COMPARISON OF EUCHARISTIC PRAYER III

WITH DOM CIPRIANO VAGAGGINI’S DRAFT “CANON B”

Matthew Hazell, M.A.

Introduction
Permission for the Roman Canon to be said in the vernacular was given in 1967,1 but even
before that point, there were various individuals and groups who were calling for either a
revision of the Canon in light of its numerous ‘defects’,2 or the composition of new eucharistic
prayers. Among these was Coetus X (study group 10) of the Consilium,3 who in a letter to Pope
Paul VI dated 25 May 1966 said:
If the time comes to reopen the question of composing a new Eucharistic Prayer (in view of the
difficulties that mark the present Roman Canon from a pastoral standpoint), study group 10
would be honoured to be allowed to work up some models.4
After a second petition made less than a month later (20 June 1966) by the president of the
Consilium, Giacomo Cardinal Lercaro, Paul VI gave permission for Coetus X to compose “two or
three” new Eucharistic Prayers “for use at particular specified times”,5 and the group
enthusiastically set to work.
One of its members, Dom Cipriano Vagaggini, O.S.B., published a book that year entitled Il
canone della messa e la riforma liturgica, which was translated into English in 1967 as The Canon of the
Mass and Liturgical Reform. In it, he gives two new anaphoras of his own6 which Bugnini informs
us were part of the basis for the work of Coetus X.7 The first, which he calls “Canon B”, has a
variable preface and is suggested for use ad libitum in Masses with a proper preface. “Canon C”,
his second composition, is a variant on “Canon B”, has a fixed preface, and is designed for use
ad libitum in Masses with no proper preface and on Sundays per annum.
“Canon B” is what ultimately became Eucharistic Prayer III in the post-conciliar Missale
Romanum. What follows is a comparative layout of the two prayers firstly in their respective Latin
texts, then in English translations. The English translation of “Canon B” is mine; that of EP III
is the current ICEL version (2010). In the Latin text, the changes from “Canon B” are marked
out in EP III by italics, with the exception of 1) different grammatical forms of the same word
(e.g. corpus to Corpore) and 2) changes in word order.

M.P. Hazell

1 Cf. Sacred Congregation of Rites, Tres Abhinc Annos (May 4, 1967), n. 28.
2 Two German theologians had already proposed ‘corrections’ to the Roman Canon: cf. H. Küng, “Das
Eucharistiegebet. Konzil und Erneuerung der römischen Liturgie”, Wort und Wahrheit 18 (1963), 102-107; K. Amon,
“Gratias Agere. Zur Reform des Messcanons”, Liturgische Jahrbuch 15 (1965), 79-98.
3 For a more detailed account of the work of Coetus X with regard to the new Eucharistic Prayers, see A. Bugnini,

The Reform of the Liturgy 1948-1975 (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1990), pp. 448-465.
4 Bugnini, Reform, p. 449.

5 Bugnini, Reform, p. 450.

6 The texts, along with some general theological and stylistic notes, can be found in C. Vagaggini, The Canon of the

Mass and Liturgical Reform (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1967), pp. 124-152.
7 “Father Vagaggini’s work... was the basis for the new Eucharistic Prayers of the Missal. The variants [his work]

