Pontifical High Mass

The parts to be said aloud are all chanted, except that the prayers at the foot of the altar were said quietly by the bishop with the deacon and the subdeacon, while the choir sang the Introit.

[2] A Low Mass celebrated by a bishop is almost identical with one celebrated by a priest, except that the bishop puts on the maniple only after the prayers at the foot of the altar, uses the greeting "Pax vobis" ("Peace to you") rather than the priest or deacon's "Dominus vobiscum" ("The Lord be with you"), and makes the sign of the cross three times at the final blessing, which may be preceded by a formula that begins with "Sit nomen Domini benedictum" ("Blessed be the name of the Lord").

Instead of saying Dominus vobiscum ("The Lord be with you") as the opening liturgical greeting for the Eucharistic part of the Mass, a bishop says Pax vobis ("Peace to you").

It was also customary for some of the bread and wine used at the Mass to be consumed by the sacristan and the cup-bearer in the presence of the Pope at the offertory and again before the Our Father (Pater noster) in a short ceremony called the praegustatio as a precaution against poison or invalid matter.

Liturgical manuals such as Ritual Notes provide a framework for incorporating Tridentine ceremonial into the services of the Book of Common Prayer.