Many of the characters in Midnight Mass are Christians of the Catholic tradition and the show extensively references Christian terminology and Bible passages. The story in the show is very personal to director Mike Flanagan, who grew up in the Catholic traditions of Christian faith. While viewers don't need to be Catholic or even Christian to understand the show, some may find themselves wondering about Flanagan's symbolic use of the religious rituals featured in the story.

The first episode of the series introduces St Patrick's Church, the Crockett Island location in which much of the action of Midnight Mass occurs. The regular attendees of the church have been awaiting the return of their elderly priest, Monsignor Pruitt, and are surprised when the much younger Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) arrives to announce that he will be replacing Pruitt. From episode titles to clothing worn by church leaders, the events in the show are surrounded by Christian and Catholic terminology and traditions.

Related: Midnight Mass Cast & Character Guide

Flanagan's shows are very attentive to detail and often include hidden Easter eggs, such as the many ghosts hidden in the background of both The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. In the case of Midnight Mass, the Easter eggs aren't hidden in the background as Flanagan instead masks hidden meaning in the religious rites of Catholicism used in the show. While viewers can understand the basic premise of the show without knowledge of every Catholic tradition and of the Biblical canon, lack of certain knowledge may cause some to miss out on the parallels and symbolism that Flanagan invokes through their use. Whether viewing for the first time or fifth, here's some helpful background information to know while watching Midnight Mass.

Mass In Christianity & Catholic Church

The title Midnight Mass should alert viewers to some basic facts about the show, such as the significance of Catholicism to the plot. However, in reality, the concept of mass is itself hugely important in the Catholic church Mass is a tradition specific to the Catholic church, although many denominations of Christianity hold regular meetings consisting of similar practices. It is a rite in which practicing Catholics are supposed to participate every Sunday, but many Catholic churches offer the opportunity for members to participate on weekdays if they want to take Mass more than once a week. There is an annual custom of holding Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve from which the show takes title, although the show doesn't take place at Christmas.

Individual churches vary in the minutiae of how Mass is executed, but the basics remain the same. Attendees take part in a few different practices that happen at Mass such as the singing of hymns, the reading and recitation of Scripture, and teaching from the priest as shown in Midnight Mass. The most important practice at Mass is that of communion, in which members of the church ingest a small portion of bread and wine. It is at one of these meetings at St. Patrick's in Episode 2, "Book II: Psalms," that miracles begin to occur and is later revealed Father Paul has been using the regular Mass and communions for more than traditional religious reasons.

Body & Blood of Christ Meaning

Father Paul Hill bleeds out and dies in Midnight Mass

Since communion is the most important rite of Mass and is the conduit through which Father Paul enacts his plan upon the attendees of the church in Midnight Mass, it is helpful to understand what the practice symbolizes for those of Catholic persuasion. The practice of communion takes root in the Biblical accounts of the Last Supper found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. During this meal, Jesus passes around some bread and wine and says of them “Eat, this is my body” and “Drink, this is my blood" with the idea that the items are representative of Jesus sacrificing himself so that others can live.

Related: Midnight Mass Sets Up A Sequel (But It Shouldn’t Happen)

Christians have applied these passages to their gatherings and the Catholic Church has applied these words of Jesus to their practice of mass and interpret them more literally than other denominations. Catholic tradition holds that when participants take the bread and wine, the items are transformed into the literal body and blood of Jesus Christ. Flanagan has taken this interpretation which the Catholic Church has applied to the passage and taken it to an even more extreme level in Midnight Mass.

What Are Chasubles? Color Significance Explained

Another visual symbol Flanagan utilizes in Midnight Mass is that of the chasuble, a garment that has long been worn by the Catholic priesthood. The first reference to the garment comes in Episode 1, “Book I: Genesis when Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan), a fervent member of St. Patrick’s, points out to Father Paul that he is wearing the wrong chasuble for an ordinary Sunday Mass. At that point in the show, Father Paul is wearing a gold chasuble and is seen wearing chasubles of other colors in later episodes.

The garment is similar to a poncho in form, worn over the head of the wearer and sitting atop all other clothing, with the different colors correspond to occasions of the calendar year. The colors Father Paul dons in Midnight Mass are first gold, followed by purple, red, and then gold again. The gold chasuble is worn only on Christmas and Easter, and represents Christ’s birth and resurrection. Purple is worn during Lent and represents preparation and sacrifice. Red is worn on several holidays, including Good Friday (the holiday in remembrance of Jesus’ death) as seen on Father Paul in the show, and represents passion and blood. The timeline of Midnight Mass takes place over the period of Lent leading up to Easter, a holiday on which Catholic churches hold special vigils in celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Flanagan, in another brilliant piece of visual storytelling that works so well in Midnight Mass, quietly uses the colors of the chasuble to mark the phases of Father Paul’s plan to bring the islanders into resurrection from the dead.

Books of the Bible & Christian Biblical Canon

Leeza and Warren watch from a canoe as Crockett Island burns at sunrise in Midnight Mass.

Each episode of Midnight Mass is titled after a book in the Biblical Canon. The first four episodes are named for Old Testament books, while the last three are named after New Testament books. The books used for episode titles in order are GenesisPsalmsProverbsLamentationsGospelsActs of the Apostles, and Revelation. These books are symbolically significant to their corresponding episode through their individual themes and content.

Related: Every Mike Flanagan Netflix Horror Ranked Worst To Best

The titles of the episodes follow the story arc of Midnight Mass from beginning to end, even to the point of having the first and last episodes named after the first and last books of the Bible, Genesis and RevelationPsalms, Proverbs, and Lamentations are Old Testament books that are each filled with poetry and nuggets of wisdom. The Gospels provide historical accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection at the beginning of the New Testament. while Acts of the Apostles shows how his followers built up the church in the ancient world. The themes of each of these books are explored in their corresponding episodes such as when Erin Greene refers to the grief of the Israelites in the book of Lamentations while she is grieving herself.

The Apostle Paul & Pruitt's Journey

The vampire attacks Monsignor Pruitt in the cave in Midnight Mass.

The character of Paul the apostle is heavily drawn upon in Episode 3 of Midnight Mass by Father Paul to parallel the journey of Monsignor Pruitt, though Pruitt’s journey is scarier in comparison to that of the apostle. Father Paul details the conversion of the apostle to the Christian faith found in Acts 9. Paul was formerly a persecutor of Christians until Jesus appeared to him in a brilliant burst of light as he traveled, leaving him blind. After three days and a visit to a disciple of Jesus, Paul regained his sight and became a follower of Jesus himself, spreading the teachings of Jesus all across the ancient world.

Flanagan is not the first director to use a Biblical allegory to enhance an on screen story but his use of Paul's tale is extremely effective in relation to the character of Monsignor Pruitt. The conversion of the apostle Paul is a great example of second chances in the Bible, as someone who was welcomed into the Christian faith even though he had formerly antagonized Christians. Viewers of Midnight Mass soon learn that Father Paul desired a second chance to right some wrongs he had made in his youth, and saw the "gift" of youth he had received as the opportunity he needed to fix those mistakes along with spreading the gift to others.

Next: Midnight Mass: What Actually Happened To The Cats?