id="footnote18"/>Footnote 18: (return)

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: (return)

"The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ". 1 Cor. X, 16.

Footnote 20: (return)

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: (return)

"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: (return)

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: (return)

"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: (return)

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: (return)

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.

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.

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.