Formula missae in the context of "Canon of the Mass"

Eastern Lutheranism (also known as Byzantine Lutheranism or Byzantine Rite Lutheranism) refers to Eastern Protestant Lutheran churches, such as those of Ukraine and Slovenia, that use a form of the Byzantine Rite as their liturgy. It is unique in that it is based on the Eastern Christian rite used by the Eastern Orthodox Church, while incorporating theology from the Divine Service contained in the Formula Missae, the base texts for Lutheran liturgics in the West.

Eastern Lutherans use the Julian calendar for the calendar and thus observe feast days and liturgical seasons, such as Great Lent, in a fashion similar to Orthodox customs. As such, many Byzantine Lutheran holy days are shared with those of the Eastern Orthodox Church; in addition, Eastern Lutheran churches are constructed in accordance with Byzantine architecture. Posture during worship, such as bowing, is identical to that in other parts of Eastern Christianity. Within Byzantine Rite Lutheranism, the calendar of saints includes persons esteemed in Eastern Christianity, such as John Chrysostom and Nestor the Chronicler, as well as those specific to the Lutheran Church, such as Lucas Cranach the Elder and Martin Luther.

The Divine Service (German: Gottesdienst) is a title given to the Eucharistic liturgy as used in Confessional Lutheran churches of North America. It has its roots in the Pre-Tridentine Mass as revised by Martin Luther in his Formula missae ("Form of the Mass") of 1523 and his Deutsche Messe ("German Mass") of 1526. It was further developed through the Kirchenordnungen ("church orders") of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries that followed in the Lutheran tradition.

In the Nordic countries, where Lutheranism predominates, the usual term for the Eucharistic liturgy is Mass, even among Confessional Lutheran Churches. In denominations heavily influenced by the twentieth century ecumenical and liturgical movements, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the terms "Holy Communion" or "the Eucharist" are more frequently used.

Deutsche Messe ("German Mass"; full title: Deutsche Messe und Ordnung des Gottesdiensts, "German Mass and Order of Worship") was published by Martin Luther in 1526. It followed his work Formula missae from the year 1523, pertaining to the celebration of a Latin mass. Both of these masses were meant only as suggestions made on request and were not expected to be used exactly as they were, but could be altered. The function of the mass, according to Luther, is to make people hear the word.

The German Mass was completely chanted, except for the sermon.