The
Mass (Latin: ), a
form of
sacred musical composition, is a
choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the
Eucharistic liturgy (principally that of the
Catholic Church, the
Anglican Communion, and
Lutheranism) to music. Most Masses are settings of
the liturgy in
Latin, the liturgical sacred language of the Catholic Church's Roman liturgy, but there are a significant number written in the languages of non-Catholic countries where vernacular worship has long been the norm. For example, there are many Masses (often called "Communion Services") written in English for the
Church of England. Musical Masses take their name from the Catholic liturgy called "the Mass" as well.