A Forest of Symbols “The undertaking represented by this book is of capital importance… We must learn to discover or rediscover the liturgy of the Holy Mass such as our Church has transmitted it, …More
A Forest of Symbols

“The undertaking represented by this book is of capital importance… We must learn to discover or rediscover the liturgy of the Holy Mass such as our Church has transmitted it, starting with an authentic allegorical or mystical explanation, which in a certain way forms the essence of each of our rites, in the same way that a tree’s sap, invisible beneath its bark, provides it with moisture and gives it life and growth.”

—ROBERT CARDINAL SARAH

from the Foreword

“For almost a millennium, theologians saw in the Holy Mass an allegory of the life of Christ, a symbolic unfolding of the ages of the world, a pageant of mysteries. Under the withering chill of rationalism, this treasure-chest of meditation was first mocked, then forgotten. Fr. Barthe explains why we should recover the mystical interpretation of the Mass and then shows how it is done, reconnecting us with our forefathers in the Roman rite. A potent tonic to restore our lost memories!”

—PETER A. KWASNIEWSKI

author of Reclaiming Our Roman Catholic Birthright