Mass--The old name for the Sacrament of the Holy Communion, being
a corruption of the Latin, _Ite, Missa est_, meaning "the people
are now dismissed." "This name was retained in the Prayer Book of
1549, the title of the Office being 'The Supper of the Lord, and
the Holy Communion, commonly called the Mass.'" In the Prayer Book
of 1552 the word "Mass" was dropped and has not since appeared in
the Prayer Book, and in consequence has become generally disused.
The term, however, is still retained in popular usage as in the
words Christmas, Michaelmas, etc. The Swedish and also the German
Reformers retained the name "Mass" for the principal service of the
Church, whether it did or did not include a Celebration of the Holy
Communion.
Matthew, Feast of Saint.--Observed September 21. A Feast in honor of
St. Matthew has been observed since A.D. 703, and he is known in the
Church as both Apostle and Evangelist. St. Matthew had {184} been
a Publican or tax-gatherer, and while in his office at Capernaum,
receiving the customs from those who passed over the Sea of Galilee
he was called by our Lord and, we read, "he at once arose and
followed Him." He is called Levi by St. Mark and St. Luke. This
was probably his former name and he was named Matthew when he became
a disciple. Being one of the Twelve, he himself saw and heard most
of what he relates in the Gospel which he wrote. It was first
written in Hebrew, especially for the Jews, but was afterwards,
probably by St. Matthew himself, written in Greek. This Gospel
tells us more than the others of our Lord's human life, and it is
for this reason that in ecclesiastical art the symbol assigned to
St. Matthew is "the likeness of a Man" with wings.
Matthias, Feast of Saint.--Observed February 24. The only record we
have of St. Matthias in the New Testament is that to be found in
Acts I:15-26 where it is recorded that he was chosen to be an Apostle
in the place of the traitor Judas. This passage is read for the
Epistle for the Day. We have here the New Testament witness to the
fact that the number of the Apostles was to be increased and the
Apostleship perpetuated to the end of time by its being committed
to others, as in the case of St. Paul and St. Barnabas apparently in
the place of St. James who had been put to death by Herod, and of
some other Apostle whose death is not recorded. According to the
tradition of the Church, St. Matthias ministered for some years
among the Jews; he then went to Cappadocia where he preached the
Gospel and where he eventually suffered martyrdom, being stoned {185}
and afterwards beheaded about A.D. 64. In ecclesiastical art, St.
Matthias is variously represented as bearing a halbert; leaning upon
a sword; holding a sword by the point; with a lance, hatchet or axe;
with a stone in his hand; with a carpenter's square; with a book and
scimitar.
Matins.--The Order for Morning Prayer was called by the ancient
popular name of _Matins_ (abbreviated from Matutinae) in the original
English Prayer Book of 1549. This name is still retained in the
Tables of Lessons set forth in the English Prayer Book. It is often
used now as a brief and convenient substitute for the longer title
in the Prayer Book, "The Order for Daily Morning Prayer." One of the
CANONICAL HOURS (which see).