Mässor

Mässa is a Swedish noun with two principal meanings: a religious liturgy or church service, and a large trade fair or exhibition. The religious sense refers to the Mass in Christian worship, most commonly connected to Catholic liturgy but also encountered in broader liturgical contexts. The secular sense denotes a trade fair or exhibition, such as a book fair or an industry expo. The plural mässor covers both meanings, with the intended sense clarified by context.

Etymology: The word is borrowed from German Messe, which covers both senses, and ultimately derives from Latin missa meaning “dismissal” in the liturgical phrase ite, missa est. In Swedish the form is identical for both senses, so context is needed to determine meaning.

Usage and examples: In religious usage, Swedish speakers may use mässa to denote the church service, particularly in Catholic contexts; in Protestant settings, gudstjänst is more common for a regular service. In commerce and culture, mässa is widely used for fairs and exhibitions, for example bokmässan (the book fair) or bilmässan (the car fair). Venues named as mässan, such as Stockholmsmässan, host large expos and conventions.

Notes: Because mässa can mean either a liturgical service or a trade fair, the intended meaning is usually clear from surrounding words and context. The term is most common in Swedish usage for the fair sense in contemporary media and industry contexts, while the religious sense remains typical in liturgical or historical references.