The Sanctus Meaning: The Biblical Roots of "Holy, Holy, Holy" at the Eucharistic Prayer

As the Eucharistic Prayer begins — "the center and summit" of the Mass — the whole assembly sings the Sanctus: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest…" In this session of The Mass Explained, Dr. Brant Pitre shows that this single hymn weaves together two moments of Scripture: the prophet Isaiah's vision of the seraphim around God's throne crying "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts" (Isaiah 6), and the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem with "Hosanna… Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 21). He also opens up the introductory dialogue — "The Lord be with you… Lift up your hearts" — tracing "and with your spirit" to St. Paul (2 Timothy 4:22) and the ancient liturgy, and explains why the Fathers saw the start of the Eucharistic Prayer as entering the "Holy of Holies."

Key passages & sources examined: Isaiah's vision of the seraphim (Isaiah 6:1–7); Jesus' triumphal entry, "Hosanna" (Matthew 21:9); "The Lord be with you" / "and with your spirit" (Ruth 2:4; 2 Timothy 4:22); "Lift up your hearts" (Lamentations 3:41); the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus; St. Cyprian and St. John Chrysostom; and William Durand on the "Holy of Holies."