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diff --git a/15172-8.txt b/15172-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0bfdcaa --- /dev/null +++ b/15172-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5013 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome +by Charles Michael Baggs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome + +Author: Charles Michael Baggs + +Release Date: February 25, 2005 [EBook #15172] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CEREMONIES OF THE HOLY-WEEK *** + + + + +Produced by Olaf Voss, William Flis, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team. + + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: The Table of Contents +was added by the transcriber. + + + + + +THE CEREMONIES + +OF THE + +HOLY-WEEK + +AT ROME. + +BY + +THE RT. REV. MONSIGNOR BAGGS, + +BISHOP OF PELLA. + + * * * * * + +THIRD EDITION. + + * * * * * + +ROME: + +SOLD BY LUIGI PIALE, + +ENGLISH BOOKSELLER, + +1. PIAZZA DI SPAGNA, 106. VIA BABUINO. + +1854. + + * * * * * + + + + +CONTENTS + + +DIRECTIONS FOR SEEING THE CEREMONIES 3 + +CHAP. I. ON THE CEREMONIES OF THE MASS 5 + +CHAP. II. ON THE CEREMONIES OF PALM-SUNDAY 22 + +CHAP. III. ON THE DIVINE OFFICE, AND THE OFFICE OF TENEBRAE IN +PARTICULAR 37 + +CHAP. IV. ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY THURSDAY 50 + +CHAP. V. ON THE CEREMONIES OF GOOD-FRIDAY 69 + +CHAP. VI. ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY-SATURDAY 92 + +APPENDIX. PECULIAR CEREMONIES OF HOLY-WEEK AT JERUSALEM 121 + + * * * * * + + + + +DIRECTIONS + +FOR SEEING THE CEREMONIES + + * * * * * + +Provide yourself with a HOLY-WEEK-BOOK, or _Uffizio della Settimana +Santa_. Take care that your dress is according to rule. For many of +the ceremonies ladies require tickets signed by _M. Maggiordomo_. + +On Palm-sunday morning the Pontifical ceremonies begin at S. +Peter's, at about 9 o'clock: no stranger can receive a palm without +a permission signed by _M. Maggiordomo_. In the afternoon the Card. +Penitentiary goes at about 4 or half past 4 to S. John Lateran's, +where the Station of the day is held. + +On the _afternoons_ of _Wednesday_ and _Thursday_, (between 4 and half +past 4) and of _Friday_ (half an hour sooner) the office of Tenebræ +begins at the Sixtine chapel. After it is over, you may go to S. +Peter's to bear the conclusion of a similar service: there on Thursday +evening the high-altar is washed by the Card, priest and chapter; +on Friday the Pope, Cardinals etc. go thither to venerate the relics +after Tenebræ in the Sixtine chapel; and on the afternoons of both +days the Card. Penitentiary goes thither in slate. In the evening of +these three days the feet of pilgrims are washed, and they are served +at table by Cardinals etc. at the Trinità dei Pellegrini. + +On _Thursday morning_ you can see the oils blessed at S. Peter's: this +ceremony begins _early_. There is little difference between the mass +(at about half past 9 or 10) in the Sixtine chapel on this day, and +on ordinary days, and there is generally a great crowd: the procession +after mass is repeated on the following morning; and the papal +benediction on Easter Sunday: your best plan therefore will be to go +at an early hour to see the blessing of the oils, and afterwards the +washing of the feet, at S. Peter's; and then go to see the dinner +of the _apostles_ near the balcony from which the Pope gives His +benediction. The _Sepulchres_, particularly that in the Cappella +Paolina, may be visited. + +On _Friday morning_ the service of the Sixtine chapel begins at about +half past 9 or 10. (Devotion of 3 hours' agony from about half past +12 to half past 3 at the Gesù, SS. Lorenzo e Damaso etc.; after the +_Ave Maria_ the _Via Crucis_ at Caravita, and devotion of the dolours +of the B. Virgin at S. Marcello, etc. An hour after the _Ave Maria_ +poetical compositions are recited at the Serbatojo dell'Arcadia). + +On _Saturday morning_ service begins at S. John Lateran's at about +half past 7. As soon you have seen the baptism at the baptistery, you +had better drive to the Vatican, to attend at the beautiful mass of +the Sixtine chapel. + +On _Saturday afternoon_ you may go to the Armenian mass at S. +Biagio or S. Gregorio Illuminatore: it begins towards 4 o clock. On +Easter-Sunday the Pope sings solemn mass at S. Peter's, at about 9 +o'clock. He afterwards venerates the relics, and gives His solemn +benediction. In the afternoon, besides Vespers there is a procession +at S. Peter's called that of the 3 Maries. (At S. John Lateran's +the Cardinals assist at Vespers, and afterwards venerate the relics +preserved there) At night the cupola is illuminated, and on the +following night there are fireworks or _girandola_ at Castle S. +Angelo. On Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday there is _cappella papale_ at +the Vatican, but it differs little from the ordinary _cappelle_. + + + + +CHAP. I. + +ON THE CEREMONIES OF THE MASS + + +_CONTENTS._ + + Origin of the word _ceremony_--object of + ceremonies--institution of the mass--its earliest + ceremonies--discipline of secrecy--liturgy of the Roman + church--general review of the principal ceremonies of + the mass--mass of the catechumens, _ambones_--mass of the + faithful, blessed water, secrecy, prayers for the dead--Latin + the language of the Roman liturgy, and why--usual ceremonies + of high-mass in the papal chapel--sentiments of S. John + Chrysostom. + + "_It was chiefly, if not only, in the mystical liturgy of the + eucharist, that the primitive church spoke without reserve + of all the sublimities of Christian faith._" Palmer, Origines + Liturg. vol. I, p. 13. + +[Sidenote: Origin of the word ceremony.] + +From Rome our Saxon forefathers received Christianity; and from the +same source we have derived several words denoting Christian rites. +Thus the words _religion, sacrament, sacrifice, communion_, and others +are Latin, with the exception of the termination. The word _ceremony_ +also is Latin, and owes its origin to an interesting fact in ancient +Roman history. When the Capitol was besieged by the Gauls (A.U. 365) +most of the inhabitants of Rome provided for their own safety by +flight: but the Flamen Quirinalis or priest of Romulus, and the +Vestal virgins loaded themselves with the sacred things, that they +might secure those hallowed treasures from profanation. "They were +proceeding" (says Livy lib. V, c. XXII) "along the way which passes +over the Sublician bridge, when they were met on the declivity by L. +Albinus a plebeian, who was fleeing with his wife and children in +a _plaustrum_ or cart: he and his family immediately alighted: then +placing in the cart the virgins and sacred things he accompanied them +to Cære where they were received with hospitality and respect". Hence +(says Valerius Maximus lib. I, c. 1.) "sacred things were called +ceremonies, because the inhabitants of _Cære_ revered them when the +republic was broken, as readily as when it flourished". Thus is the +word ceremony associated at once with the devotion of Albinus, with +the Gaulish invasion of the Capitol, and with Cære, one of the twelve +cities of Etruria, now called Cervetri or Cære vetus[1]. The Pagan +Romans derived their religious rites from Etruria, and in particular +from Cære on account of its proximity to Rome: this may be another +reason for the adoption of the term _ceremony_, which was afterwards +applied to the rites of all religions[2]. + +[Sidenote: Object of ceremonies.] + +But what, it may be asked by many, is the use of ceremonies? I shall +answer in the words of the council of Trent. "Since the nature of man +is such, that he cannot easily without exterior helps be raised to +the meditation of divine things, the church as a pious mother has +instituted certain rites, namely, that some things in the mass should +be pronounced in a low voice and others aloud; she has also used +ceremonies, as mystical benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, +and many other things of that kind, from apostolical tradition and +discipline, in order that the majesty of so great a sacrifice might +be displayed, and the minds of the faithful might be excited by these +visible signs of religion and piety to the contemplation of those +sublime things which are concealed in this sacrifice". Session XXII, +c. V.--These words lead us to treat briefly of the mass, the principal +act of divine worship during holy-week as at all other seasons of the +year. This we do now the more readily, that we may not afterwards be +obliged to interrupt our account of the peculiar ceremonies of Holy +week, which presuppose an acquaintance with the mass. + +[Sidenote: Institution of the mass.] + +Jesus Christ instituted the mass at his last supper, when he took +bread and blessed and broke and gave to his disciples and said, Take +ye and eat, this is my body; and taking the chalice he gave thanks, +and gave to them saying, Drink ye all of this: For this is my blood +of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of +sins: Matth. XXVI, 26. In this brief account are mentioned all the +_essential_ parts of the mass. Christ commanded the apostles and +through them their successors to perform the same holy rite "in +commemoration" of Him, and they obeyed His commands, as we learn from +the acts of the apostles, and the first epistle to the Corinthians. + +[Sidenote: Its early ceremonies.] + +Gradually various prayers and ceremonies were added to the sacred +words pronounced by Christ, as the Apology of St. Justin, the writings +of St. Cyprian, the catechetical discourses of St. Cyril of Jerusalem +and other early works prove. The Apostles themselves had added the +Lord's prayer[3]. The liturgy however during the first four centuries, +as Le Brun maintains[4], or, according to Muratori followed by Palmer, +the first three centuries, was not written, but was preserved by oral +tradition, according to the received practice of the early church, +which, unwilling to give what is holy to dogs, or to cast pearls +before swine concealed from all persons, except the faithful, the +mysteries of faith. It would seem from St. Justin's apology, that +much was left to the particular devotion of the bishop or priest who +offered mass, and hence we might expect not to find in the earliest +liturgies great uniformity, except in essentials and general outline. +Yet Le Brun has endeavoured to restore, from the early Christian +writers, the liturgy used in the first four centuries: and it contains +the most important prayers and ceremonies of the mass in its more +modern form. + +[Sidenote: Discipline of secrecy.] + +We shall so often have to recur to the discipline of secrecy alluded +to above, that we consider it necessary to speak of it briefly, +before we proceed further. The Pythagoreans, the Stoics, Plato, the +Epicureans and other ancient philosophers concealed their doctrines +from the uninitiated: the mysteries also of Osiris, Isis, Bacchus, +Ceres, Cybele etc. were carefully kept secret. There was no novelty +therefore for the ancients in the discipline of secrecy, the +institution of which in the Christian church is attributed by many +fathers to Christ himself, who directed that his disciples should not +"give what is holy to dogs, or cast pearls before swine". Matt. VII, +6. This injunction was observed by the whole church from the apostolic +age till the fifth century in the east, and the sixth century in the +west: it extended to dogmas as well as rites, and in particular to +those of the holy Trinity and the sacraments, especially the blessed +Eucharist[5]. For "those things" says St. Cyril of Alexandria "are +generally derided, which are not understood" adv. Julianum. The +pagans, at the instigation, it would appear, of the Jews and early +heretics, availed themselves of this secret discipline to charge +the Christians with the detestable crimes of Oedipus and Thyestes, +pretending that in their secret assemblies they murdered an infant +covered with flour, and drank his blood. (Cecilius ap. Minut. Fel.) +It was solely with the view of refuting these calumnies, that Justin +Martyr explained, in his apology addressed to Antoninus Pius, the +catholic doctrine of the eucharist. S. Blandina on the contrary +endured the most cruel torments rather than reveal it, though its +profession would have confuted the same odious calumnies; and S. +Augustine observes a similar reserve when answering the pagan Maximus +Madaurensis. + +"Who" says the protestant Casaubon "is so little versed in the +writings of the fathers, as to be ignorant of the formulary used +principally of the sacraments, the initiated understand what is said: +it occurs at least fifty times in Chrysostom, and almost as frequently +in Augustine". S. Fulgentius inserts in his answer to the deacon +Ferrandus the following words of S. Augustine to the neophytes "This +which you see on the altar of God you saw last night: but what it was, +what it meant, and of what a great thing it contains the sacrament, +you have not yet heard. What therefore you see is bread and the +chalice. What your faith demands is, that the bread is the body of +Christ, and the chalice contains the blood of Christ". S. Cyril +of Jerusalem in his catechetical discourses addressed to the newly +baptised inculcates in the strongest terms the doctrine of the real +presence, but charges them most strictly not to communicate to the +catechumens his instructions. In consequence of this practice the +early fathers often speak obscurely of the B. Sacrament, and call it +bread and wine and _fermentum_ after the consecration, though they +clearly teach the _faithful_ the doctrine of the real presence[6]. + +[Sidenote: Liturgy of the Roman church.] + +Pope Innocent I, writing to Decentius at the beginning of the fifth +century, attributes the liturgy of the Roman church to St. Peter. It +was first written in the fifth century; and Pope Vigilius sending it +in 538 to Profuturus derives it from Apostolic tradition. The most +ancient sacramentary or liturgical work extant of the Roman church is +that of Gelasius who was Pope from 492 to 496[7]. He collected prayers +composed by more ancient authors, and also composed some himself: +and this Gelasian compilation was reformed by Gregory the Great and +reduced to one volume[8], which may be considered as the prototype +of our present liturgy. The canon or most solemn part of the mass +has been preserved inviolate ever since, as appears from the Ordines +Romani written shortly after the time of S. Gregory, and also from the +explanations of it written by Florus and Amalarius. This canon as well +as the order of prayer are the same as those of Gelasius, as Palmer +observes (Orig. liturg. vol. 1, p. 119,) and are also nearly identical +with those of the sacramentary of S. Leo. The Ambrosian and African +liturgies also were evidently derived at a very remote period from +that of Rome. From such considerations as these Mr. Palmer proves the +very ancient or apostolical origin of the "main order", the substance +of the Roman liturgy. Origines liturg. vol. I, sect. VI. The author of +the canon is unknown; yet we know the authors of some additions to the +canon. Thus S. Leo I added sanctum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam, S. +Gregory I, diesque nostros in tua pace disponas. + +[Sidenote: Review of the ceremonies of the mass.] + +[Sidenote: Mass of the catechumens, ambones, sermons.] + +We shall not examine minutely all the prayers and ceremonies of the +mass, or stop to enquire at what time and by what pope each of +them was first introduced, lest we should weary the patience of our +readers[9]; but we shall content ourselves with a general review of +the mass, as it is now celebrated. We may divide it, as the ancients +did, into two parts, the mass of the catechumens, and the mass of the +faithful. The first part includes the preparation and confession of +sins at the foot of the altar, the _introit_ or anthem and part of +a psalm sung at the _entrance_ into church, the _Kyrie eleison_ or +petition for mercy, the _Gloria in excelsis_ or hymn of praise (both +of great antiquity, as Palmer following our catholic divines has +shewn) the collect or collects so called from their being said when +the people are collected together, the epistle and gospel, and also +the verses, said or sung between them both, called the Gradual[10]: +if sung by one voice, it is called the Tract; if by choir, the +Responsory. The collects and other prayers are said with the arms +extended in the same manner as many figures are represented praying on +old christian as well as pagan monuments. After the gospel the sermon +used to be preached, as it generally is in our times[11] and after +the sermon Pagans, Jews, heretics, schismatics, energumens, public +penitents and catechumens were dismissed by the deacon; for the +faithful alone were allowed to be present at the celebration of the +sacred mysteries, in conformity to the discipline of secrecy. That +part of mass, which we have described was called the mass of the +catechumens, because these were allowed to be present at it. + +[Sidenote: Mass of the faithful, blessed water.] + +From the _missio_, _missa_, or dismissal announced by the deacon to +the people before and after the mass of the faithful, the term _missa_ +or mass is derived. It was in use in the early ages; for it is found +not only in the epistle to the bishop of Vienne attributed to Pope +Pius I, and in that of Pope Cornelius to Lupicinus: but S. Ambrose +also says "I continued my duty, and began to celebrate mass" and in +another place he exhorts the people to "hear mass daily[12]". + +When the church had been cleared of all except the faithful, the +second part of our mass, or the mass of the faithful, began with the +Nicene symbol or creed. Then followed the offertory, or part of a +psalm sung anciently while the people made their offerings to the +church, particularly of bread and wine[13]. The priest offers to God +the bread, and wine mixed according to apostolic tradition[14] with +a little water, which our Saviour is believed to have mixed with +the wine at the last supper; he implores God's blessing on these +offerings, and washes his hands in token of the purity of soul[15] +with which the sacred mysteries should be approached, and at high mass +for the sake of outward cleanliness also, on account of the incense +which he has used. Having commemorated the passion, resurrection, +and ascension of Christ, as he does also after the consecration, he +calls on those present to join him in prayer, he says another prayer +or prayers called the _secret_, because said in secret, and then +recites the _preface_ to the canon, a prayer in which he unites with +the celestial spirits in praise and thanksgiving as Christ himself +gave thanks at the last supper: it concludes with the Tersanctus or +Trisagion "Holy, Holy, Holy etc." which, as Palmer observes, has been +probably used in the Christian liturgy of the east and west since the +ages of the apostles. V. 2. p. 219. + +[Sidenote: Prayers for the dead.] + +The canon of the mass next follows, which as well as many of the +preceding and following prayers is said in a low voice, according to +the ancient custom alluded to by Innocent I, S. Augustine, Origen, and +other Fathers[16]. In it the priest prays for the church, the Pope, +the bishop of the place, the living and the dead[17] he reveres the +memory of the B. Virgin, the Martyrs and other Saints[18], and having +once more implored the blessing of God, and spread his hands over the +victim, according to the custom of the Jews, he pronounces over the +bread and wine the words of consecration according to the command of +Christ, and adores and raises for the adoration of the people the +body and blood of our Divine Lord. It is in this consecration that +the sacrifice of the mass principally consists; as by it the victim +is placed on the altar, and offered to God, viz. Christ himself, +represented as dead by the separate consecration of the bread and +wine, as if His blood were separated from His body. After some other +prayers, in which the priest offers to God the holy sacrifice, and +prays for mercy and salvation for all present, he elevates the host +and chalice together; this was the ancient elevation, as the more +solemn one, which follows immediately after the consecration, was +introduced generally in the 12th century, in opposition to the heresy +of Berengarius. Then concluding the canon the priest recites the _Our +Father_, and breaks the host, as Christ broke the bread, and as His +body was "broken" for us[19]; he puts a particle of the host into +the chalice[20]; he implores mercy and peace from the lamb of God, at +solemn masses gives the kiss of peace according to the recommendation +of scripture, and receives the two ablutions of the chalice, one of +wine, the other of wine and water, lest any portion of the sacred +blood should remain in it: he recites the communion or anthem, which +was originally sung while the holy communion was distributed; he says +the prayer or prayers called postcommunion, dismisses and begs God's +blessing on the people, in fine he recites the beginning of St. John's +gospel or some other gospel appropriate to the day. We shall on other +occasions recur to various ceremonies of the mass[21]. + +[Sidenote: Latin the language of the liturgy.] + +The language of our liturgy has descended to us as a precious legacy +from the time when Peter and Paul preached in Rome. It would be +incongruous that our ancient hierarchy robed in ancient vestments +should perform our ancient liturgy in a moderne language. As in all +parts of the globe there are members of the Catholic church, she has +wisely preserved in her liturgy a language common to all countries, +the language too of majesty, civilisation and science, as De Maistre +observes. Like her divine founder she is the same yesterday and +to-day: like the rock, on which she is built, she is proof against +the winds and waves; she is unchanged and unaffected by the wayward +caprices of fashion. Translations of her liturgy are published for the +use of those who are unacquainted with Latin so that they may either +join in reciting the prayers of the church, or say others which their +own devotion may suggest. + +Having described the ceremonies of low-mass, we shall subjoin a brief +account of those customary at high-mass when celebrated in the papal +chapel: we shall thus avoid unnecessary repetitions in the course of +this work. The beginning of the mass is said by all persons within +the sanctuary: and the Pope recites it before the altar with the +celebrant. As His Holiness is the ecclesiastical superior of the +latter, and is habited in his sacred vestments, many benedictions are, +according to a general rubric, reserved to Him, which are otherwise +given by the person who sings mass. Thus He blesses not only the +incense, the water at the offertory, the subdeacon and deacon, the +preacher, when there is a sermon, and the people after the sermon +and at the end of mass, but also the Cardinals on several occasions, +and the celebrant himself before he offers up mass. "For without +contradiction (says St. Paul) that which is less is blessed by the +better". Hebr. VII, 7. He also, and not the celebrant, kisses the +book of the Gospel. The first cardinal priest present hands to Him the +incense, and also incenses him, kneeling down if the Pope be seated +at the time, and standing if the Pope stands[22], and therefore, he +is seated near the Pope during part of the Mass, that he may be ready +when his services are required. + +Incense is used, as is customary at high masses, before the introit, +at the Gospel, after the offertory and during the elevation. Before +the introit the crucifix, the altar[23], the celebrant and the Pope +are successively incensed. Before the deacon sings the gospel he +incenses the book; and after it the Pope is once more incensed by +the first cardinal priest. After the offertory, besides the bread +and wine, the crucifix, the altar, the celebrant and the Pope, +the Cardinals and the first in rank among the prelates and other +personages are incensed by the deacon. At the elevation the blessed +Sacrament alone is incensed.[24] + +When the Pope reads from the missal, this book is held by the first, +and a taper by the second, patriarch or assisting bishop[25]. The +_Kyrie eleison_, the _Gloria in excelsis_, _Credo_, _Sanctus_ +and _Agnus Dei_ are said by all persons within the sanctuary: the +cardinals descend from their seats to say them, and form a circle in +the middle of the chapel; having received the Pope's blessing they +return to their places. After the _Sanctus_, the Pope goes before +the middle of the altar followed by the assistant bishops and others +of His train's and all kneel till the elevation is ended. After the +_Agnus Dei_, the first Card. priest goes up to the altar, kisses it, +and receives from the celebrant the kiss of peace: this he gives to +the Pope, from whom the two first Card. deacons receive it. The Card. +priest then returns to his place, and gives the kiss of peace to the +priest who assists the celebrant; from him the first of the other +cardinals and principal prelates receive it and communicate it to +their colleagues. The assistant priest then gives it to the master of +ceremonies, who has accompanied him, from whom the other colleges of +prelates receive it and in fine (if time permit) to the deacon, from +whom it passes to others who assist at the altar. When the pope gives +His blessing, the cross is held before Him by the last auditor of the +rota, and His vestment by the first protonary. Such are the ceremonies +generally observed at high mass in the papal chapel, except at masses +for the dead, when some of them, and in particular those of incensing +(except at the offertory and elevation) and of the kiss of peace, are +omitted. + +[Sidenote: Sentiments of S. John Chrysostom.] + +We shall conclude with the words of a holy and eloquent bishop of +Costantinople of the 4th century, "When thou seest the Lord immolated +and placed there, and the priest engaged in the sacrifice and praying, +and all present empurpled with precious blood, dost thou think that +thou art among men, and art standing on the earth? and not rather +that thou art instantaneously transferred to heaven, where casting +out of thy soul every fleshly thought thou lookest around on heavenly +things. O miracle! O the love of God for man! He, who sits above with +the Father, is at the same time held in the hands of all, and gives +himself to those who wish to receive and embrace him. Wishest thou +to see the excellence of this _holiness_ from another miracle? Depict +before thy eyes Elias and an innumerable multitude surrounding him, +and the victim placed on the stones; all the others in profound +silence, and the prophet alone praying; then suddenly fire rushing +from heaven on the sacrifice. These things are astonishing and replete +with wonder. Then transfer thyself thence to the things now effected, +and thou wilt find them not only wonderful, but surpassing all +astonishment. For here the priest bears not fire, but the holy Ghost; +he pours out long supplications, not that fire descending from above +may consume the offerings, but that grace falling on the sacrifice +may through it inflame the souls of all and render them purer than +silver purified by fire. This most dread rite then who, that is not +altogether insane and out of his mind, shall be able to contemn? Art +thou ignorant that no human soul could have sustained this fire of the +victim, but all would have totally perished, unless the assistance of +divine grace had been abundant" S. John Chrysostom, De Sacerdotio Lib. +3, c. IV. + +[Footnote 1: It is situated near the road leading from Rome to +Civitavecchia at the distance of about 27 miles from the former city. +Its necropolis has lately enriched the new Gregorian museum with some +of its most precious treasures, consisting in gold ornaments of the +person, in silver and painted vases etc. of very ancient and admirable +execution. See Nibby, Analisi storico-topografica etc. as also Grifi. +The Etruscan and Egyptian museums entitle His present Holiness Gregory +XVI to be ranked with many of His predecessors among the greatest and +most munificent patrons and collectors of ancient monuments.] + +[Footnote 2: If we compare with this term others of similar +termination, such as _sanctimonia_ from _sanctus_, we shall find in +them a confirmation of the etymology given above: _monia_ serves to +form the substantive, but does not otherwise alter the meaning.] + +[Footnote 3: S. Greg. M. lib. VII, epist. 64.] + +[Footnote 4: See Le Brun, Explic. Missae T. 2. dis. 1. Also Renaudot. +They have however been refuted by Assemani, Maratori and Zaccaria.] + +[Footnote 5: The _Pater noster_ is still said in secret, except after +the canon of the Mass, because at that part of the Liturgy only the +faithful were present. See Moroni's learned work entitled, Dizionario +di erudizione ecclesiastica.] + +[Footnote 6: See Schelstratius, de Disciplina Arcani, or Trevern's +answer to Faber's Difficulties of Romanism: also Bingham lib. X, c. 5. +Times are now so much altered that it is difficult to conceive how the +Reserve in communicating Religious knowledge recommended in one of +the Tracts for the Times could be practicable, even if it were judged +expedient.] + +[Footnote 7: It was first published by B. Card. Tommasi from a very +ancient manuscript in the queen of Sweden's library. Cave, Mabillon, +Muratori, Assemani and other eminent critics admit its authenticity. +There is however another sacramentary _perhaps_ more ancient called +the Leonian, because it is attributed by the learned to Leo the great, +A.D. 450. It was first published by Bianchini in the 4th volume of +Anastasius the librarian from a Verona MS. written 1100 years ago.] + +[Footnote 8: This new Gregorian sacramentary was carried to England +by St. Augustin and the other missionaries. Mr. Palmer and after him +Mr. Froude (Remains, vol. 2nd, p. 387) give a similar account of the +Roman liturgy. They, like archbishop Wake, attribute the origin of the +Roman, Oriental, Ethiopic and Mozarabic liturgies to St. Peter, St. +James, St. Mark and St. John, and observe that all other liturgies +are copied from one or other of these. "In each of these four original +liturgies the eucharist is regarded as a mystery and as a sacrifice" +p. 395: they all agree in the principal ceremonies of the mass, and +all contain a prayer for the rest and peace of all those who have +departed this life in God's faith and fear" p. 393. "Now it may +be reasonably presumed", says archbishop Wake "that those passages +wherein all these liturgies agree, in sense at least, if not in words, +were first prescribed in the writings of the ancient fathers". See +Tracts for the times, no. 63.] + +[Footnote 9: They who wish for further details may consult Le Brun, +Card. Bona, Martene, Gavant, Rock's Hierurgia etc.] + +[Footnote 10: Because anciently sung from the _steps_ of the _ambo_ or +pulpit, according to Rabanus Maurus an author of the 9th century, and +others. In the ancient churches there were generally in the _chorus_ +or choir two ambones, one from which at solemn masses the lector and +at a later period the subdeacon used to sing the gospel, with his face +usually turned towards that side of the church, where the _men_ were +assembled; at Rome this was generally the south side. At low masses +the missal was removed from the epistle side of the altar at the +beginning of the offertory, in order to leave room for the offerings, +according to an Ordinarium of Monte Casino of the year 1100. It has +for a long time been customary to remove it before the gospel, which +the priest recites turned towards the same direction as the deacon at +high mass. Mystical meanings were afterwards assigned for this removal +of the book.] + +[Footnote 11: It is astonishing how Mr. Palmer could assert that "Leo +bishop of Rome in the fifth century appears to have been the only +bishop who preached in the Roman church for many Footnote: and it is +said that none of his successors until the time of Pius the fifth, +five hundred years afterwards, imitated his example". Orig. Liturg. +vol. II, p. 59. Bingham I. IV, c. §.3. Mr. Palmer forgot all the +homilies of Gregory the great, as well as the chronology of the Popes. +The latter might find in the multiplicity and importance of their +other occupations abundant motives for abstaining from preaching, a +duty to which so many of their clergy dedicate themselves. That the +early Popes however preached there can be no doubt, although most +of their homilies, if ever written, have not reached our time. Not +only the example of S. Peter who (whatever we may think of the local +tradition of Rocca S. Pietro above Palestrina) used certainly to +preach, as the Acts of the Apostles prove; but the general custom of +other cities would induce the zealous Bishops of Rome to exhort and +encourage their flock, particularly in time of persecution; and that +at a later period they were not unaccustomed to preach is evident +from the Ordo Romanus of Card. Gaetano published by Mabillon and from +a Vatican MS. no. 4231, p. 197; both these documents are quoted by +Cancellieri, _Descriz. delle Cappelle etc. p. 328_. See proofs that +the Popes preached drawn up in chronological order in Sala's notes to +Card. Bona, lib. 2. c. 7-] + +[Footnote 12: S. Ambros. Ep. 13, serm. 34.] + +[Footnote 13: Of the ancient offerings the following vestiges remain: +candles are offered by the clergy at their ordination, bread and wine +by bishops at their consecration, chalices and torches by the Roman +senate on particular festivals, and in fine bread, wine, water, and, +till lately, doves and other birds at the canonisation of the Saints. +On the ancient offerings see Cancellieri, de Secretaries, t. I, p. +181.] + +[Footnote 14: "This custom prevailed universally in the Christian +church from the earliest period" Palmer Orig. Liturg. vol. 2, p. 75.] + +[Footnote 15: As the ancient Roman houses had an _impluvium_ in the +midst of the _atrium_, so in the _atria_ annexed to the Christian +churches was one or more fountains (Eus. Eccl. Hist. l. X, c. 4) and +sometimes a well or cistern. In these the faithful used to wash their +hands (Tertull. De orat. §, De lavat. man.) Thus in the atrium of +St. Paul's basilica there was a cantharus, restored by Pope Leo I, of +which the saint writes thus to Ennodius; + + Quisque suis meritis veneranda sacraria Pauli + Ingrederis, supplex ablue fonte manus. + +The _cantharus_ is mentioned by Virgil Eclog. VI, 21. + + Et gravis adtritâ pendebat cantharus ansa. + +A large vessel of this description may be seen in the _cortili_ of S. +Cecilia and SS. Apostoli at Rome. It used to be blessed on the vigil +or festival of the Epiphany, as it is now in the Greek and even the +Roman church. When churches were built without _atria_, a vessel +of blessed water was placed inside the church: in some of the older +churches there is even a well. See Nibby, _Dissert. sulla forma, etc. +delle antiche chiese_.] + +[Footnote 16: See Le Brun tom. IV, diss. 15. Super usu recitandi +silentio missæ partem etc. This custom was connected with the +discipline of secrecy. The scripture itself does not mention what +words Christ used, when He "gave thanks", before He pronounced the +words of consecration; and the early church imitated this reserve. +Anciently curtains concealed the altar, during the most solemn part of +mass, as now in some Oriental churches. St. John Chrysostom (Hom. 3, +in Ep. ad Ephes.) mentions this custom; and traces of it still remain +at St. Clement's church in Rome.] + +[Footnote 17: See ancient inscriptions from the catacombs, containing +prayers for the dead in Bock's Hierurgia (vol. 2, ch. 7), also in +Annali delle Scienze Religiose, Luglio 1839, as also in the well-known +works on the catacombs. Bingham admits that the eucharistic sacrifice +was offered for S. Augustine, S. Monica, the emperors Constantine +and Valentinian at their funerals. (S. Ambrose prayed for Valentinian +Gratian and Theodosius.) "In the communion service" says he "according +to the custom of those times, a solemn commemoration was made of the +dead in general, and prayers were offered to God for them". Bingham, +Antiq. l. 23, c. 2. "The custom of praying and offering up sacrifice +for the faithful departed most evidently appears to have prevailed in +the church even from the time of the apostles", says the Protestant +bishop Milles, Opera S. Cyrilli. p. 297. "In primitive times" says +Palmer "these commemorations (in the mass) were accompanied by +prayers for the departed". Origin. Liturg. vol. 2, p. 94. With these +Protestant admissions before us and many others collected in the +Annali delle Scienze Relig. Luglio 1839, we opine that the Rev. Mr. +Breeks ought to have been solicitous for his own soul rather than for +that of Mrs. Wolfrey, whose inscription was dictated by the spirit +of primitive Christianity. The following is the inscription on +Thorndike's tomb at Westminster "Tu lector, requiem ei et beatam in +Xto resurrectionem precare". On Bp. Barrow's tomb at S. Asaph's "O +vos transeuntes in domum Domini, domum orationis, orate pro conservo +vestro ut inveniat requiem in die Domini". Both were written by their +own direction: other Protestant testimonies may be seen ap. Srett. o. +462.] + +[Footnote 18: Pope Vigilius (A.D. 538.) in his epistle to Profuturus, +bishop of Braga in Spain, says, that the canon never varied, but that +on particular festivals "we make commemoration of the holy solemnity, +or of those saints whose nativities we celebrate".] + +[Footnote 19: "The bread which we break is it not the communion of the +body of Christ". 