The priest stands at the foot of the altar, signs himself and says the first words of the Mass — he has not gone up yet.
Sacerdos paratus cum ingreditur ad Altare, facta illi debita reverentia, signat se signo crucis a fronte ad pectus, et clara voce dicit:
The priest stands at the foot of the altar, makes the reverence due to it, and signs himself from forehead to breast. The first words of Mass are said aloud.
priest
priest:
Deinde, iunctis manibus ante pectus, incipit Antiphonam:
With hands joined before his breast the priest begins the antiphon and the server answers. From here until he goes up to the altar the prayers alternate.
priest:
server
server:
Psalm 42, said in alternation with the server, closed by the Glória Patri and the antiphon again.omitted in Passiontide and at Requiem Masses — with its doxology and the repeated antiphon
In Missis Defunctorum, et in Missis de Tempore a Dominica Passionis usque ad Sabbatum sanctum exclusive, omittitur Psalmus Iúdica me, Deus, cum Glória Patri, et repetitione Antiphonæ, sed dicto In nómine Patris, Introíbo, et Adiutórium, fit conféssio.
This part is left out at Requiem Masses and from Passion Sunday to Holy Saturday. What goes is the psalm together with the Glória Patri and the repetition of the antiphon; the rest of the prayers at the foot stay — the sign of the cross, the antiphon and the Adiutórium — and the confession follows at once.
Postea alternatim cum Ministris dicit sequentem:
The priest says the psalm alternately with the server, verse for verse. At a dialogue Mass the faithful answer with the server.
priest
priest:
server
server:
priest:
server:
priest:
server:
priest:
server:
Sacerdos repetit Antiphonam:
The psalm ended, the priest takes up the antiphon once more — as in the Office an antiphon returns after the psalm it framed.
priest:
server:
A versicle and its response; the priest signs himself a second time and, bowing low, begins the confession.
Signat se, dicens:
The priest signs himself with the cross — the second time since Mass began. Immediately after, bowing low, he will begin the general confession.
priest
priest:
server
server:
The priest confesses first, addressing the servers: “to you, brothers”.
Deinde iunctis manibus profunde inclinatus facit Confessionem.
The priest joins his hands and bows low; he makes the general confession first, alone.
priest:
Percutit sibi pectus ter, dicens:
The priest strikes his breast three times — the gesture of contrition accompanies the words of self-accusation.
priest:
The servers answer him with the same prayer in the singular — without the Indulgéntiam, which is the priest’s alone.
server
server:
Sacerdos dicit:
The priest answers the prayer made for himself.
priest
priest:
Et erigit se. Deinde Ministri repetunt Confessionem: et ubi a Sacerdote dicebatur vobis, fratres, et vos, fratres, a Ministris dicitur tibi, pater, et te, pater.
The priest straightens up. The ministers now repeat the confession — in the same words, with the single change the missal states outright: where the priest said “to you, brethren” and “you, brethren”, they say “to you, father” and “you, father”.
The general confession is said twice: first by the priest, then by the servers and the faithful, each followed by the Misereátur — and the second by the Indulgéntiam as well.
Deinde Ministri repetunt Confessionem.
The ministers repeat the confession — at Solemn Mass the deacon and subdeacon, otherwise the servers; the faithful join them, aloud at a dialogue Mass or in spirit.
server
server:
priest
priest:
Percutiunt sibi pectus ter, dicentes:
They strike their breast three times — a visible gesture of contrition accompanying the words of self-accusation.
priest:
server:
Two prayers for pardon after the servers' confession, the Misereátur and the Indulgéntiam — petitions, not sacramental absolution.
Postea Sacerdos, iunctis manibus, facit absolutionem, dicens:
With hands joined, the priest says over the servers and the faithful the first of two prayers for forgiveness.
priest
priest:
server
server:
Signat se signo crucis, dicens:
The priest signs himself with the cross and says the second prayer — the one in which he asks not for the servers alone but for everyone present, himself with them.
priest:
server:
The last versicles at the foot, said in alternation; immediately after them the priest goes up to the altar.
Et inclinatus prosequitur:
The priest stays bowed at the foot of the altar and goes on, alternating with the server. These are the last words said at the foot: immediately after them he goes up to the altar.
priest
priest:
server
server:
priest:
server:
priest:
server:
priest:
server:
the priest prays silently