Why Were the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar Removed?

The traditional Roman Mass does not simply begin—it prepares the priest and the faithful to ascend to Calvary. At the foot of the altar, the priest expresses his joy at approaching God's altar, asks for protection from evil, confesses his sins, and acknowledges his unworthiness to offer the Holy Sacrifice. The servers then make their own confession on behalf of the faithful. Priest and people are being prepared for the same sacrifice—but according to their distinct roles. In the new Mass, these ancient preparatory prayers disappeared. In their place came a greeting and a penitential rite, including a substantially altered Confiteor. In Episode 9 of **What Changed?**, we examine two particularly important changes at the very beginning of the Mass: the replacement of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar and the transformation of the Confiteor. What was once an ascent toward the altar of sacrifice begins very differently today—and those differences reveal something important about the changing understanding of the Mass.