1 Cor. X, 16.] + +[Footnote 20: This custom we may consider with Palmer as a memorial +of an ancient mode of communicating under both kinds united, which +is still observed in the oriental churches: Vol. 2, p. 146; or with +Le Brim as a record of the practice of sending the particle to the +priests of titular churches, T. 4. Micrologus and others consider +this mixture as a representation of Christ's resurrection. It is very +ancient, as Sala shews.] + +[Footnote 21: "St. Paul calls the Eucharist 1 Cor. X, 16 the cup of +_blessing_ which _we bless_." This incidental information vouchsafed +to us in scripture, should lead us to be very cautious how we put +aside other usages of the early church concerning this sacrament, +which do not happen to be clearly mentioned in scripture". Tracts for +the Times, Vol. 1, no. 34. The "Mass" in Cranmer's Form of prayer +and administration of the Sacraments, which was declared by act of +Parliament "agreable to the word of God and the primitive church" +differs but little from the Roman mass above described. See Pugin's +Letter on the proposed Protestant Memorial. London 1839.] + +[Footnote 22: Macri in his Hierolexicon says, that the Cardinal +kneels, to incense the Pope when seated, from respect to his +_cattedra_ or chair, which is the first see in the Christian church. +Others say from respect to his temporal sovereignty, the archbishops +of Milan are incensed with the same formality. This custom is +mentioned in the 13th century by Card. Giaconio Gaetano. Ordo +Romanus § 112. A certain love of proportion may have had its share +in the origin of this ceremony, by which the same relative height is +preserved between the Pope and the Cardinal in all cases in which +the former is incensed. Thus also the assistant Bishop, who holds +the Missal for the Pope, kneels when He is seated, and stands when +He stands. We kneel to the Pope to receive his blessing, as we do to +bishops and even priests; we also kneel from respect to his exalted +dignity, not only as sovereign, but also as head of the Catholic +church. It is well known that the British peers kneel even to the +empty throne of their sovereign. Kneeling is a very ancient token of +profound respect; it was paid to Joseph in Egypt, Gen. XLI, 43; to +Elias, 4 Kings I, 13 etc.] + +[Footnote 23: "O that an angel" says St. Ambrose, "would appear to +us also, when incensing the altar, and offering sacrifice". Expl. in. +Luc. l. 1, c. 25, n. 9.] + +[Footnote 24: Incense is, as we shall see in c. 2; an emblem of +prayer, and in this sense it is offered to the B. Sacrament, to Christ +represented by the crucifix, and adored on the altar. The gospel +is incensed to signify the sweet odour which it communicates to our +souls; and the ministers of God, to signify, according to St. Thomas, +that God maketh manifest _the odour_ of his knowledge by us in every +place: "For we are unto God _the good odour_ of Christ in them who are +saved, and in them who perish". 2 Cor. II, 14, 15. In fine the bread +and wine offered to God are incensed to signify the spices with which +the body of Christ was embalmed in the tomb; such at least is the +explanation given in the Liturgy of St. Chrysostom; and it is from the +oriental churches that the Latin church has taken this last practice. +Incense is a token of respect in these and other cases.] + +[Footnote 25: A taper with a stand, called a _bugia_, is held at +divine service for persons in ecclesiastical dignity, as a sign of +distinction, and to throw additional light on the book from which they +read. The taper held for the Pope at the _cappelle_ has no stand, +and is enkindled from a light concealed within the desk, on which the +assistant Bishop places the missal. This is a memorial of an ancient +monastic custom mentioned by Martene Lib. 1, De rit. Eccl. p. 277, +232.] + + + + +CHAP. II. + +ON THE CEREMONIES OF PALM-SUNDAY + + +_CONTENTS._ + + Part 1. _Introductory_. Mysteries and devotion of + holy-week--Palm-Sunday, entry of Christ into Jerusalem--of + Julius II into Rome--Sixtus V and Captain Bresca--triumphant + return of Pius VII to Rome, contrasted with ancient Roman + triumphs. Part 2. _Descriptive_, Palm-sunday--lights used at + mass etc.--vestments--_ubbidienza_, blessing of the palms, + benedictions, holy water, incense--distribution of the + palms--order in which the prelates and others + receive them--solemn procession with palms, _sedia + gestatoria_--ceremonies peculiar to this procession--its + antiquity--High mass, its peculiar ceremonies on + palm-sunday--Passio--Cardinal great Penitentiary at S. John + Lateran's. + + "_Hosanna to the son of David: blessed is he that cometh in + the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest_". Matt. XXI, 9. + +[Sidenote: P. I. Holy-week] + +The sufferings and death of Jesus Christ are the mysteries which the +catholic church commemorates during holy week. "On these days" says +S. John Chrysostom (in Ps. CXCIV) "was the tyranny of the devil +overthrown, sin and its curse were taken away, heaven was opened +and made accessible". It was then becoming that christians should +consecrate these days of mercy, of grace and salvation to exercises +of penance, devotion, and thanksgiving. The imposing liturgy of the +Roman church is at this season more than usually solemn; and it is our +task to describe, and endeavour to trace to their origin, its varied +ceremonies. + +[Sidenote: Palm-Sunday, Christ's entry into Jerusalem.] + +Palm-sunday is so called from the commemoration of our blessed +Saviour's entry into Jerusalem, when, according to St. John (XII, 13) +"a great multitude took branches of palm-trees, and went forth to meet +him, and cried: "Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the +Lord". Thus when Simon Maccabee subdued Jerusalem, he entered it "with +thanksgiving and branches of palm-trees, and harps, and cymbals, and +hymns and canticles, because the great enemy was destroyed out of +Israel". 1 Macc. XIII. The entry of our divine Redeemer therefore was +one of triumph: but it was also the entry of a king into his capital: +for "many spread their garments in the way" (Mark XI, 8), as when +Jehu was elected king, (4 Kings IX, 13), the Israelites spread their +garments under his feet. Thus also Plutarch relates of Cato of Utica, +that the soldiers regretting the expiration of his authority with many +tears and embraces spread their garments, where he passed on foot. + +Pope Julius II returning to Rome after the siege of Mirandola +distributed palms to the Roman court at S. Maria del Popolo; and +then rode in triumphal procession to the Vatican passing under seven +arches adorned with representations of his extraordinary and heroic +deeds[26]. + +[Sidenote: Sixtus V and Captain Bresca.] + +When Sixtus V. undertook to erect in the Piazza di San Pietro the +ponderous egyptian obelisk[27], which formerly adorned Nero's circus +at the Vatican, he forbade on pain of death that any one should speak +lest the attention of the workmen should be taken off from their +arduous task. A naval officer of S. Remo, who happened to be present, +foreseeing that the ropes would take fire, cried out "_acqua alle +funi_". He was immediately arrested by the Swiss guards, as we see +him represented in the small fresco in the Vatican library, and was +conducted before the Pontiff. Sixtus shewed that his severity was +based on justice; for instead of punishing the transgressor of his +orders, he offered him the choice of his own reward. They who have +observed the great abundance of palms which grow in the neighbourhood +of S. Remo, on the coast between Nice and Genoa, will not be surprised +to hear, that the first wish of the gallant captain was to enjoy the +privilege of supplying the pontifical chapel with palms. The Pope +granted him this exclusive right and it is still enjoyed by one of +his family. + +[Sidenote: Return of Pius VII to Rome.] + +When the meek and benevolent Pius VII was returning to Rome from +exile and captivity, Dr. Bresca, one of the captain's descendants, +contrived, though not without great risk, to convey to Rome the +choicest palms of S. Remo and Bordighera. At the house of his friend +Viale half a mile outside the Porta del Popolo, he assembled twenty +five _orfanelli_ dressed in their white cassocks, and forty-five +_verginelle_. When the carriage of the beloved Pontiff approached, +this double choir of children appeared, bearing palms in their hands +and singing joyous canticles of benediction but I must describe this +lovely scene in the melodious language of the south. "Ciascuno di +essi (says Cancellieri) recava in mano una di queste palme di color +d'oro altissime e cadenti come tante vaghissime piume. Sei zitelle +sostenevano de'galanti panieri di freschissimi fiori pendenti dal +loro collo, con nastri bianchi e gialli, relativi allo stendardo +Pontificio. Quindi tutti si schierarono in buon ordine sulle due ale +delta strada, e mentre le ragazze versavano graziosamente a mani piene +da' loro canestrelli la verzura ed i fiori, quella selva ondeggiante +di palme, tributate al trionfo del S. Padre dal candore e dall' +innocenza, sorprese con la novità di uno spettacolo, che non potè a +meno d'intenerire, e di muovere tutti gli astanti". + +If we now look back for a moment to the triumphs of the pagan +emperors, well may we bless God for the change which the religion of +Christ has wrought in this city. After they had let loose war, and +famine, and pestilence, to prey upon hapless nations, they ascended +the Capitol to offer incense with polluted hands to their profane +gods; and meantime the groans of the dying and unpitied princes, whom +they had reserved to decorate their triumph, ascended from the scala +Gemonia to call down the vengeance of heaven upon their oppressors. +But while the pacific and holy vicar of Christ returns in triumph to +his capital, the lips of babes and sucklings sing his praises, as they +did those of his Divine Master, and he implores heaven to shower down +benedictions on his enemies as well as his beloved children. + +[Sidenote: P. II Papal chapel on palm-sunday.] + +[Sidenote: Lights used at mass, etc.] + +At about 9 o'clock on palm-sunday morning the Cardinals, Prelates +and others assemble near the chapel of the Pieta at S. Peter's, as at +present the solemn service takes place in that basilica, and not as +formerly in the Sixtine chapel. The crucifix over the altar is veiled, +in token of the mourning of the church over her divine spouse's +sufferings[28]. On the altar are six lighted candles, and other +torches are brought in after the _Sanctus_ of the Mass, and held till +after the elevation, in honour of the B. Sacrament, by four _acoliti +ceroferarii_[29]. + +[Sidenote: sacred vestments] + +As the pope is to bless and distribute the palms, and a solemn +procession is to take place, the Cardinals put on their sacred +vestments, viz. all of them the amice, the cardinal bishops the +surplice and the cope, the priests the chasuble, and the deacons a +chasuble shorter in front than that of the priests. The auditors of +the Rota, _Cherici di Camera, Votanti_, and _Abbreviatori_ put on a +_cotta_ or supplice. The bishops and mitred abbots wear the cope, +and the _Penitenzieri_ or confessors of St. Peter's, the chasuble. +The copes of the cardinal bishops are ornamented with a _formale_, +adorned with three large bosses or projections of pearls arranged in +a perpendicular line, while the Pope's are in a triangular order, +evidently alluding, to the blessed Trinity. As this is a day of +mourning, the sacred vestments are purple. + +[Sidenote: _ubbidienza._] + +Thus attired and holding their mitres the Cardinals remain standing +while the Pope is vested by the assistant Cardinal-deacons who put +on His Holiness the amice, alb, girdle, stole, red cope, _formale_ or +clasp, and mitre. All then move in procession towards the high-altar +in the order observed in the procession of the palms, as described +below:[30] the Pope descends from His _sedia gestatoria_ to adore the +Holy Sacrament with the Cardinals etc. The procession then goes to +the high-altar; and having prayed for a short time before it, the Pope +goes to the throne,[31] and there receives the _ubbidienza_ or homage +of all the cardinals present, who in turn kiss His right hand covered +with the cope. This ceremony which takes place at all solemn offices, +except on good friday, and at masses for the dead, bears some +resemblance to the old homage of feudal times[32]. + +[Sidenote: Blessing of the palms.] + +Some palms are arranged on the altar. The Pope's chief Sacristan, who +is a bishop chosen from the Augustinian order bears one, and kneels +on the steps of the throne between the deacon and subdeacon, who bear +two larger palms. His Holiness reads the usual prayers over the palms, +sprinkles them with holy water, and incenses them three times. + +[Sidenote: Distribution of the palms.] + +When the palms have been blessed[33], the Cardinal Dean receives from +the governor of Rome and presents to the Pope those three palms, which +were borne by _M. Sagrista_, the deacon and subdeacon. One of these +is held during the service by the prince assistant at the throne, +the other two are delivered to the care of _M. Coppiere_, one of the +_Camerieri segreti partecipanti_: the shortest is carried by the Pope +in the procession. An embroidered apron is now placed over the Pope's +knees, and the cardinals in turn receive a palm from Him, kissing +the palm, his right hand and knee. The bishops present kiss the +palm which they receive and his right knee: and the mitred abbots +and _Penitenzieri_ kiss the palm and his foot[34], as do all who +come after them in the following order, which is observed also +on good-friday at the kissing of the cross, and it is also on +candlemas-day and ash-wednesday. + +The Governor, the Prince assistant, the _Uditore della Camera_, +the Treasurer, the _Maggiordomo_, the Apostolic protonotaries; the +Generals of Religious Orders, the _Conservatori_ and Prior of the +_Caporioni_, the _Maestro del S. Ospizio_, the _Uditori di Rota_, +the _Maestro del S. Palazzo_, the _Votanti di Segnatura_, the +_Abbreviatori del Parco maggiore_, the priest, deacon, and subdeacon +who assist the cardinal who is to celebrate mass, the Masters of +ceremonies, the _Camerieri segreti_ and _d'onore_, the Consistorial +advocates, the _Cappellani segreti_, _d'onore_ and _comuni_, the +_Ajutanti di camera_, the _bussolanti_, the _Procuratori generali_ +of religious orders, the _Procuratori di Collegio_, the singers, +the clerks of the papal chapel, the cardinal's _caudatarii_, the +_ostiarii_, the mace-bearers, some students of the German college, and +in fine such noblemen and gentlemen as are admitted on this occasion +to receive a palm from His Holiness, who is assisted as usual by two +Card. deacons. + +During the distribution of the palms, the anthems _Pueri Hebræorum_ +etc. are sung by the choir; and when it is finished, the Pope washes +His hands, and says the usual concluding prayer: the prince stationed +at the throne brings the water, and the Cardinal Dean presents the +towel to His Holiness. + +[Sidenote: _Solemn procession._] + +The Pope then puts incense into the thurible for the procession, and +the first Card. Deacon turning towards the people says according to +the old formula Let us proceed in peace: the choir answers, in the +name of Christ. Amen'. The procession, in which the blessed palms +are carried, moves round S. Peter's, in the following order, which +is observed also for the most part on holy thursday and good friday. +The _Procuratori di Collegio_,[35] _Procuratori generali_, the +_Bussolanti_, the _Ajutanti di Camera_, _Cappellani comuni_ and +_segreti_, the Consistorial advocates, the _Camerieri d' onore_, +and _segreti_, the singers, the _Abbreviatori, Votanti di Segnatura, +Cherici di Camera, Uditori di Rota_, the Thurifer, (_Votante di +Segnatura_), the Subdeacon (_Uditore di Rota_) who carries the cross +ornamented with a small palm, between two acolythes (_Votanti di +Segnatura_) carrying candles, the _Penitenzieri_, the mitred abbots, +bishops and the Cardinal deacons, priests and bishops all wearing +their mitres.[36] The Pope is preceded by many officers of his guards +(who go to the throne towards the end of the distribution of palms), +the _Maestro del S. Ospizio_, the _Conservatori_, Senator and Governor +of Rome. His Holiness is carried on his _Sedia gestatoria_[37] under +a canopy supported by 8 _Referendarii_ (prelates of the tribunal of +_Segnatura_) between the _flabelli_ carried by two of His _Camerieri_. +He is followed by the dean of the Rota (whose duty it is to bear His +mitre) between two _camerieri segreti_ (who as well as two Auditors of +the Rota bear His train when occasion requires), by the _Uditore della +Camera_, the Treasurer, _Maggiordomo_, Protonotaries and Generals of +religious orders. + +During the procession the choir sings the anthem, _Cum appropinquaret +etc._ When the procession is in the portico, two soprano singers +reenter the basilica, and shut the door: then turning towards +the door, they sing the first verse of the hymn _Gloria, laus et +honor_[38] and the other verses alternately with the choir, which +remains without. The subdeacon knocks at the gate with the cross, and +it is immediately opened; the procession returns into the church, and +the choir sings the concluding anthems. + +[Sidenote: _its antiquity._] + +The solemn commemoration, which we have described, of Christ's +triumphant entry into Jerusalem, could never have taken place +during times of persecution: nor did it originate immediately after +Constantine had ensured peace to the church. Martene (De ant. Eccl. +Rit. lib. IV, c. 20) could find no mention of it before the 8th or 9th +century, when Amalarius says "In memory of this we are accustomed to +carry palm-branches, and cry Hosanna". Merati however, in his notes to +Gavant, considers that he has found traces of it in the Gregorian and +Gelasian sacramentaries, and in a Roman calendar of the beginning of +the fifth century[39] and his opinion is adopted by Benedict XIV. The +ceremonies of the church of Jerusalem on this day were a still closer +imitation of the entry of Christ into that city. + +When the procession is ended, the cardinals, bishops, and mitred +abbots take off their sacred vestments and the prelates their +surplices, and they all resume their respective _cappe_; the +_Penitenzieri_ retire, and mass is celebrated by a cardinal of the +order of priests. Having already given an account not only of +low mass, but also of the additional ceremonies of high mass, as +celebrated in the papal chapel, we shall here mention those only which +are peculiar to palm-sunday. + +At those words of the epistle (which is sung as usual by the +subdeacon), "in the name of Jesus let every knee bow", the whole +assembly kneels to adore their divine Redeemer, who became obedient +unto death for our salvation. The affecting account of His sufferings +and death is then sung by three priests[40] belonging to the +pontifical choir, and habited as deacons in alb and stole. The history +itself is sung by a tenor voice, the words, of our Saviour by a bass, +and those of any other single voice by a _contralto_, called the +_ancilla_, as he sings the words of the _maid_ to S. Peter: the choir +sings the words of the multitude[41]. The church, mourning over the +sufferings of her divine Spouse, does not allow the incense, lights, +or the benediction and salutation usual before the gospel; but the +palms are borne to signify the triumphs consequent on His death as +they are also from the elevation till after the communion. All stand +up as usual from respect to the holy gospel ("as servants before their +Lord" Amalarius) but kneel for a short time at the words "Jesus crying +with a loud voice yielded up the ghost", to adore that God of love who +died for mankind. The latter part of the gospel is sung in the usual +chant by the deacon, but without the customary lights[42]. At the +offertory is sung the first part of the beautiful hymn _Stabat Mater_: +the music is Palestrina's, and is justly and highly panegyrised by +Baini; it has been published by Dr. Burney. Both the _introit_ and +communion are sung without, and the offertory with, counterpoint: the +_Kyrie eleison_, Gradual and tract, in plain chant. The Benedictus +qui venit is usually very beautiful. At the end of the mass, as there +has been no sermon, the Card. celebrant announces from the altar the +Pope's usual grant to all present of an indulgence[43] or remission +of the _temporal_ punishment due for past sins, whose guilt has been +already remitted. + +[Sidenote: indulgences] + +When the mass is ended, the palms are carried home by those who have +received them, and are preserved with respect. Two larger than the +rest are kept until the ascension, in the sacristy called the _Letto +dei Paramenti_ because anciently the aged Pontiffs after their +fatiguing walk to the stational churches used to repose on a _letto_ +or bed prepared for them in the sacristy, where they afterwards put +on the _paramenti_ or vestments. The paschal candle also, an emblem +of Christ the true light, as we shall afterwards see is removed on +the day of the ascension: this circumstance may explain the +above-mentioned custom. + +[Sidenote: Cardinal penitentiary at S. John Lateran's.] + +In the afternoon of palm-sunday, the Cardinal great Penitentiary +goes in state to S. John Lateran's. He is met, before he enters +their college, by the minor penitentiaries, who at this basilic are +Franciscans, _minori osservanti_. Having sprinkled those present with +holy water, he goes up to their private oratory[44] in the Lateran +palace, whither he is escorted by the prelates and other ministers of +the apostolic _Penitenzieria_. After a short prayer, he proceeds to +the library, where he holds the _Segnatura_ or tribunal for signing +documents relating to his office, and afterwards enters the basilic of +St. John Lateran's, where he is received by four canons. Here seated +at his tribunal of penance, he touches with his rod the heads of the +prelates, ministers and others who approach to him; and for this +act of humiliation they receive an indulgence, or remission of the +canonical penance, of 100 days. He also hears the confessions of +any persons who may choose to present themselves: but the solution +of difficult cases and absolution from crimes reserved to his +jurisdiction may be obtained without confessing to his Eminence on +so public an occasion[45]. + +The ceremonies, which we have described, are designed to honour +our divine Redeemer, whose actions and sufferings are thereby +commemorated, and at the same time to excite sentiments of devotion +in the hearts of His servants. Here ought the catholic to exercise +faith, hope, love, and contrition for his sins: and _all_, of whatever +country or creed they may be, who are admitted with hospitality and +liberality to witness the solemn and imposing service, if they do not +feel such noble sentiments, ought at least to observe that external +decorum, which the season, the place, the hierarchy, and above all the +commemoration of the sufferings of the God of charity will dictate to +every well-educated and well-principled mind. It is to be lamented, +that not only the devotion of Catholics is disturbed, but their +feelings also are occasionally insulted in their own house of worship +by the unbecoming remarks of individuals--but enough: "you have not +so learned Christ: if yet you have heard him, and have been taught in +him, as the truth is in Jesus". Ephes. IV, 20, 21. If on this day even +the inhabitants of Jerusalem received Him with triumph and jubilee, +let us His disciples and children offer to Him the best tribute in our +power of love praise and adoration. + +[Footnote 26: See Cancellieri, _Solenni possessi de'Papi, p_. 539.] + +[Footnote 27: According to Champollion, it was originally erected in +Heliopolis by Ramesses 7th son of the great Ramesses or Sesostris; +Pliny says by Nuncoreus son of Sesostris. Caligula transported it to +Rome, and placed it in the circus afterwards called Nero's, where it +remained standing till the time of Sixtus V.] + +[Footnote 28: It was customary in Lent, says St. Audoenus, to cover +with a linen veil the tomb of Eligius to conceal the brightness of the +gold and the splendour of the gems". Vita S. Eligii l. 2. c. 40. Thus +does the church at this season put off her costly nuptial robes, and +vest herself in weeds of deepest mourning. The time for veiling the +crucifix and images has varied at different periods. The Saturday +before passion-sunday is now the first, and holy Saturday the last +day, of this observance.] + +[Footnote 29: S. Isidore (A.D. 600.) observes, that acolythes are +called in Latin _Ceroferarii_ "from their carrying wax tapers when the +gospel is to be read or sacrifice is to be offered". In the eleventh +century Micrologus testifies "that Mass, according to the _Ordo +Romanus_, was never celebrated without lights, even in the day time, +as a type of the light of Christ". To this custom we shall recur in +the following chapter.] + +[Footnote 30: Pietro de Marca maintains, that the crucifix borne +before the Pope was substituted in place of the _labarum_ or standard +carried before the emperors. That of Constantine had the form of a +cross, and was surmounted with XP the first letters of Christ's name, +Eus. In Vita Const. l. 4.] + +[Footnote 31: I shall not speak of some ancient ceremonies of holy +week which have fallen into disuse, such as the custom of carrying the +gospel or the B. Sacrament in triumphant procession on Palm-Sunday, +and others alluded to by Cancellieri and described by Martene, De +Antiq. Eccl. Rit.] + +[Footnote 32: In times of schism caused by antipopes it was a practice +of the utmost importance. Thus we read in Baronius' Annals A.D. 1160, +that when the antipope Cardinal Octavianus, who assumed the name of +Victor, had been illegitimately elected, the chapter of St. Peter's +came immediately to the feet of the said Pope Victor, and _obeyed_ +"obedivit" and the clergy and people paid due reverence to him, and a +great multitude in like manner _obeyed_: "the rectors also came to his +feet, and paid _obedience_ and reverence". Then follows a long list of +the clergy of various Roman churches, all of whom it is said that they +_obeyed_. Thus, + +"The Lateran prior and his canons _obeyed_. The clergy of the +patriarchal church of S. Mary Major's _obeyed_ etc." + +This _obedience_ was evidently an external sign of their acknowledging +Victor as Pope in place of Alexander, the legitimate pontiff. +Anciently the Pope received the homage of the deacons in the sacristy; +they afterwards went out of the sacristy to put on their dalmatics. +Cancellieri de Secretariis T.I. In the sacristy the Pope gave the +_peace_ to the Bishops, Cardinals, Prefect, Senator, and other lay +princes according to the canon Benedict, Cencius Camerarius and +Cajetan. The ordines Romani mention the bowing of the Subdeacon at the +knees of the Pontiff, and the kissing of his hand by the priests, the +archdeacon and secundarius De secretariis T. I, p. 409.] + +[Footnote 33: Many forms of benediction of persons and things taken +from ancient Pontificals and manuscript rituals may be seen in +Martene, De antiquis Ecclesiae Ritibus. The church generally uses +holy-water and incense when blessing God's creatures, which are +"sanctified by the word of God and prayer" 1 Tom. IV, 5. God had +appointed water of expiation to be used by the Jews, Numbers XIX. +Lustral water used to be sprinkled also by the Pagans; Terque senem +flamma, ter aqua, ter sulphure purget. Ov. Met. l. 7. Anastasius +says that Alexander I, who was Pope in 108 "appointed that water +for sprinkling should be blessed with salt in private houses." It +is mentioned also in the apostolic constitutions. Boldetti in his +_Cemeterii de' martiri_ notices the short columns supporting small +vases, in corners of the chapels in the catacombs; and Bottari has +published and illustrated in his _Roma sotterranea_ an interesting +fresco discovered in the catacombs of S. Agnese, and representing five +figures carrying vessels closely resembling those still used for holy +water; four of those figures carry branches supposed to be of the +palm-tree: the fifth holds an aspergillum with which holy water is +still sprinkled. A copy of this fresco may be seen also in Rock's +Hierurgia, p. 668. Incense is a symbol of prayers. "Let my prayer, O +Lord" we say with the Psalmist "be directed as incense in thy sight". +God had appointed it to be used in the Jewish worship, and St. John +says, that an "angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden +censer, and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer +of the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar, which is +before the throne of God: and the smoke of the incense of the prayers +of the saints ascended up before God, from the hand of the angel". +Apoc. VIII, 3, 5. Of the apostolic antiquity of its use the Protestant +bishop Beveridge adduces proofs in his