22. The Deacon having quitted the left of the Celebrant, the Master of Ceremonies takes his place, repeating the genuflection conjointly with the Celebrant, and the Deacon who should now occupy the right. Here he continues to assist at the missal until the Agnus Dei, always making the genuflections with the Celebrant, and turning over the leaves when required, &c.

23. Before the commencement of the Pater noster, he directs the Deacon to genuflect, and take his place behind the Celebrant, on the usual step. At the Dimitte nobis he again apprises the Deacon and Subdeacon to genuflect, and ascend to the Epistle corner, where the paten and veil being given up by the Subdeacon, he directs him to genuflect there, and return to his place on the pavement, the Deacon remaining at the right of the Celebrant, and he himself at the left. After the singing of the Pax Domini, he apprises the Subdeacon to genuflect in his place, and ascend to the left of the Celebrant, where he repeats the genuflection, and says the Agnus Dei. (Rubr. Miss. part ii. tit. x. n. 8.) The Master of Ceremonies, having genuflected at the same time with the Subdeacon and the Celebrant, descends to the pavement and holds himself in readiness to accompany the Subdeacon, when he proceeds to give the Pax to the choir. In giving the Pax, they should commence with the ecclesiastic of the greatest dignity, on the side of the Gospel, and then pass over to that of the Epistle, observing to genuflect in the centre.1

24. This ceremony being completed, he returns to the Altar, and having genuflected on the pavement at the right of the Subdeacon, receives from him the Pax, making an inclination before and after; he himself then gives it to the first Acolyte, or to the Thurifer who assists at the credence, in lieu of the Acolytes engaged in holding the torches. He then resumes his usual place at the Epistle corner until the Celebrant has communicated.

The first choir is supposed to be on the Gospel side; should it be otherwise, care will be taken to commence with the highest dignitary on the Epistle side, and afterwards pass over to that of the Gospel.

Note 1.-If a Communion of the clergy takes place, the Subdeacon covers the chalice after the Priest has received the Precious Blood, and having genuflected, both of the sacred Ministers change places, and the ciborium being uncovered by the Deacon, they make another genuflection in conjunction with the Celebrant. This being done, the Deacon descends to the highest step' at the Epistle side, and with his face towards the Gospel side, bows profoundly, and says the Confiteor. The Celebrant, standing upon the predella, with his face turned towards the Deacon, says the Misereatur and Indulgentiam, and holding the left hand on his breast, makes the sign of the Cross over the communicants. When the Deacon descends to say the Confiteor, the Subdeacon stands on the highest step3 at the corner of the Gospel, and with hands joined, faces the Deacon. He there remains until the Indulgentiam inclusively, when both change places, observing to genuflect near each other, and conjointly with the Celebrant, on passing the centre of the Altar. They then accompany the Celebrant, and remain with him, the Deacon on the Gospel side, and the Subdeacon on that of the Epistle.

Note 2.-If the sacred Ministers are to communicate, they kneel down at the conclusion of the Indulgentiam, upon the edge of the predella, before the Celebrant. When they have both communicated, they genuflect in the same place, and proceed to the sides of the Celebrant, as above. They take the cloth from the hands of those who hold it, and restore it when they have communicated. The Deacon having taken the paten, holds it a little under the Sacred Particle, and accompanies the Priest's hand while giving communion. At the same time, the Subdeacon remains near the Celebrant, with joined hands,

1 Gavantus and others instruct the Ministers to descend in plano.

2 The Confiteor is sung when the Bishop celebrates (Carem. Epis.); when there is a general communion, or where it is customary.-Gavantus, Bisso, Bauldry, and others in loc.

3 Or, in plano.-Gavantus and others.

4 Whilst the Celebrant says the Ecce Agnus Dei, and the Domine, non sum dignus, &c., the Deacon and Subdeacon should turn and incline towards the Sacred Host, and not towards the people.

and having his face towards the people. The Communion being completed, and the cloth carried to the credence by the Thurifer, the Master of Ceremonies assists at the Epistle corner, for the ablutions.

25. The Celebrant having returned to the Epistle corner, he assists him at the book, which he will close after the prayers, if there be not a last Gospel proper for the day; in which case, having left it open, he will consign it, when the Deacon has sung the Ite missa est, to the Subdeacon, who will transfer it in parte Evangelii.

26. During the benediction he kneels with the other Ministers, and rises when it has been pronounced. Towards the end of the Gospel he makes a signal to the Acolytes to take their candlesticks and proceed to the centre of the Altar. The Acolytes having genuflected at the words Et verbum caro, or at the termination of a particular Gospel, withdraw to the sacristy; and, in the mean time, the Master of Ceremonies having taken the berrettas of the sacred Ministers, and genuflected at the proper time, distributes them, observing to give first the Celebrant's into the hands of the Deacon.

