Liturgy and Worship Reflections

Today in Rome on our young adult pilgrimage, Fr. Robert is celebrating Mass at the Mamertine Prison, the oldest prison in Rome. It sits directly adjacent to the Roman Forum on the northeastern slope of the Capitoline Hill, and Tradition holds that at separate times, St. Peter and St. Paul were once imprisoned here in the prison's subterranean dungeon during their trial before their martyrdom.

Hanging above the altar at OLMC is a large crucifix, with a 6-foot-tall corpus of Christ painted in the Ionic style. As I'm sure you know, OLMC is not alone in having a crucifix, as every Catholic Church is required to have a crucifix on or near the altar for the Mass. But why is that?

At the Mass, there are many things said or read throughout the Mass, but around 70% of everything that is said is not being said to us in the pews. So to whom are these words being addressed?