Vindication of the apostolical +canons. The ancient liturgies of the east and west agree in +prescribing the use of incense, and in particular at the beginning +of mass, at the offertory etc. See Renaudot, Assemani, Le Brun etc. +Constantine, according to Anastasius in his life of S. Silvester, gave +two golden thuribles to the Lateran basilis, and a third adorned with +jewels to the Baptistery. See Card. Bona, Rerum Liturgicarum lib. I, +c. XXV, § 9.] + +[Footnote 34: Of the antiquity of the custom of kissing the Pope's +foot we have proofs in Anastasius the librarian in the lives of Popes +Constantine and Leo IV. When Valentine was elected Pope in 827, his +feet were kissed by the Roman senate and people at S. John Lateran's. +Numerous instances also are on record of sovereigns who have kissed +the feet of the Popes, and Pouyard has written a dissertation to shew, +that this custom was anterior to that of marking the papal shoes or +sandals with a cross. This token of profound respect was given also to +the emperors of the east at Byzantium.] + +[Footnote 35: These are distinguished lawyers habited in black +_cappe_. For an account of the various offices above-mentioned and of +their origin see The Papal Chapel, Described etc. by C.M. Baggs. Rome. +1839.] + +[Footnote 36: That crosses, candles and incense were anciently used in +processions appears from S. Gregory of Tours, de Vit. Patrum, c. 13.] + +[Footnote 37: The kings and chief magistrates of ancient Rome were +entitled to a _sella curulis_, or chair of state, which used to be +placed in their chariots. Gell. III; 18. They were seated on it also +at their tribunal on solemn occasions. Virgil makes old king Latinus +say: + +Et _sellam regni_ trabeamque _insignia nostri_. Æn. XI. 334. The +Romans had borrowed it from the Etruscans according to Dionysius of +Halicarnassus. (Clement of Alexandria observes, That many of the rites +of Etruria were imported from Asia; and Diodorus (lib. 5.) represents +these insignia as derived from Lydia. See Phoebens. De Identitate +Cathedræ S. Petri p. XX. seq.) It was richly adorned, _conspicuum +signis_, according to Ovid, Pont. IV. 5, 18. In the Pope's carriage +even now there is a chair of state, and to Him alone is reserved the +honour of a _sedia gestatoria_. Pope Stephen II in 751 was carried to +the basilica of Constantine on the shoulders of the Romans exulting +at his election: and from this fact some derive the custom of carrying +the Pope in His chair on solemn occasions.] + +[Footnote 38: This hymn is attributed to the abbot Theodulph +afterwards bishop of Orleans, who lived in the 9th century. If it +were true, that he sang it as the emperor Louis le debonnaire was +passing by the prison, in which he was confined, and that he was in +consequence liberated, we should have a historical reason for the +shutting and opening of the door, and for the hymn's being sung partly +inside the church. This account has however been called in question +by Menard, Macri, Martene and others; and hence Pouget, and after him +Benedict XIV and others are contented with a mystic reason for such +ceremonies, viz, that heaven was closed to man in consequence of sin, +and was opened to him by the cross of Christ.] + +[Footnote 39: In these it is called Dominica ad Palmas, Dominica +in Palmis, and in the Gregorian Sacramentary mention is made, in +the prayer which precedes communion, of the faithful carrying +palm-branches.] + +[Footnote 40: Anciently a cardinal deacon used to read it, and to sing +only the words "Eli, Eli, lamma sabachthani".] + +[Footnote 41: The author of this exquisite chant is unknown: Baini +supposes that he was a member of the pontifical choir: it has been +sung in the papal chapel since the middle of the 13th century. In 1585 +it, together with the rest of the service of holy week, was published +by Tommaso da Vittoria with the words of the people harmonised for 4 +and 5 voices; his method was adopted by the papal choir, which adorns +it with many traditional graces, and in particular gives occasionally, +says Baini, to the words of the multitude "the irresistible force of +a most robust harmony". The abbate Alfieri has published a new edition +of the _Passios_.] + +[Footnote 42: In Africa till the time of S. Augustine, the Passion +used to be read in holy week from the gospel of S. Matthew alone; but +by his direction, as he mentions in his 232nd discourse, it was read +every year from all the four evangelists; and this custom is still +observed.] + +[Footnote 43: That God, after He has pardoned sin and consequently +remitted its eternal punishment, often, if not generally, demands +temporal satisfaction from the sinner, is evident from many instances +in scripture, such as those of David (2 Sam. XII) of Moses (Deuteron. +XXXII compare Num. XIV) to say nothing of Adam (Gen. III) and all his +posterity, who endure the temporal punishment of original sin, even +when its stain has been washed away by baptism. Now the church by +virtue of the ample authority with which Christ has invested her +(Matt. XVIII, John XX) and in particular her chief pastor (Matt. XVI) +has from the beginning exercised the power of remitting the temporal +punishment of actual sins. Thus S. Paul pardoned the incestuous +Corinthian (2. Cor. II): in times of persecution the bishops at the +request of the martyrs remitted the penance imposed on those who had +fallen into idolatry (Tersul. lib. ad martyres, Euseb. Hist. Eccl. +lib. V, c. 4. S. Cyprian. Epist. XIII etc.), to say nothing of canons +of the 4th century which prescribe that indulgences should be granted +to _fervent_ penitents, of the crusades, and of the indulgences +granted to those who contributed money for the building of S. Peter's, +etc. Indulgences presuppose repentance and confession, and the +performance of those good works which are prescribed as conditions +necessary for their acquisition, as communion, prayers, alms etc.] + +[Footnote 44: It was built by Calixtus II, and was for two centuries +and a half the Vestry of the Roman Pontiffs. It was repaired and +consecrated in 1747. See Cancellieri. De Secretariis T. I, p. 342.] + +[Footnote 45: In the third century, in the time of Pope Cornelius +there were priests appointed to absolve those who had fallen into +idolatry; and they were called _Presbyteri Pænitentium_. S. Marcellus +also, according to Anastasius, after the persecution raised by +Diocletian, appointed in Rome titular churches, in which penance as +well as baptism were administered by priests, the former sacrament is +conferred by the minor penitentiaries. Pope Simplicius in fine, as +we learn from the same author, destined fixed weeks at S. Peter's, +S. Paul's, and S. Laurence's, to _receive penitents_ and administer +baptism. From the usual custom of Rome in such matters, Zaccaria +argues that during the first five or six centuries, according to the +general custom proved by Thomassin, the great penitentiary was the +_bishop himself of the city_ in which they resided. It is however +certain, that in the 4th century from the numerous priests of +Constantinople one was selected called a penitentiary, who took +cognisance of crimes, to which public penance was annexed by the +canons. At Rome also there was a cardinal penitentiary long before +the fourth council of Lateran, which in 1215 prescribed that bishops +should appoint penitentiaries, for Berthod priest of Constance relates +in his chronicle, that in the year 1084 he was promoted to the dignity +of cardinal-priest and penitentiary of the Roman church.] + + + + +CHAP III. + +ON THE DIVINE OFFICE, AND THE OFFICE OF TENEBRAE IN PARTICULAR. + + +_CONTENTS._ + + PART 1. _Introductory_. Breviary--Divine office, its + origin--performed by the early Christians--ancient and modern + editions of the breviary. PART 2. _Descriptive_. Office of + Tenebræ--Matins and Lauds--extinction of the lights--meaning + of this ceremony--chant, lamentations--conclusions of the + office--_Miserere_, its music--Card. Penitentiary at S. Mary + Major's. _Trinità dei Pellegrini_. + + "_I will bless the Lord at all times_: _his praise shall + always be in my mouth_". Ps. XXXIII, 2. + + "_He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the + death of the cross_". Phil. II, 8. + +[Sidenote: P. I. Breviary.] + +We shall not hesitate to borrow the following account of the church +office contained in the Roman Breviary from a Protestant divine +(Tracts of the Times no. 75). "The word _Breviarum_ first occurs +in the work of an author of the eleventh century (Micrologus) and +it is used to denote a compendium or systematic arrangement of the +devotional offices of the church. Till that time they were contained +in several independent volumes, according to the nature of each. Such, +for instance, were the _Psalteria_, _Homilaria_, _Hymnaria_, and the +like, to be used in the service in due course. But at his memorable +era, and under the auspices of the Pontiff who makes it memorable, +Gregory VII, an Order was drawn up, for the use of the Roman church, +containing in one all these different collections, introducing the +separate members of each in its proper place, and harmonising them +together by the use of rubrics. + +[Sidenote: Divine office, its origin.] + +"Gregory VII did but restore and harmonise these offices; which seem +to have existed more or less the same in constituent parts, though not +in order and system, from Apostolic times. In their present shape they +are appointed for seven distinct seasons in the twenty four hours, +and consist of prayers, praises and thanksgivings of various forms; +and, as regards both contents and hours, are the continuation of a +system of worship observed by the Apostles and their converts. As to +_contents_, the Breviary service consists of the Psalms; of Hymns +and Canticles; of Lessons and Texts from inspired and Ecclesiastical +authors; of Antiphons, Verses and Responses, and Sentences; and of +Collects. And analogous to this seems to have been the usage of the +Corinthian Christians, whom St. Paul blames for refusing to agree in +some common order of worship, when they came together, _every one +of them_ having a Psalm, or a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, an +interpretation (1 Cor. XIV, 26). On the other hand, the catholic +_seasons_ of devotion are certainly derived from apostolic usage. The +Jewish observance of the third, sixth and ninth hours for prayer, +was continued by the inspired founders of the Christian church. What +Daniel had practised, even when the decree was signed forbidding it, +"_kneeling on his knees three times a day, and praying and giving +thanks unto his God_", S. Peter and the other Apostles were solicitous +in preserving. It was when "_they were all with one accord in one +place_", at "the _third_ hour of the day", that the Holy Ghost +came down upon them at Pentecost. It was at the _sixth_ hour, that +St. Peter "went up upon the house-top to pray" and saw the vision +revealing to him the admission of the gentiles into church. And it +was at the _ninth_ hour that "Peter and John went up together into the +temple", being "the hour of prayer". But though these were the more +remarkable seasons of devotion, there certainly were others besides +them in the first age of the church. After our Saviour's departure, +the Apostles, we are informed, "all _continued_ with one accord in +prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, +and with His brethren": and with this accords the repealed exhortation +to pray together without ceasing, which occurs in St. Paul's epistles. +It will be observed that he insists in one passage on prayer to the +abridgment of sleep (Eph. VI, 18); and one recorded passage of his +life exemplifies his precept: "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, +and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them". + +In subsequent times the Hours of prayer were gradually developed from +the three, or (with midnight) the four seasons above enumerated, to +seven, viz. by the addition of Prime (the first hour), Vespers (the +evening), and Compline (bedtime); according to the words of the +Psalm, "Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous +judgment. Other pious and instructive reasons existed, or have since +been perceived for this number".[46] Thus far our Protestant author, +with whose remarks we are too well pleased to go out of our way to +dispute with him the truth of some other portions of his tract, which +are objectionable. + +[Sidenote: Performed by the early Christians.] + +That the early Christians continued after the time of the apostles to +observe the hours of prayer above enumerated is proved by Martene (De +Ant. Eccl. Rit. T. 3) who has collected many decisive passages from +the Greek and Latin Fathers. We shall content ourselves with one taken +from a work on prayer by S. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage in the third +century. Having mentioned Daniel's practice of praying three times +a day, he observes, that it is manifest that there was something +mysterious or symbolical in the ancient practice. "For the holy Ghost +descended on the disciples at the third hour; at the sixth hour Peter +going to the house-top was instructed by God to admit all to the +grace of salvation; and the Lord, who was crucified at the sixth +hour, washed away our sins with his blood at the ninth hour, and +completed the victory by his passion. For us however, besides the +hours anciently observed, the times and also the symbols of prayer +have increased. For we must pray in the morning, to celebrate the +resurrection of the Lord; also when the sun recedes and the day +ceases; for Christ is the true sun and the true day, and when we pray +that the light of Christ may again come upon us, we pray that his +coming may impart to us the grace of eternal light: and let us who +are always in Christ, that is, in the light, not cease from prayer at +night". See also Dr. Cave's Primitive Christianity Part. 1, c. 9. + +[Sidenote: Editions of the breviary.] + +"The old Roman breviary" says the author of Tract 75 above quoted +"had long before Gregory VII's time been received in various parts of +Europe; and in England since the time of Gregory the great who after +the pattern of Leo and Gelasius before him had been a reformer of it". +The people used anciently to join with the clergy in offering this, +constant tribute of praise to God; but the duty of daily reciting it +is obligatory only upon the Catholic clergy, and religious orders. +S. Benedict shortened it considerably, (as Grancolas observes, Com. +Hist. in Brev. Rom.) New editions and emendations of it were published +successively by the authority of St. Gregory VII, Nicholas III, +and Clement VII, and finally the Roman Breviary at present used was +restored by order of the Council of Trent, published by Pope Pius V, +and revised by Clement VIII, and Urban VIII. It follows closely, as +Merati observes, that first adopted by the regular-clerks in the 16th +century, and resembles the edition published by Haymo, general of the +Franciscans, and authorised by Nicholas III (A.D. 1278). Hence it +is called by the author of Tract 75 the _Franciscan_ Breviary. It is +however founded upon the old Roman Breviary, which the Franciscans +by the direction of their holy founder had adopted: for according +to Rodolfo, dean of Tongres Cap. XXII, when the Popes dwelt at the +Lateran, the _office of the Papal chapel_ was much shorter than that +of the other churches of Rome; it was composed by Innocent III, and +was adopted by the Franciscans instituted at his time. Nicolas III +ordered that all the Roman churches should use the Franciscan Breviary +as reformed by Haymo, in 1241. "Our own daily service", says the +above-mentioned minister of the church of England is confessedly +formed upon the Breviary". + +[Sidenote: P. II. Office of Tenebræ.] + +Having premised thus much on the office in general, we may now return +to holy-week. Besides palm-sunday, three other days in the week +are particularly devoted to the commemoration of the history of our +redemption; holy-thursday, because on it our Lord instituted the +blessed Eucharist, and his passion began; good-friday, on which He +was crucified and died; and holy saturday, on which His sacred body +remained in the tomb. The church commences her solemn service of each +of these days with that part of the divine office called matins and +lauds, and at this time Tenebrae from the _darkness_ with which it +concludes. It used of old to be celebrated at night, as it still is +by some religious communities[47]; but it now takes place on the +afternoon preceding each of those three days. Nor is this unusual: +for "the ecclesiastical day is considered to begin with the evening +or Vesper service, according to the Jewish reckoning, as alluded to in +the text. "In the evening and morning and at noon day will I pray, and +that instantly". (Tracts of the Times, No. 75). + +[Sidenote: Matins and Lauds.] + +The office of Matin so called from Matuta or Aurora consists at +Tenebræ of three _nocturns_. Each of these is composed of three +appropriate psalms with their anthems, followed by three lessons taken +from scripture or the fathers. Immediately after matins, Lauds or +the praises of God are sung: they consist of five psalms besides the +_Benedictus_ or canticle of Zachary, to which succeeds the _Miserere_ +or 50th psalm. Some of the short prayers usually said are omitted: for +the church during this season of mourning strips her liturgy as well +as her altars of their usual ornaments[48]. + +[Sidenote: Extinction of the lights.] + +A triangular candlestick, upon which are placed fifteen candles, +corresponding to the number of psalms recited before the _Miserere_, +is peculiar to this solemn office, and is placed at the epistle-side +of the altar. After each psalm one of the candles is extinguished by +a Master of ceremonies, and after the _Benedictus_ the candle placed +on the top of the triangular candlestick is not extinguished, but is +concealed behind the altar and brought out at the end of the service; +while that canticle is sung, the six candles on the altar also are +extinguished, as well as those above the _cancellata_ or rails[49]. + +[Sidenote: Meaning of this ceremony.] + +Lamps and candelabra were presented to the sanctuary by the faithful +during the first ages of persecution; and in more tranquil times to +the basilicas by Constantine and others who erected or dedicated them. +They were lighted, as S. Jerome observes, in the day time "not to +drive away darkness, but as a sign of joy": and therefore the custom +of gradually extinguishing them at the office of Tenebrae we may +justly consider with Amalarius as a sign of mourning, or of the +sympathy of the church with her divine and suffering Spouse. The +precise number of lights is determined by that of the psalms, which +is the same as at ordinary matins of three nocturns. + +The custom of concealing behind the altar during the last part of the +office the last and most elevated candle, and of bringing it forward +burning at the end of the service, is a manifest allusion to the death +and resurrection of Christ, whose light, as Micrologus observes, is +represented by our burning tapers. "I am the light of the world". John +VIII. 12[50]. In the same manner the other candles extinguished one +after another may represent the prophets successively put to death +before their divine Lord: and if we consider that the psalms of the +_old Testament_ are recited at the time, this explanation may appear +more satisfactory than others, which would refer them to the blessed +Virgin, the apostles and disciples of Christ[51]. In the triangular +form of the candlestick is contained an evident allusion to the +B. Trinity. This candlestick is mentioned in a MS. Ordo of the 7th +century published by Mabillon. + +[Sidenote: Chant, lamentations.] + +The anthems and psalms, with the exception of the _Miserere_ which is +the last psalm at Lauds, most of the lessons and other parts of the +office, are sung in plain chant. From the middle of the 15th century +the three lamentations or first three lessons of each day used to be +sung in _canto figurato_ in the papal chapel: but by order of Sixtus +V, only the first lamentation of each day is thus sung, and even it +is much shortened, as Clement XII directed: the two others are sung +in _canto piano_ according to Guidetti's method. The first lamentation +both of the first and second day is by the celebrated Pierluigi da +Palestrina: that of the third day by Allegri. Baini observes, that +the first lamentation of the second day is considered the finest: +Palestrina composed it for four voices, besides a bass, which entering +at the pathetic apostrophe 'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, be converted to the +Lord' "every year makes all the hearers and singers, who have a soul, +change colour". Bayni, Mem. Stor. T. 1. The lamentations of Jeremiah +have the form of an acrostic, that is, the verses begin with the +letters of the Hebrew alphabet in regular order, the first with +Aleph, the second with Beth, and so in succession. It was difficult +to observe a similar order in the Latin Vulgate: but to preserve +some vestige of it, the name of the Hebrew letter, with which each +verse begins in the original, is sung before the same verse in the +translation. + +[Sidenote: Conclusion of the office.] + +When the _Benedictus_ or canticle of Zachary and its anthem are +finished, the choir sings the verse "Christ was made for us obedient +even unto death": on the second night they add "even unto the death of +the cross": and on the third, "for which reason God hath exalted him, +and hath given him a name, which is above all names". The heart of the +christian is melted to devotion by these words, sung on so solemn an +occasion: he kneels before his crucified Redeemer, and recites that +prayer of love, that prayer of a child to his Father which He that +man of sorrows dictated to His beloved disciples; and then remembering +those sins, by which he offended that dear and agonising parent, and +touched with sorrow and repentance, yet more and more excited by the +music, I might almost call it celestial, his heart calls loudly for +that mercy to obtain which Jesus died. He joins with God's minister +in fervently repeating the prayer imploring God's blessing on those +for whom Christ suffered and died: the noise which follows it recals +to his mind the confusion of nature at the death of her creator; the +lighted candle once more appearing reminds him that His death was only +temporary: and he departs in silence impressed with pious sentiments, +and inflamed with devout affections. + +[Sidenote: Miserere, its music.] + +They who have assisted at the office of Tenebræ will not be surprised +at the saying of a philosopher, that for the advantage of his soul he +would wish, that when he was about to render it up to God, he might +hear sung the _Miserere_ of the Pope's chapel. In no other place has +this celebrated music succeeded. Baini the director of the Pontifical +choir, in a note to his life of Palestrina, observes that Paride de +Grassi, Master of ceremonies to Leo X, mentions that on holy wednesday +(A.D. 1519), the singers chanted the _Miserere_ in a _new_ and +_unaccustomed_ manner, alternately singing the verses in symphony. +This seems to be the origin of the far-famed _Miserere_. Various +authors, whom Baini enumerates, afterwards composed _Miserere_[52]; +but the celebrated composition of Gregorio Allegri a Roman, who +entered the Papal college of singers in 1629, was the most successful, +and was for some time sung on all the three days of Tenebræ. Then one +composed by Alessandro Scarlatti, or that of Felice Anerio, used to +be sung on holy thursday: but these were eclipsed by the _Miserere_, +composed in 1214 by Tommase Bai a Bolognese, director of the choir of +S. Peter's. From that time only Allegri's and Bai's were sung in the +Pope's chapel; till Pius VII directed the celebrated Baini to compose +a new _Miserere_, which has received well-merited applause. Since the +year 1821 all three, viz. Baini's, Bai's, and Allegri's _Misereres_ +are sung on the three successive days, and generally in the order in +which we have mentioned them: the two latter are sometimes blended +together. The first verse is sung in harmony, the second in plain +chant, and so successively till the last verse, which alone is sung in +harmony by both the choirs, into which the singers are divided; only +one choir sings the other verses[53]. + +[Sidenote: Cardinal penitentiary] + +[Sidenote: Trinità dei Pellegrini] + +On Wednesday-afternoon, the Cardinal great Penitentiary goes in state +to S. Mary Major's, where the minor Penitentiaries are Dominicans. +For an account of this custom see the preceding chapter. On Wednesday, +Thursday and Friday evenings, Christians may be edified at the Trinità +dei Pellegrini[54] by the sight of Cardinals, princes, prelates and +others, washing in good earnest, and afterwards kissing the feet of +poor pilgrims, while they recite with them the Our Father, Hail Mary, +Glory be to the Father, and other beautiful prayers, such as; + + _Gesù, Giuseppe, Maria,_ + _Vi dono il cuore e l' anima mia._ + _Gesù, Giuseppe, Maria,_ + _Assisteleci nell' ultima agonia, etc._ + +They afterwards wait on them at table, and accompany them to +their beds, reciting other devout prayers. In another part of that +establishment, princesses and other ladies practise the same offices +of charity towards the female pilgrims. Here might we fancy that the +primitive christians were before us, those men of charity, simplicity, +and lowliness: and when in the same place, a few years ago, that +devout Pontiff Leo XII on his knees washed and kissed the feet of +pilgrims, who had journeyed from afar; who that saw him did not call +to mind with tears the lowliness and charity of his predecessor Peter, +and of a greater than Peter, who "washed the feet of his disciples, +and who wiped them with the towel wherewith he was girded". + +Marius mourned over the ruins of Carthage; but his was the sorrow +of disappointed, selfish ambition. Jeremiah lamented the fall and +desolation of Jerusalem: and his plaintive accents were inspired by +genuine patriotism and religion. Observe his venerable figure in the +Sixtine chapel; there he sits pensive and disconsolate, with his legs +crossed, his wearied head resting upon his hand, and his eyes rivetted +on the ground, as if nothing could engage his attention but the woes +of the daughter of Sion[55]. Then listen to the lamentations of this +inspired and afflicted prophet: they are full of deepest pathos, +and uttered in notes sweet as the warblings of philomel. Turn now, O +Christian soul, to a more sublime and mournful spectacle. Jesus in +the garden of Gethsemani and on mount Calvary mourned not for a single +city or nation: he sorrowed over the ruins of a world, not as of +old Noah may have done, when secure from danger he looked down upon +the waters which overspread the earth; but "He was wounded for our +iniquities, and he was bruised for our sins: and the Lord hath laid on +him the iniquities of us all", He suffered and died for us. The moral +ruins of the world, our sins and their awful consequences, caused all +the pangs and sorrows of Jesus. Come then let us cast ourselves at the +foot of that cross, and cry aloud for mercy with a contrite and humble +heart, which He will never despise. To _Thee_ alone, shall we say, +have we sinned, and have done evil before thee; yet have mercy on +us, O God, according to thy great mercy. And thou, O blessed Virgin +and Mother, who standest in silent anguish beneath the cross of thy +agonising Son[56], would that we could feel love and sorrow like unto +thine. + + _Eja mater fons amoris_ + _Me sentire vim doloris_ + _Fac, ut tecum lugeam._ + _Fac, ut ardeat cor meum_ + _In amando Christum Deum,_ + _Ut sibi complaceam. Amen._ + +[Footnote 46: See also Palmer's Origines Liturgicæ, Vol. 1 Antiq. of +the English ritual c. 1, p. 1. Both writers do not hesitate to admit +that the breviary is the great source of the Church of England's +Morning and Evening prayer.] + +[Footnote 47: Our divine Lord sometimes passed the night in prayer; +and the early Christians, as Pliny informs his master Trajan, used to +assemble before the light to sing a hymn to Christ. Lucian as well as +Ammianus Marcellinus complained of their spending the night in singing +hymns. S. Jerome in fine writes to Eustoch. (Ep. 22) that besides the +daily hours of prayers we should rise _twice and thrice at night_.] + +[Footnote 48: In the mass and office for the dead several prayers and +ceremonies otherwise prescribed are omitted: so on this occasion, says +Benedict XIV, "the church forgetting all things else thinks only of +bewailing the sins of mankind, and condoling with Christ our Redeemer +in His sufferings". As for the antiquity of this service, Martene +remarks (lib. IV, c. 22) that the order of the _nocturnal_ and diurnal +offices of holy-thursday is found, such as we now observe it, in the +ancient Antiphonarium of the Roman church, and in that of S. Gregory +published by B. Tommasi, so that there has been scarcely any variation +during the last thirteen hundred years.] + +[Footnote 49: When the Pope officiates, the eight candles over the +_cancellata_ are lighted: six are lighted for a Cardinal, and four +for a Bishop. Amalarius priest of Metz in the ninth century (De ordine +antiphonarii), mentions the extinction of the lights in the office +of these three days. It would seem however, that it was not then +customary at Rome, for Theodore, archdeacon of the Roman church, +in answer to his enquiries had said to him "I am usually with the +Apostolic Lord at the Lateran, when the office of Coena Domini (Holy +Thursday) is celebrated, and it is not customary to extinguish the +lights. On Good Friday there is no light of lamps or tapers in the +church in Jerusalem (Santa Croce) as long as the Apostolic Lord offers +up solemn prayers there, or when the cross is saluted". This latter +custom is still continued.] + +[Footnote 50: In confirmation of this explanation we may observe, that +the candle is placed behind the altar after the _Benedictus_ during +the anthem alluding to Christ's passion, and remains there while the +verse 'Christ became obedient unto death' the psalm _Miserere_, and +the prayer which mentions the crucifixion, are sung.] + +[Footnote 51: See such opinions ap. Benedict. XIV, De festis Lib. +1, c. 5. The system of Du Vert, who would reject all mystical and +symbolical significations attributed to the church-ceremonies, has +been satisfactorily confuted by Langlet, Le Brun, Tournely and other +divines.] + +[Footnote 52: Tartini's and Pisari's lasted only one year each.] + +[Footnote 53: Persons, who go immediately after the service in the +Sixtine chapel to S. Peter's, are generally in time for part if not +the whole of the _Miserere_ sung in that Basilic. The compositions of +Fioravanti the late, Basili the present, master, and Zingarelli, are +sung there.] + +[Footnote 54: See Reminiscences of Rome. Letter 4th. London, 1838 On +pilgrimages and pilgrims see Mores Catholici Book 4th, ch. 5th. S. +Philip Neri founded the Confraternity of Trinità dei Pellegrini.] + + [Footnote 55: ... lia fatto alla guancia + Della sua palma sospirando letto. Dante Pur. VII. + +Sed frons læta parum et dejecto lumina vultu. Virg. Æu. VI, 863. +See the learned canon. De Jorio's Munica degli antichi, art. Dolore, +Mestizia. We may add that conquered provinces are often represented in +a similar attitude as statues, on bas-reliefs, and on medals. See for +instance, Judæa Capta, a reverse of Vespasian, ap. Addison, Dialogues +on ancient medals.] + +[Footnote 56: "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother". John +XIX, 25.] + + + + +CHAP. IV. + +ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY THURSDAY + + +_CONTENTS._ + + General character of the liturgy of holy thursday--its ancient + form--blessing of the oils at S. Peter's, communion under + one kind--origin and explanation of the blessing and + salutation of the oils--High mass in the Sixtine chapel, + _troccole_--procession of the B. Sacrament to the Pauline + chapel--antiquity of processions--reservation of the B. + Sacrament--Papal benediction from S. Peter's, _flabelli_--bull + in Coena Domini--washing of the feet--dinner of the + _apostles_--antiquity and meaning of this custom of + washing feet--customs of other churches: Leonardo da Vinci, + Michelangelo, Dante--Cardinals' public dinner etc.