ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Pre-Tridentine Mass

Do you know what a church is? It's a special place where people go to pray and learn about God. Well, a long time ago, when people went to church they had a different way of doing things. This way of doing things is called the pre-Tridentine Mass.

When people went to church back then, they would hear prayers in a language called Latin. They would also see the priest wearing special clothes, and he would stand at the front of the church facing away from the people. This might seem strange to us now, but back then it was the way they did things.

During the pre-Tridentine Mass, the people would also hear music and singing. This was a way of expressing their love for God. And when it was time to receive communion (a special piece of bread and wine), the people would only receive the bread, because the wine was only for the priests.

Overall, the pre-Tridentine Mass was a way for people to come together to pray and worship God. While it might seem different from the way we do things now, it was an important part of history and helped shape the way we practice religion today.