DOMINUS VOBISCUM

At the conclusion of the “Gloria in excelsis” the priest stoops down and kisses the altar; then, having turned to the people, salutes them with “Dominus vobiscum”—“The Lord be with you”—words evidently taken from the Old Testament, where we see them employed on various occasions (see Ruth 2:4; 2 Paral, 16 et passim). The Jews were very particular in having the name of God in all their salutations, or at least an allusion to some one of God’s good gifts. Their other salutations used to be: 1, The blessing of Jehovah upon thee; 2, May God be with thee; 3, Be thou blessed of Jehovah; 4, Peace be to thee. It was this last form that the Angel Gabriel used when he announced to our Blessed Lady that she was to be the favored Mother of the “Long-expected of nations,” our Saviour and Redeemer. What in English is rendered by “Hail to thee” is in Syriac—the vernacular of the Blessed Virgin at that time, and evidently the language in which the angel addressed her—ܝܠܡ ܠܟܝ Slom lek—“Peace to thee.”