--Tenebræ: + Card. Penitentiary--recapitulation of the principal ceremonies + of the day--S. Peter's on holy thursday-evening: washing of + the high-altar--antiquity and meaning of the stripping and + washing of the altars--conclusion. + + "_Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that + his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to + the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he + loved them to the end_". John XIII, 1. + +[Sidenote: Liturgy of holy-thursday] + +During the last three days of holy-week the church celebrates the +funeral obsequies of her Divine Spouse: and hence there are numerous +signs of mourning in her temples, in her liturgy, and in the dress of +her ministers. On thursday however, a passing gleam of heavenly light +irradiates the solemn gloom in which she is enveloped: for on this day +Jesus Christ, having loved his own even unto the end, instituted the +holy sacrament, the staff of our pilgrimage, our solace in affliction, +our strength in temptation, the source of all virtue, and the pledge +of everlasting life. Accordingly the liturgy of holy-thursday bears +the impress both of sorrow and of gladness: it is not unlike a fitful +day of April in our northern climes, when the sun now bursts from the +clouds which had concealed his brilliancy, and now once more the sky +is shrouded in murky gloom--an apt emblem this of the over-changing +state of man, who at one moment quaffs the inebriating cup of earthly +joys, and yet a little, and it is dashed from his grasp; and sickness, +sorrow and death are his portion. + +[Sidenote: its ancient form.] + +Anciently three masses used to be celebrated at Rome[57] on this day, +as is evident from the sacramentary of pope Gelasius; and at all the +three the Pope himself officiated. At the first the public penitents +were absolved:[58] at the second the oils were blessed; the last (ad +vespertinum officium) was intended to commemorate the institution +of the blessed Sacrament. Public penance gradually declined in the +western church after the seventh century; and the three masses are now +reduced to one. That of the Sixtine chapel, at which the Pope assists, +differs very little from ordinary Masses celebrated there, and the +concourse of persons is generally very great. + +[Sidenote: Blessing of the oils at S. Peter's] + +[Sidenote: Communion under one kind.] + +The oils are blessed in S. Peter's during mass, by the Card. +archpriest, or a Bishop in his stead. They are three, viz. 1 the oil +of catechumens, used in blessing baptism, in consecrating churches and +altars, in ordaining priests, and in blessing and crowning sovereigns: +2 the oil of the sick used in administering extreme unction and in +blessing bells: 3 sacred chrism, composed of oil, and balm of Gilead +or of the west Indies[59]: it is used in conferring baptism and +confirmation, in the consecration of bishops, of patens and chalices, +and in the blessing of bells. The Roman Pontifical prescribes, that +besides the bishop and the usual ministers, there should be present +twelve priests, seven deacons, and seven subdeacons, all habited in +white vestments. After the elevation at those words of the canon, _Per +quem hæc omnia etc._ a little before the _Pater noster_, the Bishop +sits down before a table facing the altar, and exorcises and blesses +the oil for the sick, which is brought in by a subdeacon. He then +proceeds with the mass, and gives communion to the ministers and the +rest of the under the form of bread alone[60]. Having received the +ablutions, he returns to the table above mentioned, and awaits the +coming of the procession of the priests, deacons, subdeacons etc. In +it, the balsam is carried by a subdeacon, etc. the oil for the chrism +and that for the catechumens by two deacons: and meantime the choir +sings appropriate verses. The bishop blesses the balsam, and mixes +it with some oil; he then breathes three times in the form of a cross +over the vessel of chrism, as do the twelve priests also. Next follows +the blessing, and then the salutation, of the chrism: the latter +is made 3 times by the bishop and each of the twelve priests in +succession, saying, Hail holy chrism, after which they kiss the vessel +which contains it. The oil of catechumens is blessed and saluted +in like manner: and the procession returns to the sacristy; in the +mean time the bishop concludes the mass; and thus this solemn rite +terminates. + +[Sidenote: Origin of the blessing of the oils.] + +The oil of the sick is mentioned in the well-known passage of St. +James V, 14 "Is any man sick among you; let him bring in the priests +of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in +the name of the Lord etc." At the beginning of the fifth century also, +Pope Innocent I observes that it is the office of the bishop to make +or prepare (_conficere_) this "holy of chrism" or unction: and in the +Sacramentary of Pope Gregory the great the rite; by which this oil was +blessed and administered to the sick, is described. Chrism and the +oil of catechumens also are mentioned by many ancient Fathers. (See +Turnely T. 7 de Sacram. Bapt. et Confirm, etc.)[61] St. Basil in the +4th century attributes the origin of the custom of blessing the oils +to tradition. "We bless the water of baptism and the _oil of unction_, +as well as the person who receives baptism. By what scriptures? Is +it not from silent and secret tradition?" (De Spir. S. c. 27). It is +mentioned also in the second and third councils of Carthage, by S. +Cyprian, who says "The eucharist, and the oil, with which the baptised +are anointed, are sanctified at the altar". Ep. 70. + +It would appear however from the 20th canon of the first council of +Toledo that anciently chrism could be blessed _at any time_; and hence +Benedict XIV is of opinion, that the custom of blessing it only on +holy Thursday began about the seventh century; for it is mentioned in +the Sacramentary of S. Gregory, in the old Ordo Romanus, and in other +works written after that period. This day has been with reason chosen +for this ceremony, as St. Thomas observes, in order that the chrism +may be prepared for the solemn baptism administered on Easter Eve; +and because on it the Eucharistic sacrament, for which the other +sacraments are as it were preparatory, was instituted. S. Isidore +however assigns a different reason, viz. that two days before the +pasch Mary _anointed_ the head and feet of the Lord". De Divi Off. +lib. 2, c. 28. + +[Sidenote: Meaning of the ceremonies already described.] + +Pouget (Institut. Cath. t. 2, c. 8) proves that the blessing of the +oils originates in apostolic tradition, as St. Basil cited above +observes. He proves also that since the fifth and sixth centuries the +bishop and priests used to breathe three times over the chrism and +oil of catechumens, and to salute them with the words "Ave sanctum +chrisma: ave sanctum oleum". Our Saviour breathed on His apostles, +when He said 'Receive ye the holy Ghost': and hence his ministers +breathe over the chrism, by which the Holy Ghost is conferred in +confirmation, and over the oil of catechumens, which is used in other +sacred rites. Respect is paid to them, because they are employed in +God's service, and hence it is a relative respect directed to Him. +An ardent soul will never hesitate to address inanimate objects; in +fact some of the finest passages of ancient and modern oratory are +apostrophes of this nature[62]. S. Andrew is said to have saluted the +cross, on which he suffered, S. Paula the birth-place of our divine +Lord; and theirs were words of love of God, and not of idolatry. + +[Sidenote: High mass in the Sixtine chapel.] + +In the Sixtine chapel the crucifix and tapestry over the altar are +covered with a white and not a purple veil; the throne also is white, +and the Pope is vested in a white cope. On the rich facing of the +altar is represented Christ dead, His descent into limbo, and His +resurrection. The cardinal dean generally celebrates the high mass, +after the _Gloria in excelsis_ of which no bells are allowed to be +tolled in Rome (except at the papal benediction) but in their stead +are used _troccole_ or boards struck with iron: this practice is +observed until the _Gloria in excelsis_ is sung in the papal chapel +on the following saturday-morning[63]. + +After the offertory of the mass Palestrina's motet _Fratres ego enim_ +is sung; of which Baini says that he "does not hesitate to affirm that +it resembles as closely as possible the music of heaven". Two hosts +are consecrated, one of which is received by the celebrant, and the +other destined for the following day is put into a chalice, which the +deacon covers with a paten and _palla_ or linen cloth, as the dead +body of Christ was wrapped in "fine linen"[64]. Mark XV, 46. At +the beginning of the canon twelve lighted torches are brought in +by _bussolanti_; and after the elevation two masters of ceremonies +distribute among the cardinals and others candles carried by clerks of +the chapel, in preparation for the procession. The usual kiss of peace +is not given, from detestation of the treacherous kiss given this day +by Judas to his divine master, as Alcuin remarks[65]. + +[Sidenote: Antiquity of processions] + +Immediately after mass the cardinal celebrant with his ministers +leaves the chapel; the other cardinals, bishops and mitred abbots, put +on their respective sacred vestments, and the _Uditori di Rota_, the +_Cherici di Camera, Votanti_, and _Abbreviatiori_, their surplices: +the other prelates wear their usual _cappe_. They all now accompany +the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel[66] in solemn procession, which +is regulated like that of palm-Sunday. The singers go to the _sala +regia_, illuminated with large cornucopia, and there begin to sing +the _Pange lingua_ (a hymn in honour of the holy Sacrament) as soon +as the cross covered with a purple veil appears: the last verses of +it are sung in the Pauline chapel, which is splendidly illuminated. +The cardinals bearing their mitres and torches precede two by two +the Holy Father, who bare-headed and on foot carries the blessed +Sacrament under a canopy supported by eight assistant bishops or +protonotaries[67]. When the Pope reaches the altar, the first cardinal +deacon receives from His hands the B. Sacrament, and preceded by +torches carries it to the upper part of the _macchina_; M. Sagrista +places it within the urn commonly called the sepulchre, where it is +incensed by the Pope; in the mean time the conclusion of the hymn is +sung. M. Sagrista then shuts the sepulchre, and delivers the key to +thy Card. Penitentiary, who is to officiate on the following day. + +[Sidenote: Reservation of the B. Sacrament.] + +Two objects are obtained by this custom; 1st. the blessed sacrament +is solemnly preserved for the adoration of the faithful on this +anniversary of its institution, as well as for the priest's communion +on good friday[68]; 2nd. the burial of our divine Saviour is +represented: this is anticipated, in order that the principal altar +may be striped, in sign of mourning, and as He was stripped before His +crucifixion. + +[Sidenote: Papal benediction: _flabelli_.] + +[Sidenote: Bulla in Coena Domina.] + +The procession, of which we have already spoken, afterwards proceeds +from the Pauline chapel to the _loggia_ in front of S. Peter's: but +the Pope, as he no longer carries the B. Sacrament, wears his mitre, +and is seated in his _sedia gestatoria_ under a canopy carried by +eight Referendarii[69]; and the _flabelli_[70] are carried at each +side of Him. He now gives his solemn benediction to the multitude +assembled before St. Peter's. This however is repeated with even +greater splendour on Easter-Sunday, as well as on the Ascension and +Assumption; and we shall therefore reserve a description of it to +another occasion, especially since generally speaking, persons who are +anxious to witness the _lavanda_ or washing of the feet will find it +difficult to be present also at the Benediction[71]. + +[Sidenote: Washing of the feet.] + +After the benediction, the cardinals and others take off their sacred +vestments, and resume their _cappe_, which they wear during the +_lavanda_ or washing of the feet. This now takes place in S. Peters, +in a side-chapel adorned with two _arazzi_; one representing Leonardo +Da Vinci's last supper is placed behind the benches prepared for the +priests whose feet are to be washed by the Pope: and the other, which +represents Providence seated on the globe between Justice and Charity, +above two lions holding banners of the church, is placed over the +throne. The Pope is habited in a red cope, and wears a mitre. Seated +on His throne, and surrounded by cardinals, prelates, and other +dignitaries of His court, He puts incense into the thurible, being +assisted as usual by the first Cardinal priest. He then gives the +blessing, usual before the gospel is sung, to the Cardinal-deacon +habited in his sacred vestments, who sings that beautiful passage of +the gospel of S. John, which explains the origin of this ceremony: +"Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of +this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, +he loved them to the end. Knowing that the Father had given him all +things into his hands, he began to wash the feet of his disciples, and +wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded, and he said to them; +If I being Lord and Master have washed your feet, you also ought to +wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example, that as I +have done to you, so you do also". At the end of the gospel, the Pope +kisses the book, the Cardinal Deacon incenses Him as usual, and the +choir begins to sing beautiful anthems allusive to the affecting +ceremony, and recommending charity, the distinctive virtue of +Christians, more precious than even faith and hope. The Pope's cope is +then taken off, and a towel is fastened to his girdle by the assisting +Card. deacons; and then, in imitation of his Divine Master, he washes +and kisses the right foot[72] of 13 priests, called the _apostles_, +dressed in _cappe_ of white cloth, and wearing high cap, which in form +resemble those on the bas-reliefs of Persepolis: each of them receives +from Him a towel, and a nosegay, besides a gold and silver medal +presented by the Treasurer[73]. The Pope then returns to his throne, +washes his hands[74] is vested once more in the cope, and recites the +Our Father and the concluding prayers. + +[Sidenote: Dinner of the _apostles_.] + +His Holiness afterwards waits on the 13 _apostles_ at table, in a hall +in the Vatican palace, (at present in the hall above the portico of S. +Peter's), giving them water to wash their hands, helping them to soup, +one or more dishes, and pouring out wine and water for them once or +twice. The plates are handed to Him by prelates of _mantelletta_, and +during the ceremony one of His chaplains reads a spiritual book. He +then gives them his blessing, washes His hands, and departs. "Which +is greater" says our Saviour, "he that sitteth at table or he that +serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? but I am in the midst of you +as he that serveth?" + +[Sidenote: Antiquity and meaning of the _lavanda_.] + +From the most remote antiquity, it was customary among the Hebrews and +other nations, that the feet of strangers and guests should be washed +before they reclined at table, as they had often travelled on foot. +Thus the angels entertained by Abraham and Lot (Gen. XVIII, XIX), +were supplied with water to wash their feet: Abraham's servants in +the house of Laban, and the brothers of Joseph, when received by him, +washed their feet. (Gen. XLIII, 24)[75]. In these cases however the +guest washed his own feet; and hence the condescension of our Divine +Lord was an act not of hospitality or charity alone, but also of +profound humility; and accordingly he put on a towel or apron, like +an ordinary slave, as Ferrari observes (De Re Vestiaria par. 1). +Most interpreters are of opinion, that Christ washed the feet of His +disciples towards the close of the ordinary supper, and shortly before +He instituted the holy Sacrament; in order to signify the purity +with which it should be received. His example was imitated by His +disciples, and accordingly S. Paul (1 Tim. V, 10) speaks of widows who +"have washed the saints' feet," as Magdalen had washed those of our +Lord. + +In the Roman church, as in that of Bologna, it has been for many +ages customary for the Bishop to wash feet on this day. In the _Ordo +Romanus_ of Cencius Camerarius it is mentioned, that the Roman Pontiff +after mass washed the feet of twelve subdeacons, and after dinner +of 13 poor persons, or according to the Ordines Romani published by +Mabillon, of 12 deacons. The _Ceremoniale_, attributed to Marcellus +archbishop of Corcyra, prescribes that the Pope should wash the feet +of thirteen poor men. Various causes are assigned by different authors +to explain, why the number is thirteen, and not twelve as was that of +the apostles. (See Benedict XIV, De Festis, lib. I, c. VI, §§ 57, 58). +The most probable account, we think, is that the thirteenth _apostle_ +was added in memory of the angel, who is believed to have appeared +among the 12 poor guests of S. Gregory the great, while he was +exercising united charity and humility. A painting of this event may +be seen in one of the chapels near his church on the Cælian mount, +in which is preserved the table, at which he daily fed twelve poor +persons. (See the passage of John the deacon cited above in the note). +The two customs of washing the feet first of 12, and then of 13, have +been reduced to one, and in it the number 13 is preserved[76]. + +[Sidenote: Cardinals' public dinner.] + +Till within the last few years the Cardinals used to dine in public +at the Vatican on holy Thursday and good Friday, that they might be +spared the trouble of returning to their respective palaces before +Tenebræ; and anciently the Pope used to dine with them at the Lateran +palace, in the hall called the Triclinium Leonianum[77]. The Pontiff +wore on such occasions his cope and mitre, and the Cardinals were +habited in sacred vestments with mitres. After dinner a sermon was +preached before the Cardinals. _Mons. Maggiordomo_ used to invite on +these days prelates, officers, and others engaged in the _cappella_ or +palace, to a dinner at which he presided. + +[Sidenote: Tenebræ etc.] + +[Sidenote: Recapitulation.] + +In the afternoon, at the office of Tenebræ, among other signs of +mourning, the cross is veiled in black, and the candles are of yellow +wax: the Pope's throne is stripped of its usual ornaments, and is +without a canopy: the cardinals' and prelates' benches also are +without carpets. The Cardinal Penitentiary goes to S. Peter's, where +the minor Penitentiaries are Conventuals of S. Francis. We have spoken +on these subjects in the preceding chapters. We may here recapitulate +the principal ceremonies of the day, as Morcelli has done in his +Calendar. The oils are blessed in S. Peter's; the Pope assists at mass +in the Sixtine chapel, carries the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel, +gives His solemn benediction from S. Peter's, washes the feet of +thirteen priests and serves them at table. In the afternoon Tenebrae +in the Sixtine chapel; and the Cardinal great Penitentiary goes to S +Peter's. + +[Sidenote: S. Peter's on holy thursday-evening.] + +In this basilic the B. Sacrament is preserved amid many lights in the +_Sepulchre_ in a side-chapel[78], and several confraternities come +in procession to venerate the relics, of which we shall speak in the +next chapter. It is much to be regretted that the cross, which used +on holy-Thursday and good-Friday to glow with 628 lights[79], and to +produce a splendid effect by the _chiaroscuro_ which resulted from it +in this vast and magnificent fabric, is no longer suspended before +the Confession, in consequence of irreverent conduct on preceding +occasions. + +[Sidenote: Washing of the altar.] + +There still remains another remarkable ceremony customary in S. +Peter's on holy-Thursday. After the office of Tenebræ, the chapter of +that basilica proceeds in procession from the chapel of the choir to +the high altar. The black stoles which six of the canons wear, and the +yellow and extinguished tapers of the acolythes, are signs of mourning +for the sufferings of Christ. They all carry elegant _aspergilli_[80] +of box or other wood, and having prayed for a short time in silence, +they chant the anthem "They divided my garments etc." and the psalm "O +God, my God, why hast thou abandoned me?" A fine cloth, which covered +the altar, is then removed from it, and the Cardinal-priest of the +church and the six canons pour whine upon the altar, and wash it +with their _aspergilli_ or brushes. After the other canons, beneficed +clergymen, etc. have in turn washed it in like manner: the Cardinal +and the six canons begin to dry it with sponges and towels: all then +kneel down, and the ceremony concludes with the verse "Christ became +obedient unto death etc." the Our Father, and the prayer of the day +"Look down, we beseech thee etc."[81] The chapter then venerates the +relics shewn as usual from the gallery above S. Veronica's statue. + +[Sidenote: Antiquity and meaning of these ceremonies.] + +The _stripping_ of the altars, which is practised on this day +throughout the western church, is mentioned in the most ancient _Ordo +Romanus_: indeed anciently the altars used to be stripped every +day, as Du Vert (Ceremon. de l'Eglise T. IV.) and Cancellieri (De +Secretariis T. IV.) have shewn. The custom of _washing_ the altar +is observed in the Latin church in those of the Dominicans and +Carmelites; and also according to Benedict XIV "in many churches of +France, Germany and other remote countries" among which Cancellieri +reckons Spain. It is mentioned by S. Isidore (lib. de Eccles. Offic. +c. 18) by Alcuin (de divinis offic.) and in the Sarum, Parisian and +many other missals quoted by Martene. What however is its meaning? +While Monsignor Battelli, in his dissertation on the subject, +maintains that this custom was instituted for the sake of cleanliness, +rather than from a wish to denote any mystery, and that this day +was selected as the most convenient, because the altars were already +stripped; the abbot Rupert and Belet discover mystical meanings in +the sponges, towels, wine, water, and even _aspergilli_. We prefer +a middle course, and while we are willing to admit with Durandus and +others an allusion in the wine and water to the blood and water which +flowed from our Saviour on the cross, we maintain with the learned S. +Isidore, S. Eligius, Benedict XIV and others, that we wash the altar, +the symbol of Christ, from motives of respect to Him, who on this day +washed the feet of His disciples. + +Two great virtues are embodied in the ceremonies of this day, and +impart to them their life and loveliness: they are the essential and +characteristic virtues of Christians, by the practice of which they +imitate their divine Master and model, and come at last to be united +to Him in heaven. Christ was moved by charity to institute the Holy +Sacrament, and by humility to wash His disciples feet. Let us then +learn of him because He was meek and humble of heart, and let us love +one another, because Christ hath first loved us, and commands us to +love one another. + +[Footnote 57: In Africa two were customary, one in the morning, and +the other after supper. S. August. ep. 54 ad Januarium.] + +[Footnote 58: For an account of this ancient ceremony the reader +may see Fleury, Moeurs des Chretiens; _Funz. della Settimana Santa._ +Martene, lib. IV, 22. etc.] + +[Footnote 59: "Balsam is produced in the vineyards of Engaddi, and +in preparing chrism it is mixed with oil and consecrated by the +pontifical benediction, that all the faithful may be signed with this +unction at confirmation". Ven. Bede, in canlic. cap. I. The Greeks +bless the chrism on the same day as the Latins, having prepared it a +few days previously. See their Euchelogium, Ordo VIII entitled, On +the composition of the great ointment in the Costantinop. church ap. +Martene, loc. cit.] + +[Footnote 60: Only one priest says mass in each on this day and +the other priests communicate, as on it Christ alone said mass, and +distributed the Holy communion to the apostles. Although for many +centuries both kinds were ordinarily received, yet the custom of +communicating under the form of bread alone is very ancient. Thus +in time of persecution the faithful used to carry to their houses +the holy communion under the form of bread alone, the hermits also +preserved it in the deserts, the sick received it as their viaticum, +the ministers of God kept it in the churches, for their spiritual +support, and the bishops used to send it to their clergy in token of +their union in charity. These were all instances of communion under +one kind, which are enumerated and proved by many Catholic divines, +as for instance by Dr. Rock in his Hierurgia. They demonstrate the +constant belief of the church, that the whole sacrament is received +under one kind only; and Christ himself in the scriptures attributes +its admirable effects to the act of _eating_ only as well as to that +of _eating and drinking_. "He that eateth this bread shall live for +ever" etc. In fact since His resurrection "He dieth now no more": His +body and blood and soul and Divinity are united together for evermore, +and consequently the communicant receives under the form of bread +alone Christ himself whole and entire. The Latin church prescribed +the general reception of communion under one kind, in order to obviate +accidents which frequently arose from the indiscriminate use of the +chalice, and in opposition to the error of the Hussites: Thus Paul +II took occasion from the presence of Frederic III at Rome, to give a +public and illustrious proof of the condemnation of this new heresy +by the church, by giving communion under one kind only to the Emperor, +and also to the deacon and subdeacon, who generally communicate under +both kinds when the Pope sings mass. In the Greek and other oriental +churches communion is administered under one kind to the sick and +others who are prevented by distance from communicating in the +churches. The general communion customary on holy-thursday is +prescribed by the English bishop Walter in the 10th century, in the +capitulary of Theodulph of Orleans, and by all ancient pontificals and +missals, according to Martene T. 3, p. 98. It is practised also by the +Greeks, as Leo Allatius testifies. De consensu utriusque Ecclesiæ lib. +3. Palmer (Vol. 2. p. 76) says "It is not essential to the validity +of the Sacrament, that the bread should be whole and entire before +consecration, and broken afterwards: but the Universal practice of +the Christian church, derived from the apostles and from Jesus Christ +himself ought not to be infringed in this matter". Yet even Bp. +Middleton whom he quotes in the same page, says "When there were +many communicants, _in primitive times, there were several cakes or +loaves_, in proportion to the number: and it took some time after the +consecration was finished, to break and divide them for distribution". +Each person communicated from his own offering: hence S. Augustine +says "Erubescere debet homo idoneus si de aliena oblatione +communicaverit" Serm. 215 de Temp, any longer justification of the +general practice of the Roman church would therefore be superfluous.] + +[Footnote 61: "From the frequent mention of _oil_ in scripture as the +emblem of spiritual gifts it was actually used in the primitive church +in the ceremonies of admitting catechumens, and in baptising". Tracts +of the Times, Vol. 1, no. 34.] + +[Footnote 62: Our ardent love of this classic soil tempts us to insert +the following noble instance from Cicero (pro Milone XXXI) "Vos enim +jam _Albani_ tumuli atque luci vos, inquam, imploro alque tester +vosque Albanorum obrutæ aræ, sacrorum populi Romani sociæ et æquales, +quas ille præceps amentia cæsis prostratisque sanctissimi lucis +substructionum insanis molibus oppresserat: vestræ tum aræ, vestræ +religiones viguerunt, vestra vis valuit, quam ille (Clodius) omni +scelere polluarat: tuque ex tuo edito monte, Latiaris sancte Jupiter, +cujus ille lacus, nemora, finesque sæpe omni nefario stupro et scelere +macularat, aliquaudo ad eum puniendum oculos aperuisti: vobis illæ, +vobis vestro in conspecta seræ sed justæ tamen et debitæ pænæ solutæ +sunt".] + +[Footnote 63: These _troccole_ were formerly called by the hard names +of _crepitacula ligna congregantia, mallei excitatorii_. The Greeks +used them anciently, as Martene proves from a libellus de miraculis +Anastasii presented to the second council of Nice, from S. John +Chrysostom's life by Metaphrastes etc. etc. In modern times also they +continue to use them. Benedict XIV observes that the practice of the +Latin church on these days is intended to preserve the remembrance of +the ancient custom. It is also evidently intended, like the reversed +arms of the soldiers, as a sign of mourning for the death of Christ. +This silence of the bells is prescribed in the ancient rituals: +mystical interpreters assign as a reason, that they signify Christ's +preachers and apostles, who were silent during the sufferings of their +Master.] + +[Footnote 64: S. Greg. Turon. De mirac. S. Martini "oblatis super +altare sacris muneribus, mysterioque Corporis et Sanguinis Christi +palla ex more cooperto.", Vid. Bona. Lib. II, c. 13. not. 12.] + +[Footnote 65: This mass is found in the Antiphonary and Sacramentary +of Pope Gregory the great; in all churches but the Roman, as Marlene +observes, vespers were joined with the mass on this day, as they are +on holy Saturday throughout the Latin church. On holy-thursday the +Pope used generally to preach after the gospel, and in the mean time +the Cardinals stripped the altar: after the sermon the Pope blessed +the people as usual, and then began the _Credo_, according to +Benedict, Canon of S. Peter's. His Holiness drank on this day directly +from the chalice, and did not use the golden reed or _fistola_, as on +other occasions; this we learn from the Apamean Pontifical.] + +[Footnote 66: This chapel was erected by Paul III according to the +design of Antonio Sangallo. Its two large frescoes are the last +efforts of the genius of Michelangelo, then aged 75 years: they +represent the crucifixion of S. Peter and the conversion of S. Paul. +The fall of Simon Magus, and the baptism conferred by S. Peter, +painted on the righthand-wall are works of Federico Zuccheri; on the +opposite side S. Paul at Malta, and restoring the young man, who had +fallen from a window, are by Lorenzo Sabbatino da Bologna, the ceiling +was painted by Federico Zuccheri. The B. Sacrament is publicly and +solemnly exposed in this chapel for the adoration of the faithful on +the first Sunday of Advent as well as on holy-thursday See Chaltard; +_Descriz. del Vaticano_ Taja, _Palazzo Vaticano_.] + +[Footnote 67: S. John Chrysostom established processions at +Constantinople in opposition to those of the Arians; and the empress +Eudoxia supplied the people with silver crosses and wax lights, to be +carried on such occasions. Socrat. Hist. Eccl. lib. VI, c. 8, Sozomen +lib. VIII, c. 8. Processions were incompatible with the persecutions +of the first three centuries. During them, and even long after +Constantine, in consequence of the discipline of secrecy, there was +neither public exposition or procession of the B. Sacrament. The +faithful however adored it privately, as for instance, S. Gregory +Nazianzen relates of his sister Gorgonia, that when seized by a fever +"she fell down with faith before the altar, and invoked with a loud +cry Him who is honoured thereupon". (Discourse on her funeral). S. +Cyril of Jerusalem also exhorts the believer, that when he receives +the chalice of the blood of Christ he should bow down profoundly +and adore. (Catech. 5), The office and mass of Corpus Christi +were composed by S. Thomas Aquinas. As holy-thursday is in great +part devoted to the sufferings of Christ, the festival of _Corpus +Christi_ with its procession was instituted about the middle of the +thirteenth century by Urban IV at the petition of B. Juliana of Mount +_Cornelione_, and in consequence of the miracle of Bolsena, well known +as the subject of one of Raffaello's frescoes in the Vatican. See +Bened. XIV, De Festis, and the authors cited by him. The miraculous +corporal stained with blood is still preserved at Orvieto, the +celebrated cathedral of which owes its foundation to the miracle. "No +one eats that flesh, says S. Augustine, unless he has first adored" in +ps. 98 "The flesh of Christ," says S. Ambrose "which we adore even now +in the mysteries, and which the apostles adored in the Lord Jesus" (de +Spir. S. lib. 34, c. 12) All the fathers and liturgies mention this +adoration, which was therefore derived from apostolic tradition. Sala +ad Bonæ lib. 2, c. 13.] + +[Footnote 68: In the Greek church communion is on this day reserved +for the sick of the ensuing year under the form of bread alone, +according to Leo Allatius. (De utriusque Ecclesiæ consensione). Pope +Innocent I in the beginning of the 5th century directs, that the +eucharist be preserved on this day for the priest and the sick. This +reservation is mentioned also in the Gregorian sacramentary, without +any mention of the sacred blood, since it might be spilt. It has taken +place in the Pauline chapel ever since its erection by Paul III. A +particle of the B. Sacrament was formerly preserved after mass on +festivals and carried back in procession to the sacristy: it was +carried to the altar in procession on the next festival, and a portion +or the whole of it was put into the chalice before the host was +broken. See Cancellieri, De Secretariis T. I, p. 217, seq.] + +[Footnote 69: These prelates used to refer cases and petitions to the +Popes, as they now do the former to their tribunal, which according to +Gonzalez derives its name of _Segnatura_ from the _signature_ of the +sovereign affixed to its decree.] + +[Footnote 70: They are formed of peacocks' feathers, the eyes of which +according to Macri and others signify the vigilance and circumspection +of the Pontiffs. They are mentioned in the apostolic constitutions, in +which it is prescribed, that two deacons should hold, them in order +to drive away flies, which might otherwise fall into the chalice. +Accordingly, at the ordination of the deacons in the Greek church, +among other instruments a Flabellum is given to them for their +ministry at the altar: this S. Anastasius is said to have used while +a deacon. Flabella are mentioned in the liturgies of SS. Basil, +Chrisostom, and other Greek and Syriac liturgies, Flabella are in +the Latin church a mark of distinction, and are carried for the Grand +Prior of the knights of Malta the bishop of Troja in Aquila, and the +archbishop of Messina, as well as for His Holiness.] + +[Footnote 71: Since the time of Clement XIV, the custom of reading +from the _loggia_ on this day the bull in _Coena Domini_ has been +abolished. (On this bull see de Maistre du Pape lib. 2, c. 14). +According to the doctrine of S. Paul, the B. Sacrament is the bond +as it is the symbol of union or _communion_ between the faithful; "We +being many are one body, all who partake of one bread" 1 Cor. X, 17, +and hence this day of its institution was selected for the public +_excommunication_ of those, who reject the doctrines of the church, or +maliciously oppose her ordinances. After the bull had been read "many +candles are lighted, of which the Lord Pope himself holds some, and +each cardinal and prelate one lighted, and he extinguishes and throws +them on the ground, saying, we excommunicate all the aforesaid; and +then the bells are rung together without observing any order". Ap. +Gatticuin, Acta Cerem. 