Confiteor
Confiteor
The Confiteor has opened the Mass since the Middle Ages; this is the wording of the old hand missals. It confesses sin to God and to the whole company of heaven, then asks them all to pray for you. At the three “through my fault” lines, the one praying strikes the chest, as the tax collector did in the Temple.
Roman Missal, medieval; Luke 18:13
I confess to almighty God,
to blessed Mary ever Virgin,
to blessed Michael the Archangel,
to blessed John the Baptist,
to the holy apostles Peter and Paul,
to all the saints,
and to you, brethren,
that I have sinned exceedingly
in thought, word and deed,
through my fault,
through my fault,
through my most grievous fault.
Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin,
blessed Michael the Archangel,
blessed John the Baptist,
the holy apostles Peter and Paul,
all the saints,
and you, brethren,
to pray to the Lord our God for me.
Amen.