What the Mass looked like in the 15th century

This reenactment offers a glimpse into pre-Tridentine liturgical practices, a hundred years before the Council of Trent –a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church’s liturgy.

The Council of Trent met between 1545 and 1563, and sought to address the challenges of the Protestant Reformation while amending various aspects of church practice. One of its major outcomes was the standardization of the Mass, known as the Tridentine Mass, which remained largely unchanged until the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

The video below, shared by UCatholic on their YouTube channel, presents a historical reenactment of the Catholic Mass as it might have been celebrated on the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, October 4, 1450. This reenactment offers a glimpse into pre-Tridentine liturgical practices, a hundred years before the Council of Trent –a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church’s liturgy.

In the video, the Mass is celebrated ad orientem, which means “facing east.” This traditional posture of the celebrant, facing in the same direction as the congregation, symbolizes a collective focus on God. It contrasts with the versus populum orientation, in which the priest faces the people, which became more common after the Second Vatican Council. This shift was intended to foster a sense of community and engagement during the liturgy, reflecting a broader trend toward greater lay participation in the worship experience.

The Mass itself consists of several parts: the introductory rites, the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of the Eucharist, and the concluding rites. These elements have remained consistent throughout the centuries, although their specific expressions have varied. The Introductory Rites set the tone for worship; the Liturgy of the Word includes readings from Scripture and the homily; the Liturgy of the Eucharist is the heart of the Mass, with consecration and communion; and the Concluding Rites send the congregation out to live the Gospel.

This re-enactment underscores how the liturgy, while rooted in tradition, is also a living practice that reflects the Church’s ongoing journey through history. Changes in the form and structure of the Mass are part of a broader process of theological and liturgical reflection, ensuring that the celebration remains meaningful and relevant to each generation of worshipers.