82. These ceremonies are interpreted to mean +the _extinction of the grace_ of the holy Ghost; and the dispersion +of unbelievers, as on the contrary the regular and orderly ringing of +bells calls the faithful together.] + +[Footnote 72: It is supported by the subdeacon habited in the tunic or +_tonacella_.] + +[Footnote 73: John the deacon, in his life of Gregory the great, +mentions the _Sacellarius_ or Treasurer (see Thomassin lib. 2. c. 103, +n. 11), whom that holy Pope commanded according to custom to invite +the twelve pilgrims to dinner. Besides the gifts mentioned above, +the white dress is given to these _apostles_, who are chosen by some +Cardinals, Ambassadors, the Propaganda, the _Maggiordomo_, and the +captain of the Swiss guards.] + +[Footnote 74: The water is brought to him by the Prince assisting at +the throne, and the towel is presented by the first Cardinal Priest. +When the Pope is prevented from performing this ceremony, the Cardinal +Dean supplies his place in presence of the sacred college (Lunadoro). +In that case the gospel is sung, not by a cardinal, but by the prelate +who is deacon of the _cappella_. Formerly, according to the MS. +Pontifical of the Apamean church written in 1214, Vespers were sung by +the Pope's chaplains, while he washed the feet of twelve subdeacons.] + +[Footnote 75: Chardin and other travellers testify, that this practice +is preserved in modern times. In Homer's Odyssey the custom of taking +a bath before a banquet is frequently mentioned, III, 467; IV, 49, VI. +216; VIII, 449.] + +[Footnote 76: The emperors of Costantinople used (according to +Codinus De Officiis Aulæ Costantinop.) to wash the feet of twelve poor +persons: and Vespasiano Fiorentino in the fifteenth century, in his +life of Alfonso di Napoli quoted by Cancellieri, says that "Il Giovedi +Santo lavava i piedi a tanti poveri, quant' egli aveva anni, et +lavavagli, come si deve ... et a tutti dava una veste bianca, et un +pajo di calze, et un Alfonsino, et un fiorino et un carlino, et non +so che altra moneta. Dipoi il Giovedi medesímo faceva ordinare una +cena,... et la Maestà del Re la pigliava, et metteva loro innanzi, e +con il vino, et quello avevano di bisogno con grandissima umiltà". +See also Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. Lib. IV, c. XII, § 8. Our readers +will here call to mind the good old custom still preserved of the +maundy of our British Sovereigns, so called from mandatum, the first +word of the first anthem sung during, the washing of the feet. In the +Greek church, according to Baillet, not only are the feet of twelve +poor persons washed, but the name of an apostle is given to each of +them; as it may be supposed, nobody is anxious to have the name of +Judas Iscariot: so lots are drawn to determine the person who is to +represent that traitor. This may remind us of the threat of Leonardo +da Vinci to copy the head of Judas, in his celebrated last supper, +from the importunate Prior of S. Maria delle Grazie of Milan. Poor +Leonardo despaired of finding a model for the head of our Saviour; and +for more than a year was seeking the rabble for a fit subject whom he +might represent as Judas: meantime the Prior was continually worrying +him to finish the fresco. "In ogni caso poi" said he to Lodovico +Sforza, "faro capitale del ritratto del P. Priore, che lo merita +per la sua importunità e per la sua poca discrezione". The story of +Leonardo bears some resemblance to the manner in which Michelangelo +punished Biagio da Cesena Pontifical Master of Ceremonies, who +before Daniel of Volterra had acquired his well-known nickname of +_braghettone_ complained to the Pope, that the naked figures of +the last judgment were unworthy of a house of prayer. The artist +introduced his censor in his painting as Minos judge of the infernal +regions, with long ears like those of the other devils, and a +serpent's tail. Paul III when appealed to is said to have answered, +that if his Ceremoniere had been in Purgatory, he might have helped +him out, but out of hell there was no redemption. This Papal witticism +Platner could not find in any writer earlier than Richardson (See +Beschreibung der Stadt Rom) but _se non è vero, è ben trovato_. +Dante was not more scrupulous than Michelangelo about thrusting his +opponents into his _inferno_. + + Pictoribus atque poetis + Quidlibet audendi semper fuit æqua potestas. +] + +[Footnote 77: The mosaics with which it was adorned by Pope Leo III +are preserved in the great niche adjoining the _scala santa_.] + +[Footnote 78: The Portuguese, Spanish and some other churches +are generally distinguished on this day by the brilliancy of the +illumination of their _sepulchres_.] + +[Footnote 79: In the eighth century Pope Hadrian I, according to +Anastasius, suspended under the principal or _triumphal_ arch, as it +was called, a silver cross with 1365 or 1380 small lamps, which where +lighted at Easter and other great festivals. This was perhaps the +origin of the cross which used to be suspended in S. Peter's at this +season.] + +[Footnote 80: We have already mentioned an ancient Christian fresco in +which an aspergillum is represented.] + +[Footnote 81: Formerly, as Card. Borgia has proved (De Cruce Vaticana) +this ceremony was performed in S. Peter's on good Friday. In other +churches there were two distinct observances; 1. that of stripping +the altars on holy Thursday, when Christ's passion began; and 2. that +of washing them with wine and on good Friday, when blood and water +flowed from His side, as the Abbot Rupert observes. For the ancient +ceremonies of this day at Rome see besides the Apamean Pontifical +above-cited, the Pontificals of Egebert archbishop of York and of +Tirpin archbishop of Rheims ap. Martene, loc. cit. In some places +the fast of Lent was not observed on this day, as appears from +S. Augustine, Ep. 54 and Januarium. Of old this was the day for +shaving in preparation for Easter-Sunday: it was therefore called +shere-Thursday.] + + + + +CHAP. V. + +ON THE CEREMONIES OF GOOD-FRIDAY + + +_CONTENTS._ + + Ancient ceremonies at Rome--Service in the Sixtine + chapel--Passio--Sermon and indulgence--Prayers for all + mankind--exposition of the cross; ancient crucifixes and + crosses--_adoration_ of the cross; its antiquity--Palestrina's + _improperii_, Trisagion--chant of the hymn _Pange lingua + gloriosi lauream etc_,--Procession of the B. Sacrament--_Mass_ + of the Presanctified, Vespers--Tenebræ--Veneration of the + principal relics at S Peter's--Grounds of belief in the + genuineness of relics--1. Relic of the cross--2. of the + lance--3. _Volto Santo_--Reflections--Recapitulation. + + "_The principal object of the church in the office of this + day is, that Jesus Christ crucified may be placed before + our eyes, that touched with contrition at the sight, our + souls may be so disposed, as to obtain the fruit of + redemption_" Bened. XIV, De Festis D.N.J.C. lib. 1. c. 7. + +[Sidenote: Ancient ceremonies.] + +On good Friday the Pope used formerly to go with the Cardinals and the +other members of the court to the Oratory of S. Lorenzo called _Sancta +Sanctorum_ in the Lateran palace, where they venerated and kissed the +relics of SS. Peter and Paul, as well as two crosses preserved there. +One of these was then carried by a Cardinal Priest, and and the Host +consecrated on the preceding day was borne by another Cardinal of +the same order; the Pope, the Cardinals and all the others were +bare-footed, and walked in procession reciting psalms to S. John +Lateran's and thence to S. Croce, where the station was held and the +ceremonies of the day were performed.[82] + +[Sidenote: Service in the Sixtine chapel.] + +[Sidenote: Passio.] + +[Sidenote: Sermon and indulgence.] + +These take place at present in the Sixtine chapel; in which the yellow +colour of the candles and torches, the nakedness of the Pope's throne +and of the seats of the church denote the desolation of the church at +the sufferings and death of her divine founder. The Cardinals do not +wear their rings; their dress is of purple, which is their mourning +colour; in like manner the Bishops do not wear rings and their +stockings are black: those of the Cardinals are purple; and the +maces as well as the soldiers' arms are reversed. The Card. great +Penitentiary with the sacred ministers are habited in black. There is +no thurifer and there are no lights; for the death of the Son of God +is going to be commemorated; and while He was hanging upon the cross +and when He died, there was darkness over the whole earth. The Pope +is habited in a red cope: he does not wear his ring nor give his +blessing: but if he be present at this part of the service, His +Holiness kneeling with the Card. Penitentiary at his left hand offers +up prayers for a short time before the altar. This, which was stripped +on the preceding day, is now covered with a linen cloth by two +_Cerimonieri_[83]. The Pope then goes to His seat; and the Card. +Celebrant accompanied by the ministers to the altar, and thence to +his _faldistorio_ or seat. An appropriate passage from the prophecy +of Osee is sung by one of the choir, and the precept from Exodus +concerning the killing of the paschal-lamb, a type of Christ, by +the subdeacon. The Pope and the Card. Celebrant also read both these +lessons, after each of which a tract is sung by the choir; and between +them a prayer by the Celebrant. After the prophecies, which are a +powerful confirmation of the truth of our holy religion, the account +of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, penned by an eye-witness +S. John, the disciple of love, is recited[84]. It is read in a low +voice by the Card. Celebrant and sung with the same impressive chant +as on Palm-Sunday by three cantors wearing the alb, a black maniple +and stole: they used formerly to recite it bare-footed. At those words +"And bowing down his head he gave up the ghost" all kneel to adore +their Redeemer. It is related of a servant of God of the name of +Piccolomini, that he expired in church on good Friday when those +words were sung. The latter part is chanted, but without the usual +ceremonies, by the deacon, after he has taken off his folded chasuble +and put on the large band or stole. A short sermon is then preached by +a conventual Friar, who afterwards according to custom publishes the +indulgence or remission of temporal punishment of thirty years granted +by the Pope to those who have confessed and sincerely repented of +their sins. See p. 37. As Morinus has shewn (De Penitentia cap. 4.) in +most churches penitents were absolved and reconciled after the gospel. + +[Sidenote: Prayers for all mankind.] + +Christ, says S. Paul, died for all men, and when suffering on +the cross, He prayed even for his relentless persecutors: on the +anniversary then of his death it is fit that His church should pray +for all men, that all may be saved by the application of His merits to +their souls. The Card. Celebrant commences the beautiful, charitable, +and ancient prayers of this day with the words, Let us pray, dearly +beloved, for the holy church of God etc. The deacon then kneeling says +(according to the ancient custom mentioned by S. Cesarius of Arles +in his 36th homily, and by S. Basil in his book on the Holy Ghost c. +XXVII) Let us bend our knees, and the subdeacon answers, Stand up, as +it was customary to pray standing. This form is repeated before each +prayer, except that which is offered for the Jews[85]: for their +soldiers, bowing the knee before our Lord, mocked him saying in +derision, Hail king of the Jews. Prayers follow for the Pope, for all +the clergy, and holy people of God (formerly for the Emperor also) and +catechumens who are to receive baptism on the day following. Having +prayed for all members of the church, we then pray for heretics and +schismatics, that God may deign to "deliver them from all errors, +and bring them back to their holy mother the catholic and apostolic +church"; and these petitions are followed by others for the conversion +of Jews and Pagans[86]. + +[Sidenote: Exposition of the cross: ancient crucifixes and crosses.] + +[Sidenote: _Adoration_ of the cross: its antiquity.] + +When these prayers are ended[87] the officiating Cardinal takes off +his chasuble, and going to the epistle-side of the altar receives from +the deacon the crucifix[88] covered with a black veil. Then turning +towards the people, and uncovering the upper part of the crucifix, he +sings, Behold the wood of the cross, on which hung the salvation of +the world; in singing which words he is joined by two tenor-voices +from the choir. The choir answers, Come, let us adore[89]. The Pope +and all others kneel, except the Cardinal celebrant, who advances +nearer to the middle of the altar, and uncovers the right arm of the +crucifix, and repeats the same words in a higher tone, and again in +a still higher tone before the middle of the altar, where he uncovers +the whole cross. The choir answers as before, and all except the +celebrant kneel each time the words are repeated. The Cardinal then +places the crucifix on a rich cushion lying on the steps of the +altar[90]. + +[Sidenote: Trisagion.] + +I observed above, that it was formerly customary for the Pope and all +others to walk bare-footed in the procession of this day, as others +royal personages have done; for instance, S. Louis of France, S. +Elisabeth of Hungary, and others. Thus to be barefooted was a sign of +mourning (1 Sam. XV, 30. Jer. II, 25) among the Jews. Their priests +were without shoes at their functions, in token of reverence (Exod. +III, 5. Jos. V, 15). Some memorial of this practice is preserved in +the present custom of taking off the shoes of the principal persons +who revere and kiss the cross on this day. The Pope's shoes are taken +off by an _Ajutante di Camera_, His cope by acolythes (_Votanti di +Segnatura_), and afterwards His Holiness then makes three profound +genuflections before the crucifix, gradually approaching nearer to it, +and then kisses it in token of his love for Him, who died upon it for +our salvation[91]. He also empties a purse, containing an offering +of 100 _scudi d'oro_, into a silver basin near the crucifix. When the +Pope is about to make the first genuflection, the choir begins to sing +the _improperii_, the sentiments of which, and the chant composed by +Palestrina [92], are admirably adapted to the pathetic ceremony. In +them God enumerates the unparalleled benefits which he lavished upon +the Jews, and the atrocious crimes by which they repaid Him. At the +end of each _improperium_ or reproach, the Trisagion is sung by one +choir in Greek, and in Latin by another "Holy God! Holy strong one! +Holy immortal, have mercy on us"[93]. The Pope then returns to his +throne; he resumes his previous vestments and reads the _improperii_ +from the Missal held as usual by an assist. bishop kneeling. The +Cardinal celebrant and all the other members of the sacred college, +after their shoes have been taken off, assisted by the _Ceremonieri_ +revere and kiss the crucifix in the same manner as the Pope has done; +and each of them leaves an offering of a _scudo d'oro_ according to +an ancient custom.[94] When they return to their places, their shoes +are put on by their respective _camerieri_, who afterwards leave the +chapel. The patriarchs and bishops assistant and non-assistant and the +generals of religious orders without shoes, and all the other prelates +etc. wearing their shoes, _adore_ and kiss the cross in like manner, +observing the same order as in going to receive palms on the preceding +sunday; and they also make their offerings before the cross. When +the sacred college has finished the _adoration_, the choir having +ended the _improperii_ sings the anthem _Crucem tuam_, the psalm +_Deus misereatur nostri_, the hymn _Pange lingua gloriosi lauream +certaminis_[95] etc. Towards the end of this beautiful ceremony the +candles are lighted, the deacon spreads out the corporal[96] as usual, +placing the purificator near it. He then respectfully takes the cross, +and places it on the altar amid the candlesticks. + +[Sidenote: Chant of _Pange lingua_ etc.] + +A procession, arranged like that of the preceding day, now goes to +the Pauline chapel. Assisted as usual by the first Card. priest, the +Pope kneels and incenses the B. Sacrament three times. _M. Sagrista_ +delivers the B. Sacrament to the Cardinal celebrant, who presents it +to the Pope; His Holiness covers it with the end of the veil placed +over his shoulders[97] and the procession returns to the Sixtine +chapel [98]. In the mean time the choir sings the hymn "_Vexilla Regis +prodeunt_". When the Pope arrives at the altar, he delivers the B. +Sacrament to the Card. Celebrant, who places it on the altar. His +Holiness then incenses it and returns to his throne. + +During the procession the crucifix on the altar of the Sixtine chapel +is removed, and a larger cross containing a considerable relic of the +true cross is substituted for it. This relic was sent to Pope Leo the +Great in the 5th century by Juvenal Bishop of Jerusalem. It was lost, +but found again by Pope Sergius I in 687: it was stolen at the sack +of Rome in 1527, and removed from its case of silver: however it was +recovered by Clement VII, who ordered the rich cross, in which it +is at present preserved, to be made: in 1730 it was again stolen but +recovered once more by Clement XII. At the close of the last century, +though the candlesticks, and the statues of the Apostles belonging +to the papal chapel were lost, this cross was preserved. In 1840 His +present Holiness Gregory XVI ordered it to be again exposed to the +public veneration in the Sixtine chapel: He gave it to the charge +of the chapter of S. Peter's, who deliver it to _M. Sagrista_ on +Good-friday morning: and it remains in the Sixtine chapel till the +end of Tenebrae on that day. Moroni _Cappelle Pontificie etc._ + +The _Mass_ of the _Presanctified_, as it is called, is next +celebrated; Card. Tommasi, following S. Cesarius of Arles, calls +it the office, and not the mass of good-Friday; for mass, strictly +speaking, is not offered up on this day, since no consecration takes +place, and the B. Sacrament is received by the celebrant under the +form of bread alone, as it could not be preserved with safety under +the form of wine[99]. + +[Sidenote: Mass of the Pre-Sanctified.] + +The Card. Celebrant places the B. Sacrament on the paten[100] and +thence on the corporal. In the meantime the deacon puts wine into the +chalice, and the subdeacon water, which however are neither blessed or +consecrated[101] on this day. The cardinal then places the chalice on +the altar, and the deacon covers it with the _palla_ or pall (a small +square piece of linen, which serves to prevent flies etc. from falling +into it). The Cardinal incenses the offerings and the altar, washes +his hands, and recites the _Orate Fratres_ and Our Father. All then +kneel to adore the blessed Sacrament, which he raises over the paten. +He divides it as usual, but without saying any prayer [102], into +three parts, putting one of them into the chalice. Striking his +breast, and acknowledging his own unworthiness, he receives communion, +taking the sacred host, and afterwards the consecrated particle with +the wine in the chalice [103]. He then receives the ablution, washes +his hands, and returns to the sacristy with the sacred ministers. + +[Sidenote: Vespers.] + +Anciently on fasting days nothing was allowed to be eaten till sunset; +and Vespers used therefore to be said before dinner: now that the one +meal allowed on such days may be eaten as early as noon, the ancient +practice of saying Vespers before dinner is still preserved. Vespers +are therefore sung immediately after the mass of the Presanctified: +they consist of the Our Father and Hail Mary said in secret, of five +psalms with their anthems, and the _Magnificat_ with its anthem. At +the verse 'Christ became obedient unto death', all kneel down to adore +Him, and the _Miserere_ and the usual prayer are recited, but without +the solemnity of Tenebrae[104]. + +[Sidenote: Tenebræ.] + +[Sidenote: Principal relics.] + +In the afternoon at Tenebrae, the office, being that of Holy Saturday +anticipated as usual, refers to the repose of the body of our blessed +Lord in the tomb. When it is finished, the Pope wearing his stole, +and the Cardinals having taken off their _cappe_, go to S. Peter's in +procession, accompanied by the Papal _Anticamera segreta_, the guards +and others, to venerate the relics of the Cross, the Lance, and the +_Volto Santo_, which are shewn by the Canons from the gallery above +the statue of S. Veronica [105]. The Pope meantime, and the Cardinals +and others arranged on each side of Him, remain kneeling. The +Pontifical cross is borne as usual before the Pope, when going to S. +Peter's by an _Uditore di Rota_, and when returning to His apartments +by His cross-bearer who is one of His chaplains. + +[Sidenote: Grounds of belief in relics.] + +Catholics are bound to believe with divine faith only those doctrines, +which the church defines to be doctrines taught by God; and hence with +regard to particular images or relics or miracles, concerning which +Christ has taught nothing, they believe them to be genuine or reject +them, according to the evidence which accompanies them. We shall +therefore briefly examine what evidence there is in favour of the +relics in question. + +[Sidenote: 1. Relic of the cross.] + +1. The relic of the cross was placed here in 1629 by Urban VIII; but +it was formed of some pieces taken from the churches of S. Anastasia +and S. Croce in Gerusalemme. The Jews were accustomed to bury the +instruments of punishment in or near the place where the persons +executed were buried; but on this subject I must content myself with +referring to Baronius, Calmet, Menochius, Gretser etc. who cite the +Rabbins in proof of this assertion. Now according to the ancient +historians, Eusebius, Sozomen and Socrates: the Emperor Adrian erected +a temple of Venus over the tomb of the God of purity, after he had +covered it with a great quantity of rubbish. Helen the saintly mother +of the emperor Costantine, after many searches (according to Eusebius +in his life of that emperor) at length discovered the sacred tomb, in +which was found, according to Sozomen, the inscription placed over the +cross by Pilate, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews"[106]. Near the +tomb in another part of the cave were found three crosses: but here a +difficulty arose on which of these three was our Saviour crucified? +At the suggestion of Macarius Bp. of Jerusalem, a woman at the point +of death, as Ruffinus, Socrates, Theodoret, Sozomen and Nicephorus +relate; or a dead man, according to Paulinus and Severus Sulpicius, +was brought to the spot, and restored to health or to life, when +placed on _one_ of the three crosses. If we consider, that it is +related in the 2nd book of Kings c, XIII, that when some persons "were +burying a man, they cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. +And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life +and stood up on his feet," we may not be unwilling to admit the +possibility or probability, that such a miracle may have occurred at +the sepulchre of the God of Eliseus. Besides the authors whom I have +mentioned, this history is attested by S. Ambrose, S. Chrysostom, and +S. Cyril of Jerusalem. This great bishop and Eusebius lived at the +time when the event is said to have happened: the other writers lived +not long after, and Ruffinus and Theodoret passed part of their lives +in Syria. The same historians mention, that S. Helen divided the +Cross into three parts, one she left in Jerusalem, another she sent +to Costantine, according to the author of the life of Pope Sylvester +published by Pope Damasus towards the close of the 6th cent.; and the +third she reserved for herself, to Rome. She placed the last mentioned +piece in the Sessorian Basilica, called also the Basilica of Helen, +because erected by her, in the Horti Variani: hence is derived +its title of S. Croce in Gerusalemme. On this subject additional +information may be found in the work of the late Padre De Corrieris, +De Sessorianis praecipius D.N.J.C. reliquiis, in Trombelli De cultu +SSrum and Ben. XIV. De festis. From Santa Croce a piece of the cross +was taken to S. Peter's, and is one of the relics shewn on good +friday. Even in the fourth century S. Cyril of Jerusalem testifies, +that particles of the true cross had been sent to every Christian +country. + +[Sidenote: 2. of the lance.] + +2. The lance also with which our divine Saviour's side was pierced, +was found by S. Helen, as the Bollandists shew: and it was preserved +in Jerusalem, as S. Gregory of Tours and our venerable Bede observe: +but towards the end of the 6th cent., the iron part of it was +transfered to Costantinople; of this the point was placed in the +imperial palace; the other part in the church of S. Sophia, and +afterwards in that of S. John. William of Tyre and Anna Comnena +mention it as existing there in the 11th and 12th centuries. Towards +the close of the 13th century the point of the lance with other +relics passed into the possession of S. Louis of France: the other +part of the lance still remained at S. John's in Constantinople, +as Buondelmount, who saw it, bears witness. When Mahomet subdued +Costantinople, he preserved all the relics, as Theodore cited by +Benedict XIV relates in his history of the Turks, and his son Bajazet +sent an ambassador with the relics of the lance to Pope Innocent VIII, +in order to induce his Holiness not to protect Zizimus, who disputed +with him the succession to the Turkish throne. The Pope received it +with great reverence, and placed it in the Vatican. As some suspicion +was entertained about the veracity of the Turkish ambassador, Benedict +XIV, as he mentions in his very learned work on the Canonisation +of the Saints, from which I have extracted this account, sent for +an exact cast of the point preserved at Paris, which perfectly +corresponded with the piece preserved in the Vatican; and thus were +confirmed the assertion of the Turk[107]. + +[Sidenote: 3. _Volto Santo_.] + +3. As for the _Volto Santo_, or image of our Saviour it was placed in +an Oratory of the Vatican Basilica by John VII as long ago as 707, +as may be seen in Marlinetti, Dei pregii della Basilica Vat. Who S. +Veronica or Berenice was, who is said to have wiped our Saviour's face +with the handkerchief is another question, as Benedict XIV observes, +to whom and to Marlinetti I shall content myself with referring. It +appears that this ancient likeness of our Saviour was afterwards kept +at S. Spirito: six Roman noblemen had the care of it; and to each of +them was confided on of the six keys, with which it was locked up. +They enjoyed various privileges, and among others, says an ancient MS. +Chronicle quoted by Cancellieri, "havevano questi sei ogni anno, da +Santo Spirito, due vacche in die S. Spiritus le quali se magnavano +li con gran festa". In 1410 the _Volto Santo_ was carried back to S. +Peter's, where it has ever since remained[108]. + +[Sidenote: Reflections.] + +The Council of Trent, in the 25th Session, teaches that veneration and +honour are due to relics of the Saints, and that they and other sacred +monuments are honoured by the faithful not without utility. We all +honour the memorials of the great, of the wise and of the brave; who +has not venerated the oak of a Tasso or the house of a Shakespeare? +While _We_ revere the relics of a Borromeo at Milan, of a Francois +de Sales at Annecy, of a Luigi Gonzaga, a Filippo Neri, a Camillo de +Lellis at Rome, others respect the chair and table of Wickliffe at +Lutterworth, or the room of Luther at Eisenach. If infidels unite in +paying homage to the house of the impious _philosopher_ of Ferney, let +all Christians, however they may be otherwise unhappily divided, join +in shewing their respect for the image of their Saviour, and for those +instruments which touched his sacred body, and were sanctified by his +precious blood. O let them gaze with reverential awe on that lance +which entering into his adorable side drew from it blood and water, +and on that cross to which he was nailed and on which he died for +our salvation. The early Christians, our forefathers in the faith, +manifested great respect for the bodies and the blood of the martyrs, +because they were faithful _followers_ of Christ. Thus, in the letter +of the faithful of Smyrna preserved by Eusebius, they mention that +they gathered up the bones of their bishop Polycarp, (a disciple of +S. John the Apostle) "more precious than pearls, and more tried than +gold, and buried them. In this place, God willing", say they "we shall +meet and celebrate with joy and gladness the birthday of this martyr". +SS. Praxedes and Pudentiana, and many other devout females used +to collect the blood of the martyrs with sponges and cloths, as +if they feared that one drop of it should be lost. Read the poems +of Prudentius, observe the phials of blood[109] placed before the +martyrs' tombs in the catacombs, and you will not doubt the truth of +such assertions[110]. The shadow of Peter, the handkerchiefs which +had touched the body of Paul, could cure diseases, as the Scripture +witnesseth; but here are the relics of a greater than Paul, of a +greater than Peter: O then let us kneel, and love, and venerate them; +for they were closely united to Him who is the author and object +of our faith, the only foundation of our hope, the centre and the +consummation of our love. + +[Sidenote: Recapitulation.] + +It does not fall within my plan to speak of the devotion of the three +hours of agony, practised on this day in many churches, as at the +Gesù, S. Lorenzo in Damaso etc. or of that which is practised after +the _Ave Maria_ at S. Marcello, Caravita etc. or of the elegies +recited by the Arcadian pastors over their Redeemer. Let us rather +briefly recapitulate with Morcelli the principal ceremonies of +the day: Station at S. Croce; service in the Sixtine chapel, +the veneration of the Cross; the B. Sacrament carried thither in +procession from the Pauline chapel, Mass of the Presanctified and +Vespers. In the afternoon Tenebræ, and veneration of the relics at S. +Peter's. + +[Footnote 82: See a MS. Apamean Pontifical ap. Marthene T. 3, p. +132, Benedict Canon of S. Peter's in his _Ordo Romanus_, Marangoni, +_Istoria dell antichissimo Oratorio o Cappella di S. Lorenzo nel +Patriarchio Lateranense_. Roma 1747. S. Louis of France used to walk +barefooted on this day to the churches, praying and giving abundant +alms, as did also William, king of the Romans. (Chronicon Erphordense +ad ann. 1252), S. Elisabeth of Hungary used to devote the day to +similar acts of piety, walking barefooted and in the dress of a poor +woman to the churches, and there making her humble offerings at the +altars, and distributing copious alms. On her practices of piety +during holy-week see her life by Le Cte de Montalembert c. 9.] + +[Footnote 83: The Corporal, which was anciently much longer than at +present, was spread in this manner at all masses before the offertory. +See Cancellieri, De Secretariis T. I, Fleury, Moeurs des Chretiens.] + +[Footnote 84: The lessons, the prayer, and the passion are found in +the ancient ordo Gelasianus for this day.] + +[Footnote 85: According to the Gelasian Sacramentary all were to +genuflect at the prayer for the Jews, as well as at the other prayers; +not so according to the Gregorian Sacramentary.] + +[Footnote 86: "God our Saviour", says S. Paul (1 Tim. II, 4) "wishes +all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth". The +Catholic church is animated by the same spirit of charity, as the +admirable prayers of this day might