4 Reasons to Celebrate Mass Ad Orientem

In today’s “liturgy wars,” one of the most common debates is whether Mass should be celebrated ad orientem (priest and people face the same direction) or versus populum (priest faces the people).

Ad orientem has always been the orientation of the Traditional Latin Mass. The Novus Ordo is usually celebrated versus populum, but some people argue that it was intended to be carried out ad orientem as well. A few parishes follow this practice.

Here are four reasons why Mass ad orientem is preferable.

1. Canonical
Many supporters of versus populum point to paragraph 299 in the General Instruction on the Roman Missal, which states: “The altar should be built separate from the wall, in such a way that it is possible to walk around it easily and that Mass can be celebrated at it facing the people, which is desirable wherever possible.”

However, the original Latin of this passage is a little ambiguous. It’s not clear whether it’s saying Mass should always be said facing the people or allowing it as an option. If the passage calls for the former, it seems strange that it would introduce this big shift in liturgical posture in such an incidental way.

2. Historical
Christian worship grew from Jewish roots. In ancient synagogue worship, the people faced Jerusalem. Many Catholics have argued that our worship should also face east “toward Jerusalem.”

Ad orientem is an ancient practice. Although there’s also evidence of Mass being celebrated ad populum in the early Church, the Church favored ad orientem through most of the past millennium. One needs really good reasons to break with this development and return to earlier traditions.

3. Theological
Many Medieval theologians argued that Mass attendees should face east since that was the direction (in their cosmology) in which the heavenly bodies moved — symbolizing the heavenly Jerusalem we journey toward. Also, Christ said He would come from the East.

Additionally, even though the celebration of Mass versus populum emphasizes that it is a sacred meal, the Mass is primarily a sacrifice. Worship should focus on this reality and should be theocentric.

4. Phenomenological
When the priest and people face the same direction, their total focus is on Christ. When the parties face each other, the priest sometimes worries more about how he looks to the people. The people, in turn, may shift focus from the sacrifice to the priest’s facial expressions and gestures.

None of this is to say that facing the people is bad. We’re talking about fittingness. The ad orientem posture better reflects the nature of the Mass, so maybe it’s time to bring it back everywhere.