Why is the priest turned around? If you have noticed, the priest faces the altar at various moments of the Mass during our liturgies at St Cecilia. This is called ad orientem (towards the east). There is a centuries old tradition in both the Eastern and Western Church of the priest facing the east. On a symbolic level, the priest and people face the east together longing and looking for Christ who is the rising Son and who’s second coming is foretold from the east (Matthew 24:27). However, it is not vital that we are physically/geographically east, though many churches are built in this orientation including St Cecilia, what matters is that we are directed together towards the Lord as He comes upon the altar in the Blessed Sacrament (liturgical east).
It is a powerful moment at Mass when everyone is turned together toward Jesus’ rising in the priest’s hands during the elevation of His body and blood–the true rising of the Son! Some people ask, wait a minute, I thought the second Vatican Council got rid of this?!
No. The African Cardinal, Robert Sarah, explained that none of the 16 conciliar documents make any mention of the priest having to turn to face the people (versus populum). Vatican II never said to turn the priest around, but amidst the other legitimate changes, this change crept its way into the church. Facing the people has led to confusion about the meaning of Mass, the priest has become a cult of personality instead of a guide to the Lord. Pope Benedict XVI explains, “The turning of the priest toward the people has turned the community into a self-enclosed circle…it no longer opens out to what lies ahead and above, but is closed in on itself.” Dcn Harold Burke-Sivers, St Cecilia’s 2022 Lenten mission speaker, described it as an airplane pilot, you don’t want the pilot turning around to look at you during flight! The Roman Missal (the priest's instruction book for celebrating Mass) actually dictates when he is to face the altar and when he is to turn to face the people.
When we talk to someone, we want to face them. So too with the priest at Mass; when the priest gives the homily he faces the people, but when the priest prays to the Father, especially during the Eucharistic prayer, he faces the altar with the people. Pope Benedict XVI beautifully puts it this way, “a common turning to the East during the Eucharistic Prayer remains essential. This is not a case of something accidental, but of what is essential. Looking at the priest has no importance. What matters is looking together at the Lord…setting off towards the One who is to come.”
Many priests, bishops, and even cardinals are reimplementing ad orientem into their parishes and dioceses. Fr. Ethan Moore and Fr. Chris Komoroski celebrate ad orientem every Friday at St Monica-St George and call it, “Face the Father Fridays.” Within our family of parishes, St Cecilia has been designated as our ad orientem parish. May we set off with great faith and Joy as we approach the altar of the Lord together as His people.
Viva Cristo Rey!
Fr. Anthony Marcelli
Parochial Vicar
Eastside Family of Parishes
