Sign of peace at Mass to stay

Structural changes will not be introduced

The Vatican has said that priests should not leave the altar to exchange greetings with the congregation during the sign of peace at Mass.

After nine years of study and consultation, the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments has told bishops around the world that the sign of peace will stay where it is in the Mass. However, the congregation said, “if it is foreseen that it will not take place properly,” it can be omitted. But when it is used, it must be done with dignity and awareness that it is not a liturgical form of “good morning,” but a witness to the Christian belief that true peace is a gift of Christ’s death and resurrection.

The text of the congregation’s ‘circular letter’ on “the ritual expression of the gift of peace at Mass,” was approved by Pope Francis and posted in Spanish on the website of the Spanish bishops’ conference. Jesuit Fr Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, confirmed its authenticity.

In 2005, members of the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist adopted a formal proposition questioning whether the sign of peace might be better placed elsewhere in the Mass, for example at the end of the prayer of the faithful and before the offering of the gifts.

Changes

“After further reflection,” the letter said, “it was considered appropriate to retain the rite of peace in its traditional place in the Roman liturgy and not to introduce structural changes in the Roman Missal.”

But that does not exclude the need for new or renewed efforts to explain the importance of the sign of peace so that the faithful understand it and participate in it correctly, the congregation's letter said.

It asked bishops to study whether it might be time to find “more appropriate gestures” to replace a sign of peace using “familiar and profane gestures of greeting.”

And, it said, they should do everything possible to end ‘abuses’ such as:

·         “The introduction of a ‘song for peace,’ which is non-existent in the Roman rite.”

·         “The movement of the faithful from their places to exchange the sign of peace amongst themselves.”

·         “The departure of the priest from the altar in order to give the sign of peace to some of the faithful.”