The Roman Liturgy

The Roman Rite, originally celebrated only in the city of Rome and its environs, was adopted by other Western churches in an effort to introduce a fully organized and standardized liturgy. The Roman rite was originally confined to the city of Rome and its suburbicarian dioceses. But even within the city itself there were differences in ceremonies, prayers, chants, and melodies for the Mass and office. (a) Ordo romanus I prescribes a stational Mass when the pope presides. The stational liturgy was celebrated only on certain days and was intended as the main liturgical celebration of the day or hour. As such, it was attended by "everyone" in the city or at least by the clergy. (b) Ordo romanus II prescribes a different order if one of the seven "suburban" (as opposed to nearly 100 "suburbicarian") bishops, or one of the Roman presbyters as the pope's representative, presides at the stational liturgy. (c) A simpler order was used by the presbyters when they presided in the titulii…