alone prove. If she teaches +exclusive salvation. Christ taught the same "He that believeth and +is baptised shall be saved: he that believeth not shall be condemned" +Mark XVI, 26. We cannot therefore consistently accuse the church +of want of charity, when she proclaims the general conditions of +salvation, without at the same time charging Christ himself, who first +taught them, with the same fault. True charity desires the salvation +of all but she warns others of their danger; and does not cruelly +conceal it from them till it is too late.] + +[Footnote 87: After these prayers the faithful used anciently to leave +the church, and the Priests to go to their own churches, to perform +the ceremonies till the evening-service: so that what follows was then +a totally distinct service. See Sacram S. Gregorii, ant. Ord. Roman, +etc. ap. Martene lib. IV, c. 23.] + +[Footnote 88: It would appear, that, before Costantine abolished the +punishment of malefactors on the cross, the Christians, who well knew +with S. Paul that Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, +and to the gentiles foolishness', prudently abstained from +representing our Saviour nailed to the cross, and used rather to +depict a lamb with a cross near it, of which instances may he seen in +Rork's Hierurgia p. 520. The first mention of the _crucifix_ in the +church is believed to occur in the poem titled _De Passione Domini_ +referred to the fourth century. That the use of the sign and the +image of the _cross_ was much more ancient and very prevalent among +Christians will appear from the following facts. "At every step and +movement" says Tertullian (in the early part of the third century) +"whenever we come in or go out, when we dress and wash ourselves, at +table, when lights are brought in, whether we are lying or sitting +down; whatever we are doing, we mark our foreheads with the sign of +the cross". Eusebius mentions that Constantine placed a magnificent +cross De Vit. Const. I. 3. In the fourth century in his palace S. John +Chrysostom in one of his eloquent homilies observes "Every where the +symbol of the cross is present to us. We inscribe it very diligently +on our houses, and walls, and doors, and brows, and thoughts". S. +Basil (De Spirit. S. ad Amphilochium c. 27.) derives the sign of the +cross from Apostolic tradition. That this custom universally prevailed +among Christians might be proved from S. Jerome, from the historian +Socrates and others, and from monuments of the early Christians still +preserved in Egypt: but why travel so far? we have only lo look around +us in the catacombs, or in the Vatican Museum and Library. The cross +is the chosen, the beloved sign of Christians; they repeated it a +thousand times on their lamps, on their rings, on their cups and +sacred vessels, that they might have the sign of their redemption ever +before their eyes, they kissed it at the hour of their death, and +had it marked on their tomb, as a sign of their hope of salvation. No +sooner had peace shone upon the church, than crosses were erected on +high roads, and in many places of public resort: and would to God that +those sacred ancient monuments, which once adorned our own country, +bore public testimony to the faith of its inhabitants, and recalled +to the minds of passers-by the sufferings of their Saviour, had not +been too rudely treated in the first heat of religious and political +frenzy! For some ancient representations of the cross see the learned +work of Dr. Rock on the mass. I shall content myself with noticing an +interesting instance, which he has not mentioned. At Pompeii the house +of Pansa, as it is called, is one of the most remarkable yet excavated +on account of its extent and regularity. Some parts of it were used +as shops, and appear to have been let out, (as is still the custom in +some palaces of Rome): for they have no communication with the body +of the building. Between two parts thus separated is an entrance from +a side street to the peristyle or open court surrounded by columns; +and on the pier between the two doors is, or rather was a painting +representing one of the guardian-serpents or tutelary deities, who +were sometimes represented under that form, as we occasionally see +at Pompeii, and as we learn from Virgil (lib.) V. Hence as we see +in Titus' baths and are informed by Persius, a place was considered +sacred, in which serpents were painted. Indeed these reptiles became +such favourites, that, according to Seneca, they used to creep upon +the tables amid the cups: and some ladies so far overcame natural +prejudices, as to place real serpents, if not boas, round their necks, +to cool them, instead of using artificial boas to warm themselves. +"Si gelidum nectit collo Glacilla draconem" says Martial. Before the +serpent painted in Pansa's house is or was a projecting brick intended +to support a lamp: the painting in consequence of its situation could +be seen only by persons within the house: but upon the opposite wall +there is or was a cross worked in bas relief upon a panel of white +stucco, so situated as to be visible to all persons passing. It had +the form of a Latin cross, which, we may observe, as well as the Greek +cross: is found upon ancient Christian monuments; though of course +we cannot bring forward other instances so ancient as the monument +in question. (See Rock p. 516). "It is hard to conceive", says the +learned Mazois, "that the same man should bow at once before the cross +of Christ, and pay homage to Janus, Ferculus, Limetinus, Cardia, the +deities of the threshold, and the hinges of doors. Perhaps at this +time the cross was of a meaning unknown except to those who had +embraced the Christian faith, which, placed here among the symbols +of paganism, as if in testimony of gratitude, informed the faithful, +that the truth had here found an asylum with a poor man, under the +safeguard of all the popular superstitions". So far Mazois, whose +opinion is embraced by the author of the interesting work on Pompeii +published by the society for promoting useful knowledge: but is it not +probable, I may ask, or rather is it not certain that, at that early +period, while some members of the same family were pagans, others were +Christians? it is not then surprising if in the same house we find +both Christian and Pagan emblems: we may suppose, that some such +persons may have been inmates of the same house as Mr. Bulwer's +pagan gladiator Lydon and his Christian father Medon. Pompeii was +overwhelmed by ashes in the year of Christ 79: and if Vesuvius still +occasionally lay waste the surrounding country, we are indebted to it +for the preservation not only of a thousand classical monuments, but +also of a representation of the cross of Christ, which cannot be of a +much later date than the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.] + +[Footnote 89: St. Helen discovered the cross on which Christ suffered, +and erected a church in Jerusalem, in which it was deposited. +"The bishop of that city every year, at the season of the paschal +solemnity, exhibits it to be _adored_ by the people, after he himself +has first performed his act of profound veneration". S. Paulinus +of Nola, A.D. 430, ep. 11 ad Sever. "In the middle of Lent, the +life-giving wood of the venerable cross is usually exposed for +_adoration_". S. Sophronius patriarch of Jerusalem in 639. (Orat. in +Exalt. Crucis). From this custom of the church of Jerusalem probably +arose that of the Roman church, in which a crucifix, containing a +particle of the true cross, was publicly venerated on good Friday. In +the Sacramentary of pope Gelasius (A.D. 402) we read in an account +of the ceremonies of this day "The priest comes before the altar, +adoring the Lord's cross and kissing it--all adore the holy cross and +communicate". This ceremony is mentioned also in the Antiphonary of +S. Gregory the great and the ancient _Ordo Romanus_. Flecte genu, +lignumque crucis venerabile adora, says Lactantius. See bishop +Poynter's Christianity p. 151. Of the Greeks Leo Allatius relates that +"on good-friday, while they accompany as it were Christ himself to the +tomb, they lead round through the cities and _adore_ the sculptured +body of Christ". De consensu utriusque Eccl. lib. 5. c. 15. The +Syrians also practise this ceremony, as we learn from documents +published by Card. Borgia and Nairon. This rite is called the +_adoration_ of the cross. Let us not forget what is said in the Book +of Common Prayer in the solemnization of Matrimony "With this ring +I thee wed; with my body I thee _worship_". Such words of doubtful +signification must be interpreted from the doctrine of the church +which adopts them. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. Now +the word _adorare_ used in our liturgy (derived from _ad_ and _ora_, +because persons when _adoring_ used to put their right hand to their +mouth; Plin. I. 28, c. 2. Apuleius in Apolog.) signifies not only to +pay divine worship, but also to venerate and even to salute. Thus +from the instances collected in Forcellini's Lexicon we may select the +following: "Primo autem septimum Germanici consulatum adoravi". Stat +in præf i. 4 Silv. Imo cum gemitu populum sic adorat: Apulei. lib 2. +Metam. The doctrine of the catholic church on this subject is as usual +clear and decided. The twenty-fifth session of the Council of Trent +decreed as follows: "The holy synod commands all bishops, and others +sustaining the duty and care of teaching, that they should diligently +instruct the faithful concerning the legitimate use of images +according to the custom of the catholic and apostolic church received +from the commencement of christianity, and the consent of the holy +fathers, and decrees of the sacred councils, teaching them ... that +the images of Christ; of the Virgin mother of God, and other saints, +are to be had and retained especially in churches, and that due honour +and veneration are to be given them: not that any divinity or virtue +is believed to exist in them for which they are to be worshipped, or +that any thing is to be asked from them, or that confidence is to be +placed in images, as was formerly done by the Gentiles, who used to +place their hope in idol; but because the honour which is given to +them is referred to the prototypes which they represent; so that +by the images which we kiss, and before which we uncover our heads +and bow our bodies, we adore Christ, and venerate the Saints, whose +likeness they bear: this has been decreed against the opposers of +images by the decrees of councils, especially of the second synod of +Nice. And let the bishops diligently teach, that by the histories +of the mysteries of our redemption expressed in pictures or other +likenesses the people are instructed and confirmed in commemorating +and assiduously venerating articles of faith, and that from all sacred +images a great fruit is derived, not only because the people are +admonished of the benefits and gifts conferred on them by Christ, but +also because God's miracles through the saints, and salutary examples +are laid before the eyes of the faithful, that they may return +thanks for them to God, and may compose their life and manners to an +imitation of the saints, and may be excited to adore and love God and +cherish piety". The council then gives directions for the extirpation +of any abuses which may creep in. These words, by which our faith +and practice are regulated, are too clear to need comment, and +sufficiently justify catholics from the foolish and calumnious charge +of idolatry. The true Catholic practice is well expressed in a work +attributed to Alcuin "We prostrate our bodies before the cross, and +our souls before the Lord: we venerate the cross by which we have been +redeemed, and we supplicate Him who redeemed us".] + +[Footnote 90: This rite is described in the Ordo Romanus XIV with the +same ceremonies. It is first mentioned in the Ordo XI of the Canon +Benedict.] + +[Footnote 91: We kiss and press to our hearts the pictures of those +whom we love, and shall we think it sinful to kiss the image of Him, +who for love of us humbled himself even to the death of the cross? +Oh! let each one of us rather exclaim with S. Paul "God forbid that I +should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the +world is crucified to me and I to the world" (Gal. VI): or in the +words attributed to S. Andrew when he was going to be crucified "Hail +precious cross, that hast been consecrated by the body of my Lord, and +adorned with his limbs as with rich jewels. Oh good cross, that hast +received beauty from our Lord's limbs, I have ardently loved thee, +long have I desired and sought thee; now thou art found by me and made +ready for my longing soul". Act. S. Andreæ.] + +[Footnote 92: "The greatest glory" says Baini "was deservedly obtained +by _Pierluigi_ on account of the _improperii_, and the hymn _Crux +fidelis_ which he set to music for 8 voices divided into two choirs, +and which were sung for the first time by the choir of the Lateran +basilica on good Friday in the year 1560: by them _fece sbalordire +arte e natura_. Pius IV demanded them for the use of the apostolic +chapel, and, after he had heard them, declared that Palestrina had +surpassed his expectations. These _improperii_ are still sung and will +ever be sung in the apostolic chapel" Baini, Mem. storic. di Giovanni +Pierluigi da Palestrina 1. p. 64.] + +[Footnote 93: This hymn is frequently sung in the Greek and Oriental +church. Renaudot T. I, p. 70. According in the Menologium Græcum +and S. John Damascen it was first used in the reign of Theodosius, +when public supplications were offered to heaven during a terrible +earthquake at Costantinople. This Palmer admits, I, 64. It is still +said in Greek, in which it was originally composed, as well as in +Latin, in the Roman church. See Goar in notis ad Rituale Græc.] + +[Footnote 94: In the Ordo Romanus XII, Ap. 1, de Presbyterio, it is +prescribed that "according to ancient custom whatever is offered upon +the cross ought to belong to the _schola_ (or company)" of the cross: +in the Ordo XIV, that it belongs to the _Sagrista_. The sum collected +is at present the perquisite of M. Sagrista and the two principal +Masters of ceremonies. These offerings were customary also in other +churches, and in particular at Paris.] + +[Footnote 95: Baini observes, that the chant of this hymn is one of +the few instances of _rhythmical_ chant preserved by uninterrupted +_tradition_ in the papal chapel and adorned with the ancient +ornaments. (See his Saggio sopra l'indentità dei ritmi musicale e +poetico. Firenze, 1820). "The chant of that hymn" says Eximano (quoted +by Baini, Mem. Stor.) is a true plain chant, that is, a chant of +unison, such as it is found in all choral books: but the mode of +singing it in the pontifical chapel makes it appear different from +what is sung in other churches--Above all, the distribution of the +notes, which are sung (not of those which are written) adapted to +express the length and shortness of the syllables which compose the +rhythm of the hymn, ought to be studied. "Se si dà quell'inno ad un +maestro di cappella per metterlo in musica concertata ed in _battuta +sensibile_, verrà subito distrutto il _ritmo_, e se la cantilena +della cappella pontif. si scrive in battuta, si vedranno cadere +nel _battere_ alcune sillabe brevi, senza pregiudizio della loro +quantità". Dubbio di D. Antonio Eximeno sopra il saggio fondamentale +pratico di contrappunto del R.P.M. Martini. Roma, 1773.] + +[Footnote 96: The corporal is a square piece of linen so called, +because the Corpus or body of Christ is placed on it. S. Isidore of +Pelusium in the beginning of the 5th century says, that the white +linen cloth, which is spread under the divine gifts, is the clean +linen cloth of Joseph of Arimathea: "for we, sacrificing the bread of +proposition on the linen cloth, without doubt find like him the body +of Christ": it was anciently much larger than it is at present. The +purificator is a small towel, which serves to wipe the chalice and +the hands and mouth of the priest, after he has received the B. +Sacrament.] + +[Footnote 97: The veil is used from reverence to the B. Sacrament: +on an ancient mosaic on one of the arches of S. Prassede, a person +is represented enveloped in it, holding a sacred vessel apparently +intended to contain the B. Sacrament. Ciampini, Vet. mon. T. 2.] + +[Footnote 98: According to the Gelasian Sacramentary, "the deacons go +to the _sacrarium_ and walk in procession with the body and blood of +the Lord, which remained from the preceding day": with it the most +ancient Ordo Romanus ad usum monasteriorum agrees.] + +[Footnote 99: In the fourth century Pope Innocent I in his epistle to +Decentius assigns as a reason, why the holy sacrifice is not offered +up on this day, the example of the apostles who, concealing themselves +for fear of the Jews, spent this and the following day in fasting and +mourning for the death of their master, and were thus debarred from +the holy mysteries. During the whole of Lent the Greek church still +celebrates, towards evening, only the mass of the presanctified, +except on Saturdays and Sundays, and on the feast of the Annunciation, +when the ordinary mass is offered up. This is one of the ancient +instances of communion under one kind; for, as Leo Allatius observes, +either it is received under the form of bread alone, or if some drops +of the sacred blood were sprinkled on the host, all the species +of wine have disappeared before communion. (De utriusque Ecclesiæ +consensione, p. 875). Neither in the Latin or the Greek church is the +mass of the pre-sanctified a _Missa sicca_ or dry mass: in which not +only the consecration, but also the communion, and all those prayers +which are said over the holy Eucharist, used to be omitted. See +Durandus in Rationali c. 1. This is the only day in the year on which +mass is not offered up in the Latin church, and even on it the priest +communicates: on holy Saturday mass is said, but the priest alone +communicates: on all other days all the faithful may and many do +communicate, either during mass or before or after it according to +circumstances. Palmer having quoted a passage from Bona, in which the +Cardinal regrets that communion, as well as other rites to which the +mass is not essential, is often delayed till after the mass is ended, +subjoins the following ejaculation. "Would that they who communicate +with the Roman church were not too timid or too lukewarm to return to +the practice of the primitive church in this and many other respects". +Orig. Liturg. vol. 2, p. 154. Now in the primitive church the +faithful, and even those in health, used to communicate not only +during mass, but also at other times, as is evident from the office of +the presanctified, at which, according to the Gelasian sacramentary, +all present communicated, as well as from the numerous ancient +instances of communion under one kind mentioned in the preceding +chapter; for in these cases it was not received during the mass, and +many of them are cases of "_persons in health_". In the same page Mr. +Palmer observes that "_during all the primitive ages_ the whole body +of the faithful communicated at each celebration of the liturgy". Now +has the church of England preserved this "practice of the primitive +church"? So far is this from being the case, that Palmer considers +her _ordinary_ office as a "_Missa sicca_; or dry service" p. 164, +in which there is neither consecration or communion, and the earliest +notice of which occurs in the writings of Petrus Cantor (A.D. 1200), +according to Palmer's own admission, ibid. Even on those few days +in the year when she admits her children to communion, her ministers +generally consider that they make an oblation only of bread and wine, +and not of the body and blood of Christ, whereas, whatever Palmer or +the Tracts for the Times may say to the contrary, we are prepared to +prove from the _very liturgies_, which the former cites, that in the +mass there is an oblation not merely of bread and wine but also of the +body and blood of Christ; and accordingly even the author of Tract 81, +vol. 4, admits, p. 61, that "the real point of difference between the +primitive church and modern views is whether there be in this oblation +a _mystery_ or no". It is truly lamentable that men of learning should +falsely accuse the Roman church of departure from primitive discipline +in a matter of so little comparative importance as the precise +_time_ when communion is to be received, while they themselves must +acknowledge, that they have _abolished communion_ itself as well as +_consecration_ on _nearly_ all the days of the year, and that they +have reduced the oblation of the mass from a '_mystery_' and a +'_venerable, tremendous_ and unbloody sacrifice' (Palmer vol. 2, p. +84) to an offering of bread and wine. They have thus deprived their +followers of the inestimable fruits of communion enumerated by Christ +in the gospel--yet these forsooth are the men who charge Catholics +with a departure from primitive practice. How many other _primitive +practices_ mentioned in this work have been abolished by the church +of England!] + +[Footnote 100: This plate, which is of gold or silver-gilt, resembles +_in form_ the patera used in the ancient sacrifices, and generally +represented together with the _prefericulum_ on sepulchral monuments +dedicated to the Manes.] + +[Footnote 101: The wine is sanctified, but is not consecrated, either +by the particle of the sacred host, or by the recital of the _Pater +noster_, as has been shewn by Mabillon, (Museum Ital.) Bossuet, and +other authors quoted by Benedict XIV. The wine and water represent +the blood and water, which flowed on this day from Christ's body. See +Act. Coer. p. 54. Whenever priests _say Mass_, they receive under both +kinds, in compliance with the command of Christ "Drink ye all of this" +which words as well as those others, "Do this in commemoration of me" +were addressed to the apostles and their successors.] + +[Footnote 102: According to the direction of the Gelasian +sacramentary, the _Pax Domini etc_. is not said on this day.] + +[Footnote 103: "As the communion," says Mabillon "is of the nature of +a sacred banquet, it consists of food and drink; hence the other part +of the banquet, viz. drink, was supplied by wine, mixed with water, +but sanctified by a particle of the B. Sacrament" See for the service +of this day a MS. Pontifical of the church of Apamea in Syria ap. +Martene t. 3, p. 132. It is found with little variation also in the +Gelasian Sacramentary, in a very ancient _Ordo Romanus_, and some MSS. +cited by Martene. In the Roman church, as Amalarius was informed by +the Roman archdeacon "at the station no one communicated". In many +other churches there was general communion; this is prescribed by the +church during this holy season.] + +[Footnote 104: In many churches the crucifix used to be solemnly +placed in the _sepulchre_ after the Vespers. See the Sarum and other +missals, ap. Martene t. 3, p. 139.] + +[Footnote 105: So jealously are these relics kept, that even +sovereigns cannot go up where they are preserved, without being +first appointed Canons of the Basilica. The Emperor Frederic III, +and afterwards Ladislaus son of the king of Poland, and Cosimo III +grand-duke of Tuscany went up dressed as Canons of St. Peter's.] + +[Footnote 106: The learned professor Sholz after his return from +Palestine defended in a dissertation the genuineness of this tomb +against Dr. Clark's objections: if it be within the walls of the +modern city of Jerusalem, it was certainly outside the ancient walls.] + +[Footnote 107: The lance preserved at Nuremberg resembles in form that +of St. Peter's, but is made of common iron, united with a part of one +of the nails of the cross.] + +[Footnote 108: These relics are shewn to the people on holy-Wednesday +after the matins of Tenebræ; on Thursday and Friday several times in +the day: on holy Saturday morning after mass: on Easter Sunday after +the Pontifical mass: on Easter Monday, and a few other festivals.] + +[Footnote 109: The opinion of Röstell (Beschreibung der Stadt Rom, B. +I, p. 400) that these phials contained the blessed eucharist under +the form of wine, if admitted, would form a new proof of the real and +permanent presence of Christ's blood in the B. Sacrament; yet it is +a novel, unsupported, and untenable conjecture. Some of the ancient +Christian Fathers complain, it is true, of the abuse of burying the +eucharist with the deceased under the form of bread; but the phials of +blood have been found with so many bodies, that we cannot reasonably +suppose the custom to have been an abuse: and who among the ancients +mentions that the eucharist was ever buried with them under the form +of _wine_? That the palm-branch or crown accompanied by these phials +of blood are authentic signs of martyrdom, see Raoul-Rochette's +Memoires sur les pierre sepulcrales, t. XIII des Mem. de l'Academie, +p. 210, 217. On one of the phials mentioned by Röstell was found the +inscription Sanguis Saturnini.] + +[Footnote 110: In the Vatican Library is a small relic-case, marked +with the monogram, of great simplicity and consequent antiquity. There +is another of ivory, adorned with bas-reliefs of the resuscitation of +Lazarus, Christ's apprehension etc. Plainer, Bescher. der Stadt Rom. +B. 2. See also Rock's Hierurgia Vol. 2, cap 6.] + + + + +CHAP. VI. + +ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY-SATURDAY + + +_CONTENTS._ + + Service of Easter-eve--Ceremonies of + holy-saturday-morning--Sixtine chapel. 1. Blessing of the fire + and incense-procession; Paschal candle--the deacon sings the + _Exultet_--triple candle--2. Baptism administered on this + day: communion of children in former times--prophecies--3. + The litany: invocation of Saints--change from mourning + to rejoicing--High mass: sacred pictures + etc.--_Alleluja_--Vespers--end of the mass: mass of Pope + Marcellus--Ceremonies at S. John Laterans. Blessing of + the font: baptistery--baptism of adults--litanies and + confirmation--mass and ordination--Armenian catholics--their + liturgy; and high mass on Easter-eve--reflections--Conclusion. + + "_But now Christ is risen from the dead, the first-fruits of + them that sleep_". 1 Cor. XV, 20. + +[Sidenote: Service of Easter-eve.] + +I remarked in the last chapter, that anciently mass was not said +either on good-friday, or holy-saturday, and I quoted Pope Innocent I, +who assigns as a reason the example of the Apostles, who spent those +days in mourning for their Master. It was formerly customary to +celebrate mass on the night of Easter-eve or holy Saturday. Hence when +Tertullian, the oldest Latin Christian writer, endeavoured to dissuade +his wife from ever marrying a pagan, in case of his own death, among +other arguments he used the following; "Who will tranquilly wait for +you, when you are spending the night at the paschal solemnities?" +S. Jerome also (in cap. 25 Matt.) says, that according to apostolic +tradition, the people did not leave the church on Easter-eve before +midnight. This custom continued for many ages; but Hugh of S. Victor +in the twelfth century says, that in his time, in order to avoid +weakness arising from long fasting, the hour anciently observed was +anticipated. The service, which is now performed before noon on holy +Saturday, was formerly assigned to the night of Easter-eve: and this +anticipation accounts for the occasional mention of night, which +it contains, as well as for the early celebration of Christ's +resurrection. + +[Sidenote: Ceremonies of holy saturday.] + +The ceremonies of holy saturday-morning may be arranged under three +heads: 1st. the blessing of the fire and of the paschal candle: 2nd. +the preparation for, and ceremonies of, baptism: 3rd. the litany +and mass. All three allude, as we shall see, to the resurrection of +Christ, which is the great object of our devotion on this day. In Rome +two sanctuaries are the great centres of attraction in the morning, +viz. S. John Lateran's on account of the baptism of adults, and +the Sixtine chapel, where the service is always beautiful, and +particularly on this day. We shall first give an account of the +ceremonies observed in the latter, and shall then describe the +additional interesting rites of S. John Lateran's. + +[Sidenote: Sixtine chapel: 1. Blessing of fire and incense.] + +1. As the missal prescribes, the altar is covered at a convenient +hour, and the candles of the altar are not lighted till the beginning +of the mass. A light, from which the charcoal for the incense is +enkindled, is struck from a flint in the sacristy; where also _M. +Sagrista_ privately blesses water. The cardinals enter the Sixtine +chapel vested in their purple _cappe_: the maces are reversed, as on +friday. Meantime in the sacristy the Card. Celebrant wearing a purple +cope and mitre, and assisted by the sacred ministers, blesses (as +usually with holy water and incense) the fire and the five grains of +incense, which are to be fixed in the paschal candle[111]. + +[Sidenote: Procession: Paschal candle.] + +The Cardinal afterwards changes his cope for a chasuble, which is +purple as well as that of the subdeacon; but the deacon, as he is +going to bless the Paschal candle[112], wears a white dalmatic. They +then enter the Sixtine chapel; where, having put incense into the +thurible, the Cardinal remains: but the deacon, the subdeacon who +carries the cross, and the other ministers go to the Pauline chapel, +whence a procession returns in the following order. After two mace +bearers comes an acolythe with the five grains of incense, and another +with the thurible; then the subdeacon carrying the cross; and the +deacon with a reed, at the top of which are 3 candles united together. +At his left hand is a Master of ceremonies with a small candle lighted +from the blessed fire, and he is followed by two other acolythes. +When the deacon arrives near the door of the _cancellata_, one of the +three candles is lighted, and all genuflect, except the subdeacon: the +deacon then sings, _Lumen Christi_, the light of Christ, and the choir +answers, Thanks be to God. The other two candles are lighted in turn, +as the Deacon approaches nearer to the altar; singing the same words +each time, but gradually in a higher tone. He then gives the reed +to an acolythe; and before he sings the _exultet_ or blessing of the +Paschal candle, he receives the benediction of the Card. Celebrant, +who once more puts incense into the thurible. + +[Sidenote: Deacon sings the _Exultet_:] + +[Sidenote: triple candle] + +The deacon[113] goes to the book, and has the subdeacon on his right +hand, and on his left the thurifer and two acolythes, one of whom +holds the reed, and the other the plate containing the five grains of +incense. All stand, as at the gospel: he incenses the book, and then +sings the _Exultet_[114]. After the words _curvat imperia_, he fixes +in the candle the five grains of incense in the form of a cross[115]. +At the words "_ignis accendit_" he lights the paschal candle with one +of the _three_ lights[116]. When the blessing, as it is called, is +ended, the paschal candle is left lighted near the pulpit and the +seats of the Card. deacons, and the triple candle is placed near the +altar on the gospel-side[117]. The deacon then takes off his white +vestments, puts on others of a purple colour, and joins the Card, +celebrant, who accompanied by the ministers takes his seat on +_Faldistorio_ near the altar on the epistle-side, to hear the +prophecies recited. + +[Sidenote: 2. Baptism administered.] + +[Sidenote: communion of children.] + +2. The administration of the Sacrament of Baptism forms an important +feature in the ceremonies of this day: indeed anciently it was +customary to confer it only on holy-saturday, and the eve of +Whit-sunday, except in case of necessity[118]. On these two days those +Catechumens who were sufficiently instructed, and also children, used +to be baptised[119] by the bishop, and by the bishop of Rome as well +as others[120]; and after they had been baptised, they all received +Confirmation and the holy Eucharist[121]. + +[Sidenote: Prophecies.] + +The twelve lessons or prophecies read on this day were intended for +the instruction of the catechumens; and they are well selected for +that purpose, as they contain an account of the creating, the flood, +the obedience of Abraham, the deliverance of God's people from their +enemies at the red sea, the precept concerning the paschal lamb, +the conversion of Ninive, the refusal of the three children to adore +Nabuchodonosor's statue, etc. they are twelve in the ancient Gelasian +Ordo. They are sung in the Sixtine chapel by members of the papal +choir, and are read by the Card. celebrant. After each prophecy the +Cardinal standing up sings a prayer: the deacon chants _Flectamus +genua_ and the subdeacon _Levate_ before each, except the last, when +the knee is not bent, in order to shew abhorence of the idolatry +exacted by Nabuchodonosor for his statue. After the 4th, 8th, and 11th +prophecies an appropriate Tract is sung by the choir. Formerly some or +all of these prophecies were said in Greek as well as in Latin. (See +Cancellieri, _Funz. d. Set. S._ § 4, Martene T. 3. p. 148.). These +lesson are recited even where there is no baptismal font, as at the +Sixtine chapel. After them follow in S. John Lateran's and other +churches the blessing of the font, and in some of them administration +of baptism. + +[Sidenote: 3. The litany: invocation of Saints.] + +[Sidenote: Change from mourning to rejoicing.] + +3. In the papal chapel, immediately after the prophecies, the +Celebrant takes off his chasuble, and prostrates himself with the +sacred ministers before the altar; all the others also kneel, and +two tenor voices from the choir chant in the middle of the chapel the +greater litanies, called those of the saints, each petition of which +is repeated in the same words by the choir[122]. Before the verse +"_Peccatores te rogamus audi nos_" the assistant priest and ministers +go to the sacristy, and put on white vestments. Then returning to the +chapel they assist the Card. Celebrant to put on his white vestments +at his _faldistorio_. The candles are now lighted (at the _Agnus Dei_ +of the litany, as the Sacramentary of S. Gregory and the Ordo Romanus +prescribe); the purple veil which covered the throne and the purple +_paliotto_ or facing of the altar are removed; and both appear decked +in white. The Cardinals assisted by theirs _caudatarii_ take off +their purple _cappe_, and put on others of scarlet brought in by their +respective _camerieri_. The reason of this sudden change from mourning +to rejoicing we have already seen: the celebration of Christ's +resurrection from the dead is celebrated by anticipation. + +[Sidenote: High mass.] + +At the end of the litanies, the Pope (if His Holiness were not present +at the preceding ceremonies) enters the chapel, wearing a white +cope and a mitre; at the foot of the altar he repeals as usual the +beginning of the mass with the Card. Celebrant at His left hand: in +the meantime the choir sings solemnly the _Kyrie eleison_ etc. (as +there is no _Introit_ of the Mass, because the people were assembled +in the church previously): the Pope goes to His throne, and receives +the usual _ubbidienza_; and the other customary ceremonies of high +mass in the papal chapel take place (see p. 19 and foll.) with such +exceptions as we shall now mention. As soon as the Celebrant commences +the _Gloria in excelsis_, the veil is removed from the tapestry over +the altar; which represents Christ rising from the dead[123], the +cannons of S. Angelo are discharged, the arms are no longer reversed +and the bells of the city are tolled, to announce to its faithful +inhabitants the resurrection of their Divine Lord. + +[Sidenote: Alleluja.] + +After the epistle, sung as usual by the subdeacon, another subdeacon +(_Uditore di Rota_) wearing a white _tonacella_ or tunic announces +at the foot of the throne the joyful tidings to His Holiness[124] by +chanting aloud; "_Pater sancte, annuntio vobis gaudium magnum, quod +est, Alleluja_": having then kissed the Pope's foot he returns into +the sacristy. This word of joy[125] _Alleluja_, (praise God) which +had not been once uttered during the long season of mourning which +preceded this solemnity, is now sung thrice by the Celebrant, +gradually raising his voice to a higher tone. The choir reechoes it +each time, singing it in _contrapunto_, and then chants the verse +_Confitemini_, and the tract, which is ordinarily recited in +penitential times. Throughout the mass the joy of the church is +incomplete; for though Christ has risen from the dead, He has not +yet appeared to His disciples, and the light of faith is still +overclouded, as Alcuin remarks: hence lights are not carried at the +gospel; the Creed, offertory, motetto and _Agnus_ _Dei_ are omitted, +and the kiss of peace is not given[126]. Merati adds to the cause +already assigned the wish to abridge service; particularly on account +of the newly-baptised children, who communicated at this mass; and the +unusual shortness of the Vespers confirms this opinion. + +[Sidenote: End of the mass.] + +After the Celebrant has communicated, Vespers are sung by the choir, +in place of the _communion_ and postcommunion. They consist of the +anthem _Alleluja_ repeated three times before and after the short +psalm _Laudate Dominion omnes gentes_ etc.; of the anthem _Vesper +autem sabbati_, which the Celebrant commences and the choir continues; +of the _Magnificat_[127] and in fine of the prayer which is chanted +by the Card. Celebrant. While the anthem before the _Magnificat_ is +sung, the Pope puts incense into the thurible; the celebrant incenses +the crucifix and the altar, and is incensed by the deacon, and the +incensing continues as after the offertory at high-mass (See p. 21) At +the _Gloria Patri_ the deacon, having incensed the Card, priests, bows +his head in the middle of the chapel, and then proceeds to incense the +Card, deacons. After the prayer; _Ite Missa est, Alleluja, Alleluja_, +is sung; and the choir answers, _Deo gratias Alleluja, Alleluja_: the +Pope gives the usual blessing, the Celebrant publishes the indulgence +of thirty years and this beautiful service terminates. In the sacristy +His Holiness puts on a _mozzetta_ of white (instead of red) damask, +and wears it during the whole of Easter week: His shoes also are +white. The Cardinals put on red _mantellette_ and _mozzette_ over +their purple cassocks; these they afterwards change for others of +scarlet. + +[Sidenote: Mass of Pope Marcellus.] + +The mass sung on this day is that of Pierluigi da Palestrina, called +the mass of Pope Marcellus; not because it was composed during his +pontificate; but because, according to Baini, Pierluigi had intended +to dedicate a work to that Pope, to whom he was grateful and attached, +but was disappointed by His Holiness' premature death; and therefore +he persuaded Card. Vitellozzi to give it that name in honour of +his former patron. This is the celebrated mass, which rescued +ecclesiastical music from the dangers which surrounded it in the +Pontificate of Pius IV (as we have related in The Papal Chapel, Rome, +1839), and not of Marcellus II, as Baini has proved. It is said, that +when it was first sung in the papal chapel, the Card. dean Francesco +Pisani was so enraptured with it, that he exclaimed with Dante, +Paradise, Canto X. + + _Render è questo voce à voce in tempra_ + _Ed in dolcezza, ch' esser non può nota_ + _Se non colà dove il gioir s'insempra._ + +to whom, with all the readiness of the bucolic shepherds, whom this +classic soil even now produces, Card. Sorbelloni, the Pope's cousin, +replied: + + _Risponda dunque; O beata sorte!_ + _Risponda alla divina cantilena_ + _Da tutte parti la beata Corte,_ + _Si ch' ogni vista ne sia pià serena._ + +Baini Mem. Stor. T. 1. + +[Sidenote: Ceremonies at S. John Lateran's.] + +The ceremonies of holy-week are performed at S. John Lateran's[128] +by the chapter of that protobasilica, and resemble for the most part +those which we have already described. On holy-saturday however, in +addition to the rites before mentioned, the font of the baptistery is +blessed by the Card. Vicar, baptism is solemnly administered there to +adults, the newly-baptised are confirmed in the church, ordination is +conferred during mass upon candidates, for the priesthood. We shall +treat briefly of these various ceremonies. + +[Sidenote: Blessing of the fonti: baptistery.] + +After the twelve prophecies have been recited, the Card. Vicar, (as +the representative of the Bishop of Rome) wearing a purple cope and +a mitre, goes in procession from the tribune of the basilica to the +baptistery[129]. He is preceded by acolythes bearing the paschal +candle[130], and the cross and usual lights, as well as by the +candidates for baptism and orders, and the chapter of the basilica. +In the mean time the beautiful tract, As the stag thirsts for the +fountains of water, etc. is sung[131]. His Em. then chants the prayers +appointed for the benediction of the font; he divides the water with +his hand in the form of a cross, exorcises it, touches it, signs it +three times with the sign of our redemption, and pours some of it +towards the four parts of the world, in allusion to the command of +Christ: "_Go teach all nations, baptising them_" (Matt. XXVIII). He +then dips the paschal candle three times into the water, singing, and +each time raising his voice to a higher pitch than before: "May the +power of the Holy Ghost descend upon the fulness of this font"; as +when He descended, says Gavant, "in the form of a dove at the baptism +of Christ represented by this candle plunged into the water". Then +breathing three times on the water nearly in the form of a cross "that +he may unite the Trinity with the cross" (as the same author observes) +he continues the chant, and raises the candle from the water, +alluding in the prayer to "the effect of baptism, which confers grace, +_raising_ the soul from sin to glory". (Gavant). The blessed water +is then sprinkled upon the people, and some of it is reserved to be +sprinkled in houses, etc. In order to sanctify the water still +more, the Cardinal now pours into it, in the form of a cross, oil of +catechumens and chrism; and mixes them with the water of the font, +in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This last ceremony +is intended to signify, according to mystical interpreters, such as +Amalarius, Honorius, Durandus, etc. "the union of Christ by baptism +with the members of the church" (Gavant). The prayers of this +benediction, most of which are sung in the tone of the _preface_ at +ferial mass, contain beautiful allusions to the mention of water in +the Old and New Testaments, as for instance: "O God, whose Spirit at +the very beginning of the world was borne upon the waters, that the +nature of water might even then conceive the power of sanctification; +O God, who washing with waters the crimes of a guilty world, didst +sign the figure of regeneration in the very out-pouring of the deluge; +may this font receive of the Holy Ghost the grace of thy only begotten +Son"[132]. + +[Sidenote: Baptism of adults.] + +The Cæremoniale Episcoporum prescribes that infants, except in danger +of death, should not be baptised during the eight preceding days, that +they may be reserved for holy-Saturday. The beginning of the baptismal +service and the exorcisms are performed privately in the sacristy +by the parish-priest, while the prophecies are read in church[133]. +After the font has been blessed, the catechumens wearing a long white +dress, and accompanied by their respective godfathers and godmothers, +approach the font, and in turn ascend. In answer to the questions of +the Cardinal (who is now vested in a white, and not a purple, cope,) +having renounced Satan and all his works and pomps, they profess +their belief in the articles of Christian faith, and their desire of +baptism[134]: then assisted by their sponsors they are baptised by +infusion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; they are +anointed with chrism, receive a white garment, with a charge to bear +it unspotted before the tribunal of Christ, and in fine a lighted +taper, that "when the Lord shall come to the nuptials, they may meet +him in the heavenly court unto life everlasting". + +[Sidenote: Litanies and confirmation.] + +The litanies are sung, while the procession returns to the church, +where the newly-baptised are confirmed in a side-chapel, and exhorted +to perseverance in virtue, by the Cardinal[135]; the litanies are +then continued, but cease while all kneeling venerate the heads of +SS. Peter and Paul shewn from above the high altar; the procession +afterwards returns to the tribune, where the mass of the day is sung, +and orders are conferred by the Cardinal-Vicar. + +[Sidenote: Mass and ordination.] + +The orders of priests and deacons are often mentioned in the N. +Testament: and the church, as S. Thomas observes, instituted the +inferior orders. Subdeacons are mentioned by Pope Cornelius and S. +Cyprian in the 3rd century, as well as acolythes, exorcists, and +lectors. S. Augustine and S. Gregory Nazianzen speak of _ostiarii_; +and the clerical tonsure is mentioned by S. Isidore at the beginning +of the 5th century, as a rite established before his time. Orders +are conferred by the laying on of hands and prayer, as the scripture +teaches, and also by the delivery of the instruments belonging to each +order: appropriate exhortations addressed to the candidates for the +different orders are interspersed with the prayers prescribed in the +pontifical. (On their antiquity the reader may consult Morinus de +Ordinationibus, Martene de Antiquis Eccl. Ritibus, T. 2. etc.) The +tonsure is given after the _Kyrie eleison_ of the mass, the 4 minor +orders after the _Gloria in excelsis_; subdeacons are ordained before +the epistle, which one of them repeats; deacons after the epistle +and finally priests after the first part of the tract. These last, +after the imposition of hands, receive their peculiar vestments, +viz. the stole hanging down in front, and the chasuble: their hands +are anointed with oil of catechumens, and they receive a chalice +containing wine and water, a paten with a host, and power to say +mass. (Luke XXII, 19). After offerings of candle have been made to the +ordaining Bishop, the new priests join him in saying mass[136]: and +after the newly-ordained and baptised have communicated, the priests +profess their faith by reciting the apostles' creed; they receive +power to forgive and retain sins (John XX, 22, 23), they promise +reverence and obedience to their ecclesiastical superior, and receive +the bishops blessing, who then directs that masses and prayers be +said by those whom he has ordained, and recommends himself to their +prayers. In other respects the mass is similar to that of the Papal +chapel[137]. Morcelli in his calendar in summing up the ceremonies +of this day, having mentioned the station at S. John Lateran's, the +baptism of Jews and Turks, and mass in the papal chapel, says that +at the _Gloria, tonitrus tormentorum ab Arce fiunt, Æra templorum ac +Turium sonant._ + +[Sidenote: Armenian Catholics:] + +Having spoken of the ceremonies of the Vatican and S. John Lateran's, +we might consider our task as completed[138]. Yet one more _funzione_ +attracts our countrymen on this day; and we are therefore unwilling to +bid them farewell, before it is ended. Come then to S. Biagio or to S. +Gregorio Illuminatore, to assist at the Armenian mass; and on the +road we may talk of the venerable and amiable Fathers who perform that +solemn service, and of the nature of their liturgy. + +SS. Bartholomew and Thaddaeus were the first apostles of Armenia: +but it was not till the beginning of the 4th century, that the whole +country became Christian in consequence of the divine blessing, which +attended the zealous exertions of S. Gregory surnamed the Illuminator. +In the 6th century great numbers of the Armenians were infected with +the heresy of Eutyches, who denied that there were two natures in +Christ: and to this error they afterwards added some others. In the +pontificate of John XXII, about the year 328, a zealous Dominican +bishop, called Bartholomew of Bologna, went as a missionary among +them; and many of the Eutychians or Monophysites returned to the bosom +of the Catholic church. In the 16th century the Catholics were so +furiously persecuted by Zachary, a schismatical patriarch, that they +fled and took refuge in other countries. They have at present two +establishments at Rome, one of the Antonian monks at the church of +S. Gregory Illuminator, behind the colonnade of S. Peter's; and a +national _ospizio_ at S. Biagio in strada Giulia. + +[Sidenote: their liturgy.] + +"The Armenians," says Palmer "have only one liturgy, which is written +in the ancient Armenian language, and has been used by them from time +immemorial. The whole groundwork and order of the Armenian liturgy +coincides with the Cæsarean, as used in the time of Basil. This +liturgy has, like most others, received many additions in the course +of ages. There are several prayers extracted from the liturgy of +Chrysostom, and actually ascribed to him" Vol. 1, Liturgy of Armenia. +"The liturgy of Basil can be traced with tolerable certainty to the +4th century. Striking as are some of the features, in which it differs +from that of Antioch, it is nevertheless evidently a superstructure +raised on that basis: the composition of both is the same, i.e. the +parts, which they have in common, follow in the same order. The same +may be said of the Constantinopolitan liturgy, commonly attributed to +S. Chrysostom, of that of the Armenian church, and of the florid and +verbose composition in use among the Nestorians of Mesopotamia. So +that the liturgy of Antioch, commonly attributed to S. James, appears +to be the basis of all the oriental liturgies". Tracts for the Times, +N. 63. The author then proceeds to state the grounds of the belief +that the liturgies of Antioch, Alexandria, Rome and Gaul were of +Apostolic origin; concluding thus "It may perhaps be said without +exaggeration, that next to the holy scriptures they possess the +greatest claims on our veneration and study". Padre Avedichian +observes in his preface to the Armenian liturgy, that it was probably +compiled by John _Mandagunense_, an Armenian patriarch of the fifth +century. + +[Sidenote: Armenian high-mass.] + +We shall now give a brief account of their high mass, which we do the +more readily, because Mr. Palmer represents it in a very mutilated +form. The celebrant, whether priest or bishop, is vested in the +sacristy: the vestments bear some resemblance to those of the Greeks. +The beginning of the mass is the only part probably taken from the +Roman liturgy, but it contains an invocation of the B. Virgin and of +the saint of the day. When the celebrant goes up to the altar, the +veil is drawn: he uncovers the chalice, blesses the host, which is +like ours of unleavened bread; pours wine and water into the chalice, +and recites the beautiful prayer of S. John Chrysostom: "O Lord our +God, who hast sent our Lord Jesus Christ the celestial bread, the +nourishment of the whole world; do thou bless this proposition etc." +The veil is then drawn back, and the offerings, the altar, and the +people are incensed. The Celebrant recites the prayer of the festival, +followed by other prayers composed by S. John Chrysostom: the +Trisagion is sung, and the gospel is carried in procession, and is +kissed by one of the congregation. Then follow the epistle, gospel, +and creed. After two prayers, and two benedictions imparted to the +people; the offerings are carried in procession to the altar, the +celebrant offers them up to God, and prays that Jesus Christ will make +him worthy to consecrate, and receive his "holy and immaculate body +and precious blood; for thou, O Christ our God, art he who offers +and is offered". After he has washed his hands, he says "O Lord God +of armies, let this victim become "the true body and blood of thy +only begotten Son". He then blesses the people, says prayers which +correspond to our preface and _Sanctus_, and pronounces the words of +consecration. After he has said other prayers, and made the sign of +the cross several times over the host and chalice, he invokes the holy +Ghost, begging also that the body and blood of Christ may produce "the +salvation of our souls and the remission of our sins". He then prays, +through the merits of the holy sacrifice, for the whole world, the +church and state, all conditions of men and for all the faithful +departed: he invokes the intercession of the B. Virgin and all the +Saints: he prays for the Pope and all present; and after other similar +supplications, he says the _Pater noster_. The elevation takes place +at this part of the mass, and also the blessing of the people with +the consecrated host and chalice, accompanied by appropriate prayers. +After the curtains have been drawn, the priest breaks the host, and +puts a particle of it into the chalice: he then receives communion, +blesses the people with the chalice and particle, and distributes +communion; before its distribution the curtains are drawn back. When +the ablutions and prayers after the celebrant's communion are ended, +turning towards the people, he recites a prayer of S. John Chrisostom, +which is followed by the last gospel. Then invoking the holy cross he +blesses the people, who unite in praising God. He finally blesses them +again, and distributes blessed bread (not consecrated) among them. At +S. Gregorio Illuminatore Vespers are added and said _in circolo_: the +clergy carry tapers; and the gospel is held up by the Celebrant to +implore blessings on the people. + +[Sidenote: Reflections.] + +These ceremonies may appear singular to us, who are of a different +clime and different customs; their music in particular is little in +accordance with our taste, or notions of melody and harmony. Yet the +remark of Montfaucon (Diario Italico) "æra Dodonæa dixisses", alluding +to the brass kettles of the oracle (Potter Arch. Graec. B. 2, § 8) +is an exaggeration. Their _flabelli_ are of metal, of a round form, +surrounded with little bells, which are sounded at the seraphic hymn, +to express, if we might believe Cancellieri, "by the trembling of the +hands, that of the blessed spirits, who assist at the throne of the +Divine Majesty with fear and trembling". (Tre Pontific. Not. VI). +Their mass is anticipated, but not at so early an hour as that of +the Latin. (Even in the Latin church, permissions to say mass in +the afternoon of this day have been granted by some Popes; they may +be seen in Cancellieri. _Funz. d. Sett. S. p_. 183, 184). Amid the +numerous differences between their rite and our own, the attentive +spectator will not fail to remark the similarity of the substance and +order of their liturgy, and of that of the Roman church; although, +with the solitary exception of the beginning of the mass, both have +existed independently of one another during the last 1400 years. This +is a powerful argument in favour of the great antiquity, nay of the +apostolic origin of their most important ceremonies, which may be +traced through different channels to the _primitive_ liturgies of Rome +and Antioch. It is also one of those striking illustrations, which +Rome presents, of the unity and catholicity of the church; and at +the same time of the adaptation of her immutable doctrines and sacred +practices to the feelings and customs of widely-separated nations who, +having little in common but human nature, yet all acknowledge "one +Lord, one faith, and one baptism". (Ephes. IV. 5); and all belong to +"one fold and one shepherd". John X, 16. + +[Sidenote: Conclusion.] + +Having now considered in detail the various ceremonies of Holy Week +at Rome, a philosophic mind will take a general review of them: and +this question will very naturally suggest itself: What judgment +ought I to form concerning them? am I to consider them as mummery, or +superstition, or idolatry, as many most confidently pronounce, who +are unacquainted with their nature, their origin, and their meaning; +and at the same time are little accustomed from early infancy to +any language or gesticulations save those of the tongue? or am I not +rather to regard them as a solemn, and sacred, and pathetic, and most +ancient expression of Christian faith and Christian feeling; which, +united as it is with the noblest productions of divine inspiration and +of Christian art may haply not only instruct and elevate the mind, but +also enkindle in the soul flames of that pure and practical devotion, +which this holy season demands from every follower of Christ? Let the +reader decide for himself; but for our part, we envy not the mind +or heart of him, who can prefer the former of these views. We shall +ever bless God, that we have learnt in another school not to condemn +the customs and manners of other countries and other people, merely +because they differ from our own; and that we are disposed to +attribute to signs the meaning attached to them by those who adopt +them, and not that of our own fancies. Men of warmer climates than our +own convey to others their sentiments and feelings by action as easily +as by the tongue. Italians, as well as Greeks and Orientals, have +inherited from their fathers a language of gesture more powerful and +expressive than that of words. The Hebrew prophets, Isaiah, Ezechiel, +and others, nay Christ himself, spoke by action as well by the tongue. +God appointed in the old law innumerable ceremonies: Christ in the new +law of spirit and truth instituted sacred rites, or sanctified those +which previously existed: the early church imitated His blessed +example: and they have been faithfully preserved as a precious +inheritance till the present time. The very objection, that some of +them were borrowed from Jews or Pagans, is a proof of their primitive +antiquity: Christ or the church removed from them all profaneness or +superstition, and then adopted and sanctified them. (See Wiseman's +Letters to Poynder). If all parties unite in approbation of the +illumination of the cupola of S. Peter's, and of the fireworks of S. +Angelo, considered as outward demonstrations of the exultation of the +church at the resurrection of her Divine Spouse; we shall ever admire +also the expressions of christian feeling exhibited in the interior +of her temples, whether they consist in ceremonies or words; and on +this day emulating the transports of joy of the fervent and eloquent +pilgrim to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai, when shall unite our voices with +those of the angelic spirits in singing, _Alleluja_; "because Jesus +Christ, our Lord, who was delivered up for our sins, rose again for +our justification". Rome. IV, 24, 25.[139] + +[Footnote 111: Anciently in some churches, as Thomassin has shewn (de +dierum Festorum celebratione lib. 2. c. 14), fire used to be struck +from a flint to light the church-lamps etc. every day and particularly +on Saturday, and the new fire was blessed; on holy Saturday however +this ceremony was performed with great solemnity; and in the 11th +century it was restricted to that day alone. At Rome in holy week +this practice was not originally confined to holy Saturday, but was +observed on the three days before caster: for the first _Ordo Romanus_ +directs, that on holy _thursday_ fire should be struck from a flint +outside the church, and blessed. Amalarius also (4e Ordine Antiph.) +testifies that on good _friday_ "new fire was enkindled and reserved +till the nocturnal office". Leo IV however (A.D. 847) appears to have +first ordered that on Easter Eve "the old fire should be put out, and +new fire blessed and distributed among the people" (Homil. de cura +Pastorali). For Pope Zachary, about the year 731. in answer to +the enquiries of Boniface, bishop of Mayence, states that "on holy +thursday, when the sacred chrism is consecrated, three lamps of a +large size filled with oil collected from the different lamps of the +church, and placed in a secret part of the said church, should burn +there constantly, so that the oil may suffice till the third day, +that is saturday. Then let the fire of the lamps which is used for the +sacred font be renewed. But concerning the fire taken _ex cristallis_, +as you have asserted, we have no tradition". Pouget (Inst. Cathol. l. +1) observes that the new fire is blessed with great solemnity on this +day, "because the fire struck from a flint appears to be a type of +Christ arising from the dead". Formerly not only the lights of the +church, but all the fires of the city were enkindled from the blessed +fire (as we learn from a MS. Sancti Victoris (ap. Martene, De ant. +Eccl. Ritibus lib. IV, c. XXIV). "After the _Ite Missa est_" says +the Ordinarium of Luke archbishop of Cosenza "the bishop gives his +blessing, and immediately the deacon commands the people, saying +"Receive the new fire from the holy candle, and having put out the +old, light it in your houses in the name of Christ; then rejoicing +they depart with the light". This custom is mentioned also in Leo +IVth's homily above quoted.] + +[Footnote 112: As for the Paschal candle, Anastasius says that +Zosimus, who was elected pope in 417, gave leave that candles should +be blessed in the churches. Bened. XIV, Merati and Gretser understand +by these words, that that Pontiff only extended to the parish churches +a custom already practised in the greater churches: however this may +be, the blessing of this candle is at least as old as the time of Pope +Zosimus. It is inserted in the ancient sacramentary of Pope Gelasius +(A.D. 495). S. Augustine (lib. 15 de Civ. Dei) mentions some verses +written by himself in praise of the paschal candle. S. Jerome also +speaks of it in his epistles; and Ennodius bishop of Pavia in +519 wrote two formulas, according to which it might be blessed. +Cancellieri, at the end of his _Funzioni della Settimana Santa_, +describes two blessings of the paschal candle contained in manuscripts +of the 12th century. Du Vert as usual rejects every mystical meaning +of the candle: but why then should it be lighted on this night, and +not on christmas and other nights? The 4th Council of Toledo, held in +633, states that the paschal candle is blessed, in order that we may +receive the mystery of Christ's resurrection; and hence the abbot +Rupert says, that the candle when lighted represents Christ's +resurrection from the dead. That such is its meaning appears from the +five holes made in it in the form of a cross, to represent the five +wounds of Christ: in them the five grains of incense are fixed by the +Deacon, in order to represent, according to Rupert, the spices applied +to Christ's body by Joseph of Arimathea. In confirmation of this +explanation, we may observe that this candle is not removed from the +church till the gospel has been sung on Ascension-day when Christ +departed from among men: and it is lighted at solemn mass before the +_gospel_ and at vespers before the _Magnificat_ on the Sundays and +holidays which occur between holy saturday and the ascension. To the +same symbolical meaning of this candle we must attribute the ancient +custom of affixing to it (as a symbol of Christ) a tablet on which +the current year of our Lord and its indiction were marked: sometimes +these, if not other chronological dates, were inscribed on the candle +itself by the deacon, before he sang the _Exultet_, as Ven. Bede +testifies, The same idea was preserved in the practice of forming the +_Agnus Dei_ with the wax of the paschal candle. "On this day" (holy +saturday) says Durandus "the acolythes of the Roman church make +_lambs_ of newly blessed wax, or of the _wax of the paschal candle_ +of the preceding year mixed with chrism: on Saturday in Albis they +are distributed by the Lord Pope to the people in the churches". +Amalarius likewise mentions this custom. It appears also from the +two benedictions of Ennodius mentioned above, that the faithful used +particles of the pascal candle as a preservative against storms: the +good effects hoped for in this and similar cases are attributed to the +prayers of the church, which God in His goodness has promised to hear. +The paschal candle is painted according to an ancient custom. + + "Ast alii _pictis_ accendant lumina _ceris_". + +S. Paulinus Nat. VI. S Felicis + +Pierin del Vaga, whom Vasari considered as the most distinguished +of Raffaello's assistants, was originally nothing more than a +candlepainter. His creation of Eve at S. Marcello at Rome, and +his frescoes in the Doria place at Genoa, are well-known; at the +Vatican he assisted Giovanni d'Udine in his arabesques, Polidoro in +his antique chiaroscuri, and executed some of the most beautiful +historical paintings of the loggie di Raffaello. Hence may we judge of +the versatility of his talents.] + +[Footnote 113: Why does a deacon perform this ceremony? since other +benedictions are reserved to bishops and priests. Rupert assigns as a +reason, that Christ's body was wrapped in spices by his disciples, and +not by the apostles whose successors are bishops and priests: besides, +the hymn sung by the deacon is the præconium Paschale, or announcement +of the Resurrection, which was first made by inferiors to their +superiors, by the women to the apostles. We may add that both the fire +and the 5 grains of incense are previously blessed by the priest, and +in the præconium itself there is not any form of blessing, strictly +speaking. In the church of Ravenna however the bishop used to +bless this candle (S. Gregory ep. 28, lib. 9). In the Roman church, +according to cardinal Gaetani, the last of the Cardinal priests +usually blessed the fire, and the last Card. deacon lighted the _lumen +Christi_, or triple candle, and the Paschal candle. The deacon used +to bless the latter either at the steps of the presbytery, or from the +ambo; and hence we find a marble column, intended to support it, fixed +to the ambo in S. Clement's S. Laurence's, and S. Pancras' churches +at Rome. See another marble column destined for the same use ap. +Ciampini, Vet. mon. cap. 2.] + +[Footnote 114: Martene (De antiquis Eccl. rit. lib. 4, c. 24) +maintains that this hymn was composed by S. Augustine, and this +opinion is adopted also by Baillet and Benedict XIV, and confirmed by +a MS. pontifical of the church of Pavia of the 9th century, and other +documents cited by Martene, ibid: it was corrected by S. Jerome, if +we may believe an ancient Pontifical of Poitiers (quoted ibid.) The +_chant_ of this beautiful hymn is very ancient. "I have seen," says +Baini "in many manuscripts both anterior and posterior to the 11th +century the melodies of the preface, of the _Pater noster_, of the +_Exultet_, and of the _Gloria_ precisely such as the modern" (T. 2, +p. 92). In a splendid roll of the Minerva (signed D. 1. 