Bishops and prelates, such as abbots, still use a distinctive form of celebrating Mass. Formerly, however, there were many variations in the types of Episcopal Masses, which often included complex preparatory rites. This lavishly decorated missal for the use of bishops was printed in Germany in 1922.

The title page from an Epistolary–the book containing those Scripture readings (other than the Gospel) which were chanted by the Subdeacon at a Solemn Mass. This edition was printed in Belgium in 1888.

Hand missals for the laity were a common feature of Catholic liturgical life before vernacular languages replaced Latin. This Spanish Missal from 1959 is opened to the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity–the first Sunday after Pentecost.