HERE AT ST. PAUL · ROOTED IN CHRIST
The Mass — Then & Now
See the Gospel roots of each part of the Mass, with explanations of in persona Christi, parish reflections and rubrics alongside the original video.
What are rubrics?
Rubrics are the Church’s written directions for celebrating the liturgy. They guide what the priest, deacon, other ministers, and congregation do at Mass. In the Roman Missal, these directions are traditionally printed in red.
Watch what happens before the Gospel. The congregation stands, and the priest or deacon traces a small cross on the Gospel text and then on his forehead, lips, and chest. The people also make those three small crosses.
Why follow them?
Standing together expresses reverence for Christ speaking in the Gospel. Shared gestures like this help the whole parish pray as one and keep the celebration faithful to the worship the Church has entrusted to us.
Read the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §§42–43 and 134
Welcome to St. Paul
Gathering & opening prayers
Open the sources and viewing guide
Explore the 16 illustrations
Open any picture to see it larger. These are artistic visualizations, not exact historical reconstructions. The golden link symbolizes continuity and communion in Christ.
Heaven and earth united
The first Christian communities
Jesus teaching
The Last Supper
Early Christian baptism
The returning son
The angels’ praise
Paul’s letters
The fourth-century councils
Pentecost
Christ’s one sacrifice
The risen Lord’s peace
The centurion’s faith
The breaking of bread at Emmaus
Faith expressed in charity
Saint Michael — symbolic devotionTake the guide with you
The ZIP includes the full video, a searchable offline index, illustrations and source notes. Extract it first, then open Start_Here.html.
The downloadable ZIP will appear here after the administrator installs the media package.