The Development of the Meaning of the Term "Liturgy" in the Twentieth Century

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The term "liturgy," inherited from the ancient world, gradually fell into disuse in the Latin West. With the advent of the Liturgical Movement, the term not only grew in usage but in depth of meaning. The paper traces how the definition and meaning of the term developed throughout the twentieth century. Pius XII in Mediator Dei emphasized liturgy as the worship rendered by the Church in union with its Head. The Second Vatican Council in Sacrosanctum Concilium developed the term in reference to the sacraments and the sanctification of their recipients. The Catechism of the Catholic Church complemented the roles of the Father and the Son in the liturgy by amplifying the role of the Holy Spirit.