shows in comparison with the definitive text in the Missal were the fruit of the discussion and cultural contributions
of the periti and the Fathers of the Consilium” (Bugnini, Reform, p. 450 n. 4).
 “Canon B” in Vagaggini, The Canon of the
Mass and Liturgical Reform (London:
Geoffrey Chapman, 1967), pp. 124-129
Vere sanctus es Domine,
et merito semper te laudat omnis a te condita creatura
ac iugiter profitetur te caelum terramque
tua gloria mirabiliter replevisse:
quia per Filium tuum,
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
in infusione Spiritus Sancti,
vivificas et sanctificas universa.
Te igitur, clementissime Domine, supplices obsecramus
ut haec munera, quae tibi sacranda detulimus,
sanctificare tua benedictione digneris.
Iubeas, quaesumus,
Sancti tui Spiritus eis immisceri virtutem,
per eiusdem Domini nostri Christi tui, potentiam,
ut ipsius nobis fiant corpus et sanguis
in sacrificium tibi placitum
quod nobis offerre mandavit.
Ipse enim pridie quam pateretur
hoc magnum novi testamenti mysterium
nobis voluit commendare,
mirabilium suorum memoriale perpetuum:
ut se in cruce misericors oblaturus
a nobis quoque, tuis servis exiguis,
in corporis sanguinisque mysteriis
indesinenter offerretur.
Et ideo, cum seipsum erat traditurus in mortem,
accepit panem in beatas ac venerabiles manus suas
et aspiciens in caelum ad te Deum,
Patrem suum omnipotentem,
tibi gratias agens, benedixit fregit,
deditque discipulis sui dicens:
ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES:
HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM
QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.
HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM.
Simili modo, postquam caenatum est,
accipiens calicem ex vino mixtum
et aqua, tibi gratias agens, benedixit
deditque discipulis suis dicens:
Eucharistic Prayer III, as it
appears in the post-conciliar
Missale Romanum
Vere Sanctus es, Domine,
et merito te laudat omnis a te condita creatura,
quia per Filium tuum,
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
Spiritus Sancti operante virtute,
vivificas et sanctificas universa,
et populum tibi congregare non desinis,
ut a solis ortu usque ad occasum
oblatio munda offeratur nomini tuo.
Supplices ergo te, Domine, deprecamur,
ut hæc munera, quæ tibi sacranda detulimus,
eodem Spiritu sanctificare digneris,
ut Corpus et + Sanguis fiant
Filii tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi,
cuius mandato hæc mysteria celebramus.
Ipse enim in qua nocte
tradebatur
accepit panem
et
tibi gratias agens benedixit, fregit,
deditque discipulis suis, dicens:
ACCIPITE ET MANDUCATE EX HOC OMNES:
HOC EST ENIM CORPUS MEUM,
QUOD PRO VOBIS TRADETUR.
Simili modo, postquam cenatum est,
accipiens calicem,
et tibi gratias agens benedixit,
deditque discipulis suis, dicens:
ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES: ACCIPITE ET BIBITE EX EO OMNES:
HIC EST ENIM CALIX NOVI TESTAMENTI HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI
IN SANGUINE MEO NOVI ET ÆTERNI TESTAMENTI,
QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR
IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM. IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM.
HOC FACITE IN MEAM COMMEMORATIONEM. HOC FACITE IN MEAN COMMEMORATIONEM.

Mysterium fidei.
R Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, et tuam resurrectionem
confitemur, donec venias.
Vel: R Quotiescumque manducamus panem hunc et calicem bibimus,
mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, donec venias.
Vel: R Salvator mundi, salva nos, qui per crucem et resurrectionem
tuam liberasti nos.

Unde et memores, Domine, Memores igitur, Domine,

nos, servi tui, sed et plebs tua sancta,
eiusdem Filii tui gloriosissimae passionis eiusdem Filii tui salutiferæ passionis
necnon mirabilis resurrectionis necnon mirabilis resurrectionis
et ascensionis in caelum, et ascensionis in cælum,
sed et alterum adventum eius praestolantes: sed et præstolantes alterum eius adventum,
adimus cum fiducia ad thronum misericordiae tuae
et gratias agentes offerimus tibi offerimus tibi, gratias referentes,
hoc sacrificium incruentum hoc sacrificium
de tuis donis ac datis:
Hostiam puram, Hostiam sanctam, vivum et sanctum.
immaculatam hanc Hostiam pro saeculi vita.

Respice, quæsumus,
Supplices te rogamus, Domine sempiterne, in oblationem Ecclesiæ tuæ
ut agnoscens Victimam et, agnoscens Hostiam,
cuius voluisti intercessione placari, cuius voluisti immolatione placari,
in oblationem Ecclesiae tuae benignus aspicias,
tui Spiritus operatione sacratam.
Ipsam, quaesumus, acceptam habeas et concede propitius concede,
ut quotquot Filii tui corpus et sanguinem sumpserimus, ut qui Corpore et Sanguine Filii tui reficimur,
eodem Spiritu sancto copiosius repleamur Spiritu eius Sancto repleti,
et unum corpus et unus spiritus efficiamur in eo. unum corpus et unus spiritus inveniamur in Christo.

