mahk-see-mah kool-pah. Ee-day-oh preh-cor beh-ah-tahm Mah-ree-ahm sem-per Vee-ree-neem, beh-ah-tum Yo-an-nem Bahp-tees-tam, sahnctos Ah-poh-stoh-los Peh-trum et Pow-lum, om-nes Sahnctos, et teh, Pah-tehr, oh-rah-reh pro meh ahd Doh-mee-noom Day-oom noh-stroom.
S. I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
P. Misereátur vestri omnípotens Deus, et dimíssis peccátis vestris, perdúcat vos ad vitam ætérnam.
P. Mee-seh-reh-ah-toor ves-tree om-nee-poh-tens Day-oos, et dee-mee-sees peck-kah-tees ves-trees, pehr-doo-caht vohs ahd vee-tahm eh-tehr-nahm.
P. May Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins, and bring you to everlasting life.
S. Amen.
S. Ah-men.
S. Amen.
The Prayers at the Foot of the Altar (Latin: Orationes ad Gradus Altaris) form the opening section of the Tridentine Latin Mass (also known as the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite). These prayers are rich in symbolism, rooted in Scripture, and historically layered. Below is a detailed background covering their history, purpose, liturgical development, and how the faithful should engage with them.
The prayers consist of:
- Antiphon: Introibo ad altare Dei…
- Psalm 42 (Judica me, Deus) – a psalm of longing for the altar of God and purification
- Confiteor: a dual confession of sin by priest and server (on behalf of the people)
- Absolution Prayers: asking God for pardon, absolution, and remission of sins
- Versicles and Responses: reaffirming God’s mercy and readiness to enter the holy place
- Prayer of Ascent: Oremus. Aufer a nobis… – asking to be made worthy to enter the holy of holies
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Purpose and Spiritual Meaning
1. Preparation and Purification
- Echoes the Old Testament practice where priests purified themselves before entering the Temple.
- Emphasizes the gravity of offering sacrifice—a priest must first humble himself, confess, and seek pardon.
2. Interior Disposition
- These prayers are not “introductory niceties”—they are deeply penitential.
- They prepare both priest and people to ascend, spiritually and literally, to the altar of God—echoing the Psalmist’s longing for union with God.
3. Sacrificial Mindset
- By beginning the Mass with these prayers, the Church instills the sacrificial character of the Mass right from the start.
- The prayers orient us to the fact that the priest is not simply going to say prayers or give a sermon—he is ascending to offer the Sacrifice of Calvary.
Role of the Congregation
1. Posture and Silence
- Traditionally, the faithful kneel during these prayers (if physically able), as a sign of humility and shared contrition.
- They are silent observers, uniting interiorly with the priest’s humility and seeking God’s mercy.
2. Interior Participation
- Though not vocalizing the prayers, the faithful are encouraged to:
- Pray the Psalm and Confiteor silently along with the priest.
- Reflect on their own sins, preparing their hearts for the holy mystery.
- Offer up intentions, mentally uniting them to the coming Sacrifice.
3. Avoiding Passive Spectatorship
- The goal is not to “watch” the priest, but to enter into the spiritual motion: from the world to the sanctuary, from the sinner to the altar.
Suppression in the Novus Ordo
- In the 1970 Missal (Paul VI), the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar were removed in favor of a simpler Penitential Act (e.g., Confiteor or Kyrie).
- Critics argue this lost a rich element of liturgical preparation, humility, and theological depth.