''Dóminus vobíscum'' (

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: "The Lord be with you") is an ancient salutation and

blessing In religion, a blessing (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the impartation of something with doctrines of grace, grace, Sacred, holiness, spiritual Redemption (theology), redemption, or Will of God, divine will. Etymology and Germani ...

traditionally used by the clergy in the Masses of the

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and other

liturgies Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a community, communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, ...

, as well as liturgies of other

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Christian denominations, such as

Lutheranism Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

and

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

Usage

The response is ''Et cum spíritu tuo'', meaning "And with your spirit." Some English translations, such as Divine Worship: The Missal and the

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...

, translate the response in the older form, "And with thy spirit." Eastern Orthodox churches also follow this usage, although the episcopal and presbyteral blessing are one and the same; in Greek, ''Εἰρήνη πᾶσι, eirene pasi'', "peace to all." In the Roman Rite, this usage is only for the bishop, who says ''Pax vobíscum''. The ICEL translation presently in use for Roman Catholic Masses in English has "And with your spirit." Prior to

Advent Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for both the celebration of Jesus's birth at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Chri ...

2011, the Roman Catholic response in English-speaking countries was "And also with you." In 2001 the Holy See issued the instruction '' Liturgiam Authenticam'' concerning the use of vernacular languages in the Mass. The instruction requires that certain phrases, such as the response ''Et cum spíritu tuo'', which "belong to the heritage of the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church, as well as others that have become part of the general human patrimony, are to be respected by a translation that is as literal as possible". Accordingly, the current translation of the Mass in English uses the response "And with your spirit" to reflect an accurate translation of the Latin. ''Dóminus vobíscum'' is not usually said by anyone who is not at least a

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...

. If introducing a prayer, it is otherwise replaced with ''Domine, exaudi orationem meam'', with the response ''Et clamor meus ad te veniat'' (‘O Lord, hear my prayer’, And let my cry come to thee’, the opening verse of Psalm 102) or, if that invocation is said in any case, it is omitted. In a Mass celebrated by a bishop or some

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, or some Nestorian Orthodox priests, ''Dóminus vobíscum'' is instead replaced with some variation of ''Pax vobis'' or ''Pax vobíscum'' (Peace be with you) which is replied with either the

Sign of the Cross Making the sign of the cross (), also known as blessing oneself or crossing oneself, is both a prayer and a ritual blessing made by members of some branches of Christianity. It is a very significant prayer because Christians are acknowledging ...

or ''Et cum spíritu tuo'' depending on the Church and whether it is in a

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy () or Holy Liturgy is the usual name used in most Eastern Christian rites for the Eucharistic service. The Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Lutheranism, Eastern Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church believe the Divi ...

, or

Holy Qurbana The Holy Qurbana (, ''Qurbānā Qaddišā'' in Syriac language, Eastern Syriac or ''Qurbānā Qandišā'' in the Indian variant of Eastern Syriac, the "Holy Offering" or "Holy Sacrifice" in English), refers to the Eucharistic liturgy as celebrat ...

. This exchange is also said in the

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

Divine Service. The Lutheran Book of Worship, released in 1978, used the phrase "And also with you." The

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of December 31, 2023, it ...

's updated hymnal,

Evangelical Lutheran Worship ''Evangelical Lutheran Worship'' (''ELW'') is the current primary liturgical and worship guidebook and hymnal for use in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). It was first publ ...

, retains this wording. The response in the Lutheran Service Book, used by the

Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

(LCMS) and the Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), was changed to "And with your spirit" in 2006, changing from "thy" to "your". In some Jewish rites, a person called up to the Torah says ''Adonai immachem''; the sense is identical. In Arabic, ''Allah Maak'', which means "May Allah be with you", is used as a farewell.

Origins

The salutation is taken from the verses and in the

Vulgate The Vulgate () is a late-4th-century Bible translations into Latin, Latin translation of the Bible. It is largely the work of Saint Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels used by the Diocese of ...

, the Latin translation of the Bible. In Ruth, the phrase appears in the sentence, ''"Et ecce ipse veniebat de Bethlehem dixitque messoribus: 'Dominus vobiscum'. Qui responderunt ei: 'Benedicat tibi Dominus'."'' ("Boaz himself came from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, 'The Lord be with you!' and they replied, 'The Lord bless you!'"). II Chronicles recounts that Azariah, filled with the spirit of God, said, "''Audite me, Asa et omnis Iuda et Beniamin! Dominus vobiscum, quia fuistis cum eo. Si quaesieritis eum, invenietur a vobis; si autem dereliqueritis eum, derelinquet vos''." ("Hear me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you when you are with him, and if you seek him he will be present to you; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.") The phrase additionally appears in : ''"Nolite ascendere: non enim est Dominus vobiscum: ne corruatis coram inimicis vestris."''The

New American Bible The New American Bible (NAB) is an Bible translations into English, English translation of the Bible first published in 1970. The 1986 Revised NAB is the basis of the revised Lectionary. In the Catholic Church it is the only translation approved ...

translates the verse, "Do not go up, because the Lord is not in your midst; if you go, you will be beaten down before your enemies."
Source
.) (Hebrew ''Ayn adonai b'qirb'chem'') The expression in Hebrew means to be successful. It also occurs in where Saul tells David "Go and may the Lord be with you" (''Lech va'adonai y'hiyeh im'cha'').

References

{{italic title Order of Mass