Fidelium Missa
Mass of the Faithful. Under the Arcani Disciplina (q.v.) the catechumens were not permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper with the faithful (q.v.): they were allowed to join with them, in worship only until the offertory. Then the deacon gave a signal to the catechumens to leave the church, saying Ite, missa est," Depart, the assembly is dismissed." Hence arose the twofold missa, namely, the missa catechumenorum and the missa fidelium; the former meaning that portion of the public worship which was performed before the dismissal of the catechumens, and the latter that portion which was continued until the communicants went away.-Bingham, Orig. Eccl. bk. 13:ch. i, § 3; bk. 15:ch. i, § 1; Farrar, Dictionary, s.v. SEE MASS.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More