27. Having returned to the sacristy in the same manner and order as they left it, he salutes the clergy in conjunction with the sacred Ministers, and having made an inclination to the Cross, he assists the Celebrant to unvest, finally removing the things from the credence,

Note 1.-If the clergy remain in choir, the Acolytes take their candles at the conclusion of the Gospel, proceed to the centre, and when the sacred Ministers have descended, they make the genuflection simultaneously with them, and salute the choir. The Master of Ceremonies now delivers the berrettas to the Ministers, and they withdraw to the sacristy in the manner given above.1

Note 2.-The sacred Ministers genuflect on the pavement, on their immediate arrival at the Altar before Mass, as also after its termination; on other occasions they do so on the step, as may be most convenient.

Should the Clergy depart from the choir, the Celebrant and his ministers may remain turned to the Altar till nearly all have left: they then turn, cover, and follow in due order.

CHAPTER V.

THE OFFICE OF SUBDEACON.1

1. A QUARTER of an hour before Mass, the Subdeacon presents himself in the sacristy, where having made a short prayer, he washes his hands, and proceeds to vest. He does not, however, take the maniple (or folded chasuble, if used) till the Celebrant is vested; he then also puts on his berretta.

2. At the intimation of the Master of Ceremonies, he makes an inclination before the Cross of the sacristy, holding his berretta in his hands. He then makes a moderate inclination to the Celebrant and, covering, proceeds with joined hands behind the clergy, and in advance of the Deacon.

3. He takes off his berretta when receiving holy water from the Master of Ceremonies, and after having received it again puts it on. On entering the choir he places himself to the left of the Celebrant, gives his berretta to the Master of Ceremonies, and moves forward with the other Ministers.

4. Having genuflected with the Deacon at the Altar, he joins him in responding to the Confiteor, making the sign of the Cross and inclinations with the Celebrant. He retains an erect posture while the Celebrant says the Confiteor, gently inclining, however, when he says the Misereatur tui, and profoundly so towards the Altar, when he himself says the Confiteor. He turns a little towards the Celebrant at the words Et tibi pater, et te pater (Rubr. Miss. part ii. tit. iii. n. 9), becomes erect when the Celebrant says Indulgentiam, and again makes a moderate inclination from the Deus tu conversus, until the Oremus.

Note. He generally holds his hands joined before his breast, except when he sits down, or when occupied in some functional duties, observing, that when he ministers with the right, he should ordinarily hold the left upon his breast. When the Priest makes a genuflection or pro

For the Asperges the Subdeacon will refer to chap. ii. part vi.

found inclination, he also genuflects, and with one hand sustains him by the arm when he rises.

5. When the Celebrant has said Oremus, he ascends with him to the Altar, raising a little the extremity of the vestments. While the Celebrant is incensing the Altar, he raises the chasuble with his right hand, and genuflects whenever he passes before the Cross. (Rubr. ibid. tit. iv. n. 7.) When the Celebrant returns the thurible to the Deacon, he descends by the shortest way in cornu Epistolæ, where, standing in plano at the left of the Deacon and facing the Celebrant, he inclines his head before and after the incensing.

6. This being done, he stations himself at the right of the Deacon, in cornu Epistolæ (Rubr. ibid.), on a step lower, in such a manner, that with the Celebrant, and the Deacon, who stands at his right, he may form an imperfect semicircle.1

7. He makes the sign of the Cross at the commencement of the Introit, and responds to the Kyrie; he remains standing in the same place, or proceeds to sit down (Rubr. Miss. part i. tit. xvii. n. 6), if invited to do so by the Master of Ceremonies; in such case he will observe to make a moderate inclination towards the Altar.'

8. At the signal from the Master of Ceremonies when the choir sing the last Kyrie, he proceeds to the Altar with the Deacon, having the Celebrant on his right they salute the choir on the side which first presents itself. Having arrived at the Altar, he genuflects with the Deacon, on the lowest step: they then arrange themselves unus post alium. (Rubr. Miss. part ii. tit. iv. n. 7.)

9. When the Celebrant intones the Gloria, he inclines the head at the word Deo, ascends the predella, to the left of the Celebrant, and recites with him the remainder of the Gloria (Rubr. ibid.), observing not to anticipate but to accompany him, and to act in uniformity in making the inclinations and sign of the Cross,

'Merati says the Deacon and Subdeacon place themselves in a straight line. The common practice at Rome is conformable to the author's directions.

2 See Carem Epis. lib. ii. cap. viii. n. 35.