Concelebration

thumb|300px|Concelebration of an Lutheranism|Evangelical-Lutheran Mass during the season of [[Advent at Adolf Fredrik Church in Sweden]] In Christianity, concelebration (from the Latin + , 'to celebrate together') is the leadership of a congregation by a number of presbyters (priests or ministers) at the celebration of the Eucharist, for Catholics and Evangelical-Lutherans, respectively, during Mass. A senior presbyter, bishop, or archbishop generally acts as the principal celebrant, with other presbyters and bishops present—each participating in the celebration of the Mass and prayerfully assisting at the consecration in particular—known as concelebrants. The concelebrants typically assist the principal celebrant by reciting the Words of Consecration together with them, thus invoking the spiritual change in the eucharistic elements that is at the sacramental heart of the Mass. Certain concelebrants may also individually recite pre-assigned portions of the Eucharistic Prayer while gathered with the principal celebrant around the altar.

Concelebration is often practiced by ministers within a particular church (it is common in major Catholic Masses, for example) and by ministers from Churches that are in full communion with one another (e.g. the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Church).