Ita tibi munus aeternum nos ille perficiat Ipse nos tibi perficiat munus æternum,
ut cum electis tuis hereditatem consequamur. ut cum electis tuis hereditatem consequi valeamus,

In primis cum beata, gloriosa, semperque virgine Maria, in primis cum beatissima Virgine,
Genitrice Dei et Domini nostri Iesu Christi: Dei Genetrice, Maria,
sed et cum beatis Ioseph cum beato Ioseph, eius Sponso,
et Ioanne Baptista,
cum sanctis Apostolis tuis Petro et Paulo, cum beatis Apostolis tuis et gloriosis Martýribus
cum sancto N. (patrono dioeceseos), (cum Sancto N.: Sancto diei vel patrono)
cum beato N. (cuius festum agitur)
—in missis quae non sunt de sanctis liceat singulis
aut sacerdotibus aut coetibus—v. g. religiosis—
nomen facere unius sancti ad libitumet—
et omnibus sanctis et omnibus Sanctis,
quorum meritis et intercessione perpetuo quorum intercessione perpetuo
apud te confidimus adiuvari. apud te confidimus adiuvari.
Memento, Hæc Hostia nostræ reconciliationis proficiat,
Domine, Ecclesiae tuae sanctae toto orbe diffusae, quaesumus, Domine, ad totius
pro qua tibi offerimus hanc Hostiam salutarem. mundi pacem atque salutem.
Ecclesiam tuam, peregrinantem in terra,
Illam undique congregare et custodire digneris in fide et caritate firmare digneris
una cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N. cum famulo tuo Papa nostro N.
et episcoporum ordine universo, et Episcopo nostro N.,
cum antistite nostro N. cum episcopali ordine et universo clero
et omni populo acquisitionis sanctae tuae. et omni populo acquisitionis tuæ.

Votis supplicibus, quaesumus Domine, Votis huius familiæ,

offerentium et adstantium adesto propitius,
qui tibi deferunt hoc sacrificium placationis
et laudis eosque ita sacris tuis mysteriis
efficias expiatos ut ad tuam magnificentiam
capiendam tuis semper miserationibus instaurentur.
quam tibi astare voluisti, adesto propitius.
Omnes filios tuos ubique dispersos
tibi, clemens Pater, miseratus coniunge.
Fratres nostros defunctos et omnes qui, tibi placentes,
ex hoc sæculo transierunt,
in regnum tuum benignus admitte,

Nos etiam peccatores, altaris tui ministros,

in tua miseratione respicias
et famulatum nostrum
tibi faciens dignanter acceptum
concede nos sedulo quod tractamus imitari.
Memento quoque, Domine,
famulorum famularumque tuarum
qui nos cum signo fidei praecesserunt
et in pace Christi requiescunt.
Eis, quaesumus, locum refrigerii et lucis indulgeas
quo speramus simul gloria tua perenniter satiari. ubi fore speramus, ut simul gloria tua perenniter satiemur,

Per Christum Dominum nostrum, per Christum Dominum nostrum,

per quem mundo omnia dona largiris: per quem mundo bona cuncta largiris.
—quando hic cibi benedicuntur, dicitur: ...per quem haec
omnia, Domine, semper bona creas, sanctificas, vivificas,
benedicis et praestas nobis...—
per ipsum, et cum ipso et in ipso Per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso,
est tibi, Deo Patri omnipotenti, est tibi Deo Patri omnipotenti,
in unitate Spiritus Sancti, in unitate Spiritus Sancti,
omnis honor et gloria, omnis honor et gloria
per omnia saecula saeculorum. per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

R Amen. R Amen.
 English translation of “Canon B”
You are indeed Holy, O Lord,
and all you have created rightly gives you praise,
and continually proclaims that heaven and earth
are filled with the wonders of your glory,
for through your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the flowing of the Holy Spirit,
you give life to all things and make them holy.
To you, therefore, most merciful Lord,
we humbly beseech you,
graciously accept these gifts
we have brought for your consecration and blessing.
Bid, we pray,
your Holy Spirit in his strength to enter them,
by the power of your Christ, our Lord,
that they may become for us his Body and Blood
a sacrifice pleasing to you
such as he commanded we offer you.
For he, the day before his passion,
he willed to commend to us
this great mystery of the new covenant
a perpetual memorial of his wondrous works:
that, mercifully offering himself on the cross,
we too, your humble servants,
should constantly offer
his body and blood in this mystery.
And so, when he was about to deliver himself to death
he took bread in his blessed and venerable hands
and, looking up to heaven, to you, O God,
his almighty Father,
giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice of wine mixed with water
and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:
Eucharistic Prayer III (ICEL, 2010)
You are indeed Holy, O Lord,
and all you have created rightly gives you praise,
for through your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
by the power and working of the Holy Spirit,
you give life to all things and make them holy,
and you never cease to gather a people to yourself,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.
Therefore, O Lord,
we humbly implore you:
by the same Spirit graciously accept these gifts
we have brought to you for consecration,
that they may become the Body + and Blood
of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ
at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.
For on the night
he was betrayed
he himself took bread
and,
giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice,
and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT,
WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME. DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

The mystery of faith.