2) of the 9th +century, are contained the _Exultet_, the solemn benediction of the +baptismal font, and the administration of all the ecclesiastical +orders. Nor is this the only roll containing the chant precisely +similar to the modern. D'Agincourt left another to the Vatican +library. See also MS. no. 333 of the Barberini library, of the year +1503.] + +[Footnote 115: Prudentius speaks of the "guttas olentes" or +odoriferous drops of the candle, and S. Paulinus of Nola of "odora +lumina": hence P. Arevalo conjectures that the grains of incense were +fixed in the paschal candle even at the time of Prudentius in the 4th +century.] + +[Footnote 116: In churches, at the words _Apis mater eduxit_, the +lamps also are lighted. With regard to the triple candle, we may +observe that on an ancient marble column preserved in the Piazza +before the cathedral of Capua is a bas-relief representing the +lighting of the paschal candle by means of a reed surmounted by 3 +small candles, as the Canonico Natali testifies in a letter printed at +Naples in 1776. The triple candle is mentioned in the Ordo Romanus +of Card. Gaetano, in that of Amelius, and in a MS. Pontifical of the +church of Apamea, ap. Martene. As Thomassin observes, "we light a +candle divided into three in honour of the Trinity, considering that +enlightened by Christ we know that recondite mystery". Gavant also +gives the same explanation. In the Greek service the bishop gives +his blessing, as often as he sings mass, with a triple candle. In the +Latin church it is used only on holy Saturday.] + +[Footnote 117: See Appendix.] + +[Footnote 118: This custom is proved from the letter of Siricius +Pope in the 4th century to Himmerius, from letters of S. Leo and +Pope Gelasius, as well as other ancient documents (ap. Bened. XIV, +Institut. prima ed lat.); and vestiges of it are preserved in the +liturgy of the weeks of Easter and Pentecost. Ordinations were +generally conferred before Christmas, as is evident from the lives of +the early Popes. Baptism was administered before the great festivals +of Easter and Pentecost, that the newly-baptised might be prepared to +celebrate them worthily, and receive the graces therein commemorated. +Perhaps another reason for selecting the eve of Easter may be found in +the parallel drawn by S. Paul between baptism and Christ's death and +resurrection (Rom. VI, 5 and foll.): "we who are baptised in Christ +Jesus are baptised in his death. For we are buried together with him +by baptism unto death: that as Christ is risen from the dead by the +glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life" etc.] + +[Footnote 119: See on such subjects Del Signore's Institut. Hist. +Eccles. with notes by Prof. Tizzani Cap. V. § 19 seq.] + +[Footnote 120: See Comm. ad Ord. Rom. Mabillonii tom. 2, Mus. Ital. p. +95.] + +[Footnote 121: According to the Ordo Romanus, children after baptism +on this day were to take no food or milk before Communion "and on all +days of Easter-week let them go to Mass, and let their parents offer +for them, and let all communicate". As Cabassutius proves in his +notitia Ecclesiastica sæculi primi, they used to receive the B. +Sacrament under the form of wine alone. The bishop dipped his finger +into the sacred blood, and then put it into the mouth of the child a +practice observed in modern times in some parts of the East, according +to the learned Maronite Abraham Ecchellensis; afterwards a little milk +and honey was put into their mouths, as an emblem (according to John +the deacon) of the promised land, to which they were called. This +custom of giving communion to children was not of necessity for +salvation, as Cardinal Noris proves in Vindiciis Augustinianis § 4, +and the Council of Trent observes. In some places an abuse crept in +of putting the milk and honey into the consecrated chalice, but it was +prohibited by an African Council.] + +[Footnote 122: In the 4th century, S. Basil writing to the clergy of +Neocesarea observes, that the litanies, which they then used, were +introduced after the time of S. Gregory Thaumaturgus (Epist. 63). In +Gaul about the year 452, S. Mamertus bishop of Vienne appointed solemn +litanies to be recited on the three _rogation_ days. "At Rome," say +Palmer, "no doubt litanies were in use at an early period, since we +find that in the time of Gregory the great (A.D. 590), the appellation +of litany had been so long given to processional supplications, +that it was then familiarly applied to those persons who formed the +procession". Vol. 1, p. 271. That holy Pontiff gave the following +directions; "Let the litany of the clergy set out from the church of +S. John the Baptist, the litany of the men from the church of the holy +martyr Marcellus, the litany of the monks from the church of SS John +and Paul: the litany of the handmaids of God from the church of the +blessed martyrs Cosmas and Damian, the litany of the married women +from the church of the blessed protomartyr Stephen; the litany of the +widows from the church of the blessed martyr Vitalis, the litany of +the poor and children from the church of the blessed martyr Cecilia". +Vita S. Gregorii a Joanne Diacono, lib. 1, c. 42. That the litanies +were recited on holy-saturday appears from several ancient _rites_ +quoted by Marlene (De Ant. Eccl. Ritibus, lib. 4, c. XXV, and lib. 1, +c. I, art. 18). Palmer, wishing to defend the liturgy of the church +of England, maintains the antiquity of litanies, but pretends that the +invocations of saints were not originally contained in them, but were +added to them in the west about the eighth century (vol. I, p. 289). +From a passage in Walafridus Strabo he is led to admit that at _his_ +time (the ninth century) "these invocations must have been _for +some time_ in use, and accordingly manuscript litanies containing +invocations have been discovered by learned men, which appear from +internal evidence to be as old as the eighth century". He attempts +however by _negative_ arguments to shew, that these invocations +are not more ancient than that period; although at the same time he +confesses that "we have no _distinct account_ of the _nature_ of the +service which was used on occasions of peculiar supplication during +the earliest ages". p. 272. To his arguments we may oppose the +_positive_ testimony of Walafridus Strabo, who says "The litany of the +holy names is believed to have come into use after Jerome, following +Eusebius of Cesarea, had composed the martyrology". A long time, +about three centuries, elapsed before the _canon_ of the scriptures +was determined; and it is not therefore surprising if the _canon_ +of saints, (if such it may be called), who died at considerable +intervals, required some time for its formation. Invocations of the +saints in ancient litanies may be seen ap. Martene (lib. 4f c. 27 +and lib. 1, c. 1, art. 18). One would conceive from Palmer's account +of the Ambrosian litany that it did not contain invocations of +the saints, p. 276; yet in the Ambrosian processional, to which he +alludes, we read as follows "Afterwards they go to the altar, were the +litanies are recited on bended knees, in reciting which the _names +of the saints_ without _Intercede pro nobis_ are sung aloud by the +provost and clergy of the first collegiate church; and by the other +clergy with _Intercede pro nobis_ and this rite of singing the +_litanies_ and antiphons is observed in every other stational church". +ap. Martene lib. 4, c. 28. In the Ordo Romanus also De Benedictione +Ecclesiæ these invocations are found. The question however concerning +their antiquity _in the litanies_ is of minor importance. Even Palmer +admits, that "Catholic fathers in the 4th century invoked the saints" +p. 292, though he gravely assures his readers, that "they were too +well instructed in the Christian faith to believe positively that the +saints heard our prayers". He mentions the learned work of Serrarius +called "Litaneutici seu de Litaniis etc." as an instance of the +writings, in which "innumerable passages have been cited from ancient +writers to prove, that the invocation of saints is more ancient than +the eighth century. But most of those passages do not refer to the +invocation of saints, but to prayers made to God for the intercession +of saints". Palmer, vol. I, p. 278. We consider that there is little +difference in principle between these two things: we shall however, to +satisfy him, quote only one passage from an ancient Oriental liturgy. +"Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for me to the only begotten +Son, who was born of thee, that he may forgive me my offences and +sins, and may receive from my feeble and sinful hands this sacrifice, +which in my weakness I offer on this altar, through thy intercession +for me, O holy Mother". (From the ancient liturgy used by the +Nestorians called the liturgy of the holy apostles. Renaudot, t. II. +See bishop Poynter's Christianity, Note E: and ancient inscriptions +in Rock's Hierurgia, p. 347 and foll.) Though we have the _innumerable +ancient_ passages above-mentioned in favour of the Catholic doctrine, +yet shall we call Mr. Palmer's attention to the following passage of +his own work. Speaking of secrecy, he says: "this primitive discipline +is sufficient to account for the fact, that very few allusions to +the liturgy or eucharistic service are found in the writings of the +Fathers". I, p. 14. His fears of _heresy and blasphemy_ arising from +the invocation of Saints may be calmed by the simple perusal of the +doctrine of the church taught by the Council of Trent, sess. 25. "The +holy synod commands all bishops and other teachers--_diligently to +instruct the faithful, teaching them_ that the Saints reigning with +Christ offer to God their prayers for men; that it is _good and +useful_ to invoke them with supplication, and to have recourse to +their prayers, help, and assistance, in order to obtain benefits _from +God through his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who alone is our Redeemer +and Saviour_". Accordingly we say in the litany "Lord, have mercy on +us: holy Mary _pray for us_" etc.] + +[Footnote 123: We shall say nothing of sculptured figures taken +from the catacombs, such as the statues of the good shepherd and +S. Hippolitus now in the Vatican, or the numerous bas reliefs on +Christian sarcophagi (on which see Raoul-Rochette, Tableau des +Catacombes, c. IV. Beschreibung der Stadt Rom. B. 2, in the +description of the Christian Museum in the Vatican Library). On +another class of Christian representations the reader may consult +Buonarruoti's _Osservazioni sopra alcuni frammenti di vetro, ornati +di figure_. We shall rather call the attention of the Christian +antiquarian to the numerous frescoes painted in the chapels of the +catacombs, and illustrated by Bosio, Bottari, d'Agincourt etc., +the latter of whom attributes some of them to the second century on +account of the similarity of their style to that of frescoes in the +tomb of the Nasones, which is situated on the Flaminian way at a short +distance from Rome; his opinion is confirmed by the fact that some of +them have been broken through, with the view of preparing a place of +burial for the bodies of martyrs slain in _subsequent persecutions_. +A list of their subjects which are _generally_ taken from the old and +new Testaments may be seen in Raoul-Rochette (c. 3, p. 157 foll. ed. +de Brusselles). Of these we may briefly notice in particular some of +the representations of Christ, of the B. Virgin, of the apostles and +martyrs. In them Christ sometimes appears as an infant on the lap +of His holy mother, Who ever pure and modest is always veiled; and +this lovely group is found not only on these paintings, but also on +bas-reliefs and glass-vessels generally anterior to the 4th century, +and consequently to the general council of Ephesus held in 431; +although it is pretended that such figures were first designed after +that period. (Instances are enumerated by Raoul-Rochette c. VI). +Constantina, daughter of Constantine, whose tomb is still preserved +at Rome, begged of Eusebius bishop of Cesarea a likeness of our Divine +Saviour (Concil. Labbe. t. VII, 493 seq): we must have recourse to +the catacombs for His most ancient portraits. See one resembling +the ordinary type of His sacred head and taken from the cemetery of +Calixtus, at the end of Raoul-Rochette's work. This type, repeated +again and again on Christian monuments during the last sixteen hundred +years or more, may suggest the hope that some traces of our Divine +Saviour's features are still preserved among us, notwithstanding +the diversity of His portraits, of which S. Augustine complained, De +Triniti l. 8, c, 4 5. Raoul-Rochette's opinion, that this likeness and +the portraits of the apostles were of Gnostic origin, is altogether +unsupported, as the Belgian editors of his work justly observe. Christ +is frequently represented also as seated amid His apostles, of whom +SS. Peter and Paul were favourite subjects of the old artists: see +Raoul-Rochette c. VI, where he mentions, after the older antiquaries, +the ancient representations of S. Ciriaca, S Priscilla, SS. Stephen, +Cyprian, Laurence, Agnes, and other martyrs. During Diocletian's +persecution, the provincial council of Eliberis in Spain decreed, that +there should be no paintings on the walls of churches: its 36th canon +was evidently intended to save sacred pictures from the profanations +perpetrated by the pagans. The faithful however, fertile in +expedients to gratify their devotion, now began to use those portable +representations of pious subjects called diptychs, because they +generally consisted of two tablets which could at pleasure be _folded_ +together. They were formed of ivory or wood, and resembled the +presents of that name formerly sent by the consuls on the day of their +entrance into office: on these were usually inscribed the names and +the portraits of the new magistrates. (Symmachus lib. 2, ep. 80, all +71). The sacred diptychs, of which many are preserved in the Vatican +Library, were easily saved from the fury of the Iconoclasts. Their +folding form without their portability is preserved in many of the +ancient altar-pieces of Italian and other churches and from them the +modern altar-pieces are derived: they did not however supersede the +use of frescoes, or mosaics, as is evident from innumerable ancient +and modern ecclesiastical monuments of this city. In the preceding +chapter we laid before our readers the doctrine of the catholic church +concerning respect paid to images, p. 80.] + +[Footnote 124: "He is risen; he is not here. But _go, tell_ his +disciples and _Peter_, that he goeth before you into Galilee". Mark +XV, 6 7.] + +[Footnote 125: This Hebrew word, which frequently occurs in psalms +of praise, CIV, 34, CV, 45, CVI, 1, etc. has been preserved, as well +as _Amen_, and _Sabaoth_, in its original form in most liturgies. +According to S. Gregory (Ep. 64, ind. 2). who appeals to S. Jerome's +authority, it was introduced into the Roman liturgy in the time of +Pope Damasus. S. Gregory forbade it to be sung at funerals, (as it had +been at that of Fabiola: S. Jerome in Epitaphio Fabiolæ;) or during +Lent.] + +[Footnote 126: Gavant and others, following Walafridus Strabo and the +abbot Berno, think that the Offertory and _Agnus Dei_ are not said, +in order to signify the silence of the holy women returning from the +sepulchre (Mark XVI, 8). Others attribute some of these omissions +to the circumstance, that there is no communion; on this day, and +therefore neither offertory or postcommunion; anciently however +communion was given on this occasion, as is evident from the Gelasian +sacramentary (See Bened. XIV, De Festis c. VIII). The kiss of peace, +as Grancolas observes, is not given, because formerly at the dawn of +easter-sunday, soon after the mass of easter-eve, the faithful used to +assemble in the church "and kissing one another with mutual charity to +say, _Surrexit Dominus_ "; (the Lord is risen) Ordo Rom. ab Hittorpio +ed. p. 55. Merati says, that the _Agnus Dei_ is omitted because it +is of recent origin, having been first introduced into the liturgy by +Pope Sergius A.D. 688 (lib. Pont.), whereas the Mass of the day is of +greater antiquity.] + +[Footnote 127: Cancellieri says that the music of this _Magnificat_ +was composed by Luca Marenzio. Among the compositions prior to +Palestrina, and still sung in the papal chapel, Baini reckons the +Magnificats of Carpentrasso and Morales, as well as the _Te Deum_ +and _Lumen ad revelutionem gentium_ of Costanzo Festa.] + +[Footnote 128: This basilic, which is the cathedral of the bishop of +Rome, was first erected by Constantine, whose statue taken from his +baths adorns the portico. It was in great part destroyed by fire in +1308; but it was restored by the munificence of the Popes and the +piety of the faithful, emulated in these days, in which we deplore the +burning of S. Paul's. In the gothic tabernacle over the high altar are +preserved the heads of SS. Peter and Paul. The mosaics of the tribune +were made by order of Nicholas IV (A.D. 1278-1292).] + +[Footnote 129: This baptistery, as well as the basilica, is attributed +to the time of Constantine; it was reduced to its present state by +Urban VIII; On an ancient and interesting Christian sarcophagus taken +from the Vatican cemetery is represented a basilica with its apsis, +and near it a circular building evidently meant for the baptistery: +this is covered with a cupola surmounted by the monogram of +Christ; and over the gate are curtains drawn up on each side, See +Raoul-Rochette-Tableau des Catacombs, p. 332. The font is an ancient +urn of basalt the paintings above it, between the second order of +columns, representing, the life of S. John Baptist, are by Carlo +Maratta.] + +[Footnote 130: In a missal of Pavia it is called a figure of the +column which preceded the Israelites going out of Egypt.] + +[Footnote 131: The stag was a favourite subject of the early Christian +artists, who often represented it in their paintings, and afterwards +on their mosaics. The text above quoted explains its signification.] + +[Footnote 132: "In most of the old rituals we find that the font was +hallowed with various ceremonies besides prayer. It was customary +to make the sign of the cross, as we learn from the testimony of +Chrysostom, Augustine, and Pseudo-Dionysius". Palmer vol. 2, p. 195. +Martene observes that the rite of pouring chrism into the water +is mentioned in all the ancient Gallican, Ambrosian, and Mozarabic +liturgies. The blessing of baptismal water is reckoned by S. Basil, +in the 4th century, among apostolical traditions. (De Spiritu. S. c. +27).] + +[Footnote 133: "Some form of admission to the class of catechumens was +used in all churches at an early period, and it seems most commonly +to have consisted of imposition of hands with prayers for the person. +To this in many places were added various rites, such as, signing the +forehead of the candidate with the cross, the consecration and giving +of salt, which was entitled the sacrament of catechumens, repeated +exorcisms, or prayers and adjurations to cast out the power of Satan, +anointing with oil, and other mystical and figurative rites. In the +course of many ages, when the Christian church had overspread the face +of the world, and infidelity had become in most places extinct, the +form of admission to the class of catechumens was from a veneration +for old customs in many places conjoined to the office of baptism, +and administered at the same time with it to the candidates for that +sacrament whether they were infants or not". Palmer, vol. 2, c. 5, +sect. 1.] + +[Footnote 134: "It has been customary in the Christian church from +the most remote period, for the candidates for baptism to renounce the +devil and all his works, before they were admitted to that sacrament. +This renunciation was always followed by a profession of faith in +Christ, as it is now in the English liturgy. The last interrogation +and answer "Vis baptizari, Volo" have long been used in the west. +(Martene de Antiq. Eccl. rit. tom. I, p. 180, 192). According to the +ancient custom of the Roman church, represented in the Sacramentary of +Gregory, the profession of faith occurs between the hallowing of the +water and the administration of the sacrament. This custom has long +been used in the Roman church; since the Sacramentary of Gelasius +(A.D. 494) appointed the confession of faith to be made immediately +before baptism, _though the renunciations were made some hours +before_. In primitive times the sign of the cross was not only made +on the forehead of the elect at the time of baptism, but was used very +often in other ways: this act is probably not more recent than the +apostolical age; and this sign was made in some part of almost every +Christian office. The administration of baptism was succeeded by +various rites in the primitive church; among other the newly-baptised +were clothed in white garments. Formerly also confirmation followed +immediately after baptism". I have extracted the preceding passages +from different sections of Palmer's 5th chapter, vol. 2: coming from a +clergyman of the church of England, they are important admissions, and +they dispense with the necessity of my proving the antiquity of these +various baptismal riles. The reader may see proofs of them collected +in Palmer (loc. cit.) Martene T. 1: cap. 2, etc.] + +[Footnote 135: Palmer says, that in confirmation, to the rites of +prayer and imposition, of hands was added "that of anointing with an +unguent or chrism, made of oil and balsam, and hallowed by the prayers +of the bishop.--We learn from the writings of Tertullian and Origen, +that it was already customary both in the east and the west at the end +of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century. This chrism was intended +to signify the grace of the Holy Spirit then conferred". Palmer, +Or. Lit. vol. 2, p. 199. If this unction had not been of apostolic +origin, it would not have been customary in all churches at so early +a period.] + +[Footnote 136: At S. John Lateran's, when the _Agnus Dei_ is said, the +ancient custom is preserved, which was originally established by Pope +Sergius, of saying _Miserere nobis_ three times, and not _Dona nobis +pacem_, which words were introduced into the liturgy, (according +to Innocent III, De Myst Missæ) about the 10th century, in time of +schism.] + +[Footnote 137: Orders are generally conferred on the saturday of each +ember-week, besides the saturday before passion and easter sundays. +A minute detail of the numerous ceremonies of ordination can not be +expected in a work on the ceremonies of holy-week. The reader may find +them all enumerated in the Pontifical, and on their antiquity he may +consult Morinus, De Ordinationibus; Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. t. +2. etc. On the service of holy saturday see the MS. Pontifical of +the Apamean church and various Ordines ap. Martene, lib. IV, c. 24. +Formerly after the mass there was general communion; and at Rome no +Vespers were said (Alcuin), and 7 altars were consecrated.] + +[Footnote 138: In the afternoon the parish-priests bless with prayers +and holy water the houses and paschal food of their parishioners. +In the Ordo Romanus, besides the blessing of milk and honey, there +is a formula of benediction of a lamb and other food. Durandus +also (lib. 6 Ration.) mentions the blessing of the lamb, a custom +which is preserved at Rome till the present time. The shops of the +_pizzicaroli_ are illuminated and gaily decorated, probably because +_they_ have peculiar reasons to rejoice at the conclusion of the +_austerities_ of lent.] + +[Footnote 139: For the ceremonies of Easter-sunday see The Pontifical +Mass sung at S. Peter's on Easter-sunday etc. By C.M. Baggs. D.D. Rome +1840.] + + + + +APPENDIX + +PECULIAR CEREMONIES OF HOLY-WEEK AT JERUSALEM + + +Having spoken of the blessing of the paschal candle at Rome, we may +for a few moments turn our thoughts towards a city still more ancient, +and trodden by holier and more exalted beings than even the apostles +and martyrs of the eternal city. The justly-celebrated traveller John +Thevenot in his Voyage du Levant describes the ceremonies of holyweek +performed at Jerusalem; the distribution of palms, the washing of the +feet on Maunday-Thursday at the door of the holy Sepulchre; and the +procession to the holy places or stations performed by the Catholic +Christians. Concerning this the eloquent Pere Abbé de Geramb, in his +interesting Pelerinage at Jerusalem in 1832, informs us that "by means +of a figure in relief of the natural size, whose head, arms, and feet +are flexible, the religious represent the crucifixion, the descent +from the cross, and the burial of Jesus Christ, in such manner as +to render all the principal circumstances apparent to the senses and +striking". + +Both these distinguished writers of different periods agree in +testifying, that all the devotions of the Catholics were and are still +conducted with so much order that they are admired both by Christians +and Turks, whereas those of the schismatical Christians took place +with much confusion, and with such a noise, that the Janissaries, who +had to preserve order, were obliged to strike the persons engaged in +them as well as the spectators. This statement is confirmed by the +account, which they and other travellers give, of the _holy fire_ +of the Greeks and other schismatics. Benedict XIV observes that no +mention is made of the supposed miracle of the holy fire by early +Christian writers who lived at Jerusalem; as Eusebius, S. Jerome, S. +Epiphanius, or S. Cyril bishop of Jerusalem. It is however spoken of +by Bernard a Frank monk of the ninth century, and in a Pontifical +of the church of Poictiers of about the tenth century: by Hugo +Flaviniacensis in Chronico Virdunensi, in the discourse of Urban II +in the council of Claremont, and in other documents of the middle +ages mentioned by Martene (lib. IV, c. XXIV). Lupi (tom. 4, Conc. gen. +etc.) thinks it probable, that the custom of burning lights and the +paschal candle on this day was instituted, in order to return thanks +to God for a miracle (which _may_ of old have happened at Jerusalem) +and to announce it to all nations. + +I shall now extract a brief account of the scene of confusion enacted +in modern times at Jerusalem on such occasions from Thevenot, in whose +work is a print representing it. "After our Catholic office was ended" +says he, "we prepared to enjoy the sight of the holy fire of the +Greeks, Armenians and Copts, whose priests make their people believe, +that on holy Saturday fire descends from heaven into the holy +Sepulchre, and on that account make each of their pilgrims, who are +very numerous, pay some money. This solemnity appears rather a comedy +or a farce than a church-ceremony, and is very unbecoming in a place +so sacred as the holy Sepulchre. After we had finished our service, +which was about eight in the morning, they, extinguished all their +lamps and those of the holy Sepulchre, and then they commenced their +folly, running round the holy Sepulchre, like mad people, crying, +howling, _et faisans un bruit de diables_; it was charming to see +them running one after another, kicking and striking one another with +cords; many of them together held men in their arms, and going round +the holy Sepulchre, let them fall, and then raised horrible shouts +of laughter, while they who had fallen ran after the others to avenge +themselves: it seemed that both old and young were downright mad. From +time to time they raised their eyes, and stretched their hands, full +of taper, to heaven, crying all together _eleison_, as if they were +wearied at the delay of the holy fire. This scene continued till +towards three in the evening, when two Greek archbishops and two +bishops habited as patriarchs, for the patriarch was not then at +Jerusalem, left their choir with all their clergy, and began +the procession round the holy Sepulchre: they were joined by the +Armenians, four of whom wore mitres: then came a Coptic bishop, with +all his clergy and people. After they had walked three times round the +holy Sepulchre, a Greek priest came out of the chapel of the Angel, +which is close to that of the holy Sepulchre, and gave notice to him +who represented the Patriarch, that the holy fire had descended from +heaven: the latter then entered into the holy Sepulchre, followed +by the representatives of the Armenian patriarch and of the Coptic +bishop. After they had remained there a short time, we saw the Greek +archbishop in an amusing posture, bending down his head, and bearing +in each hand a quantity of lighted tapers. No sooner had he appeared, +than all rushed one upon another to light their tapers from those of +the archbishop; as that is considered the best fire, which is first +lighted. The Janissaries however, who were stationed near the door +of the chapel of the Angel, did not stand with their arms folded, but +made the calpacs and turbans of the Greeks fly from one end of the +church to the other, striking around on all sides with their sticks, +to make way for the poor archbishop, who also as we may suppose +did all in his power to save himself. He then mounted in haste a +stone-altar opposite the entrance of the holy Sepulchre, where he was +immediately surrounded by the people: those also who had lighted their +tapers endeavouring to save themselves were overwhelmed by the others: +the confusion was horrible, and blows were not unfrequent. After the +Greek archbishop has come out, the Armenian appears, and saves himself +from the crowd in the church of the Armenians, and the Copt in that +of the Copts. Every one was in such a hurry to get some of the holy +fire, that in a moment more than 2000 bundles of candles flamed in +the church: and the people, crying out like persons possessed began +greater follies than before. A man carrying a drum on his back began +to run with all his might round the holy Sepulchre, and another +running in the same manner struck it with two sticks; and when he +was tired, another immediately took his place. "_Il semble qu' +on soit dans un enfer, et que ce soient tout autant de diables +déchainès_."--But enough of this unedifying scene, of which the Abbé +Geramb gives a similar account. If we contrast with it the majestic +and edifying ceremonies of the Roman church, we shall feel grateful +to God for having preserved us from such disorders. I shall merely add +from Thevenot, that the Christians are called to office at the holy +Sepulchre by boards struck with iron, as we are for two days in +holy-week: but drums and other instruments are also played there, +which make, he (adds), "une musique enragée". + +The distinguished missionary and pilgrim D. Casto Gonzalez recounts +other disorders of the Greeks during Holy Week, and profanations of +the most holy sanctuaries of Palestine. In the year 1833 he exposed, +but not without great risk, the fraud of the "holy fire". On the +holy-Saturday of the Greeks the officiating Bishop accompanied by an +Armenian and a Coptic Bishop and their respective clergy had already +walked thrice round the holy Sepulchre, when the missionary ignited a +match with phosphorus, and holding it up exclaimed "Look, the heavenly +fire has fallen into my hands": he then extinguished it and lighted +it again several times to the great astonishment of the assembled +multitude. He was protected by the Turks from the dangers which +surrounded him. So manifest was the fraud of the pretended "holy fire" +that even the schismatical Armenian patriarch issued a circular letter +forbidding his spiritual subjects to be present at the disgraceful +exhibition. + +The Pere Abbé de Geramb gives a glowing account of the Catholic +service and mass on holy saturday; and we most warmly recommend to our +readers the perusal of the 34th _Lettre_ of his _Pelerinage_, in which +he describes all the ceremonies of holy week at Jerusalem, where they +are invested with the peculiar charm arising from spots so sacred, +where Christ suffered, and died, and rose again. Though in other +respects the Roman ceremonies are of a more exalted nature, yet here +must we be contented to transport ourselves in imagination to those +beloved sanctuaries, and to see the _representation_ of the holy +Sepulchre at S. Maria Egiziaca. We shall conclude with the words of +the distinguished writer: "Jamais douleur n'affecta plus vivement mon +àme, que celle qui s'en empara au moment où je m'arrachai pour jamais +de l'église du saint Sepulcre. Taut que je vivrai elle sera aussi +présente à mon esprit que profondément gravée dans mon coeur; toujours +souvenir me fera tressaillir, parce que toujours, et plus qu' aucun +autre souvenir, il me rappellera Jésus, crucifié pour mon salut, pour +la salut du genre humain, à l'amour duquel nous devons repondre par le +plus vif, le plus tendre, le plus absolu de tous les amours; ce Jésus +auquel je dois l'ineffable bonheur de comprendre, de sentir cette +grande verité, que je voudrais faire comprendre et sentir a l'univers +entier, que lui seul est tout, que tout ce qui n'est pas lui, n'est +rien, n'est que neant". 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