R We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your
Resurrection, until you come again.
Vel: R When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we
proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Vel: R Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross
and Resurrection you have set us free.

Therefore, O Lord, as we, your servants Therefore, O Lord, as we

and your holy people, celebrate the memorial, celebrate the memorial
of the glorious Passion of your Son, of the saving Passion of your Son,
his wondrous Resurrection his wondrous Resurrection
and Ascension into heaven, and Ascension into heaven,
and as we look forward to his second coming, and as we look forward to his second coming,
we confidently approach the throne of your mercy,
and give thanks, offering to you this unbloody sacrifice we offer you in thanksgiving,
from the gifts that you have given us:
this pure Victim, this holy Victim, this holy and living sacrifice.
this spotless Victim, [given] for the life of the world.

Look, we pray,
In humble prayer we ask you, eternal Lord, upon the oblation of your Church
that, recognising the Victim and, recognising the sacrificial Victim,
by whose intercession you willed by whose death you willed
to reconcile us to yourself, to reconcile us to yourself,
look with kindness upon the oblation of your Church,
made holy by the working of your Spirit.
Accept it, we pray, and in your goodness grant that, grant that we,
as many of us as receive the body and blood of your Son, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son,
may be abundantly filled with the Holy Spirit, and filled with his Holy Spirit,
and may become in him one body and one spirit. may become one body, one spirit in Christ.

May he make of us an eternal offering to you May he make of us an eternal offering to you
so that we may come to the inheritance of your elect, so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect

especially with the blessed, glorious, ever-Virgin especially with the most Blessed Virgin
Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ: Mary, Mother of God,
and also with blessed Joseph with blessed Joseph, her Spouse,
and John the Baptist,
with your holy Apostles Peter and Paul, with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs
with Saint N. (patron of the diocese), (with Saint N.: the Saint of the day or Patron Saint)
with blessed N. (Saint of the day)
—in Masses which are not de sanctis the individual priest or
community—e.g. religious—may here insert a Saint’s name
of his own choice—
and all your Saints and all your Saints,
on whose constant merits and intercession on whose constant intercession
in your presence we rely for unfailing help. in your presence we rely for unfailing help.
Remember, May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation,
Lord, your Church spread through all the globe, we pray, O Lord, advance
for which we offer this saving Victim. the peace and salvation of all the world.
Be pleased to gather your people from everywhere Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity
and protect them, your pilgrim Church on earth,
with your servant N. our Pope, with your servant N. our Pope
and the whole Order of Bishops, and N. our Bishop,
with our Bishop N. the Order of Bishops, all the clergy
and the entire holy people you have gained for your own. and the entire people you have gained for your own.

Listen graciously, O Lord, to the prayers
and supplications of those who have made this offering,
and those who stand in your presence,
who offer to you this sacrifice of atonement and praise;
through these holy mysteries of yours
bring about purification
that possessed by your greatness
they may ever be restored to your mercy.
Listen graciously to the prayers of this family
whom you have summoned before you:
in your compassion, O merciful Father,
gather to yourself all your children
scattered throughout the world.
To our departed brothers and sisters and to all
who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life,
give kind admittance to your kingdom.

To us also, ministers at your altar, though sinners,

look with your mercy
and graciously accept
our service to you;
grant us to diligently imitate his conduct.
Remember also, O Lord,
your servants
who have gone before us with the sign of faith
and rest in the peace of Christ.
Grant them, we pray, a place of refreshment and light,
where we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory. There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory

Through Christ our Lord, through Christ our Lord,

through whom you give all gifts to the world: through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.
—when food is blessed here: Through whom you continue
to make all these good things, O Lord, you sanctify them, fill
them with life, bless them and bestow them upon us...—
through him, and with him, and in him, Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father, O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours, all glory and honour is yours,
for ever and ever. for ever and ever.

R Amen. R Amen.