23. In the mean time, the Deacon takes the Celebrant's candle from the Master of Ceremonies, and presents it to him with the usual kisses; then, having received his own, he turns, at the intimation of the Master of Ceremonies, towards the people, and with a clear and loud voice sings Procedamus in pace, to which the clergy answer, In nomine Christi. Amen. (Rubr. ibid.)

1

24. After the response, the procession moves forward in the following order: first, the Thurifer, after having genuflected; then the Acolytes and Cross-bearer, who do not genuflect; and afterwards the Cantors, and remainder of the clergy; all of whom, united two and two, make the genuflection, and carry their lighted candles (Rubr. ibid.); 1 finally, the Deacon and Celebrant, also carrying their lighted candles. These latter, at the sign of the Master of Ceremonies, descend in plano, where, both having made the due reverence, the Deacon, with the usual kisses, presents the birretta to the Celebrant, and having received his own from the Master of Ceremonies, places himself at the Celebrant's left, and raises with his right hand the borders of his cope. The Cantors sing the antiphons given in the Missal. (Rubr. ibid.)

Note.-During the procession, the bell is not rung at the Elevation of private Masses; but if this should happen, they of the procession, on passing such an Altar, will genuflect on both knees, until such time as the Elevation has been finished. (Sac. Cong. of Rites, March 1, 1681.)

25. On issuing from the door of the church (if such be the practice), they will all cover, except the Thurifer, the Cross-bearer, the two Acolytes, and also the Master of Ceremonies, who should not even use the zucchetto, according to a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, July 17, 1734. On re-entering the church, all uncover except the Celebrant and Deacon. The procession will move along the route according to the custom of the church in which it takes place.

26. The Cantors will sing the responsory Obtulerunt Domino, even although the antiphon be not terminated. (Bisso, litt. B. n. 84, § 15.) When the procession enters the church, if it be made outside, or when it enters the Sanctuary,

They should be carried in the outside hand, that is, those of the right line of the procession in the right hand, and those of the left line in the left hand.

if it be confined within the walls, they proceed to the choir whilst singing it.

27. The Thurifer, having arrived in the centre of the choir, makes a genuflection, and conveys the thurible to its place. The Cross-bearer and Acolytes, without genuflecting, proceed to the credence, where the latter deposit their candlesticks, and the former the Cross; after which they retire to the seat, where they await the Celebrant and Deacon.

28. The clergy, after having genuflected in the centre, proceed to their places, and extinguish their candles. The Celebrant and Deacon, on entering the choir, take off their birrettas, proceed to the centre, extinguish their candles, and give them more solito to the Master of Ceremonies. Having made the usual inclinations, they proceed to the seat of the Ministers, and turn so as to face the Altar; the Ministers take off the Celebrant's cope, after which the three vest themselves in the sacred vestments appropriate to the Mass of the day, as we have stated in Article I. The Mass should be sung by the Priest who has officiated at these ceremonies. (Sac. Cong. of Rites, June 12, 1627.) All being vested, the Celebrant, with the sacred Ministers, proceeds to the Altar with the usual reverences, commences the Mass, and continues more solito.

Note. If the Mass be not that of the Sunday, a Clerk, during the time of the procession, will remove the purple ornaments from the Altar and credence. (Carem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xvii. § 5.) If the Mass be of the Blessed Virgin, the Celebrant, and all in choir, hold their candles lighted during the singing of the Gospel; those of the choir will likewise do so from the Sanctus until the end of the Communion. (Rubr.) If the Mass be not of the Blessed Virgin, but of Septuagesima, Sexagesima, or Quinquagesima, or of the Patron or the Titulary Saint, then candles in such case are not lighted during the time of Mass. (Rubr. ibid.; Carem. Epis. ibid.; Gavanto, part iv. in Rubr. vii. n. 10; Bisso, litt. F. n. 76, § 3.)

SUPPLEMENTARY ARTICLE.-The Blessing of the Candles by the Bishop.

1. The candles are placed upon a credence between the throne and the Altar, in such a manner that the Bishop may easily asperse and incense them. (Carem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xvi. n. 2.)

2. The Bishop, in cappa, is received more solito, and having

made the usual prayer, is conducted to his throne, and vested in amice over the rochet, alb, girdle, pectoral Cross, stole, cope, and plain mitre. In the mean time, the Canons also vest as usual: should there not be a sufficient number of vestments for all, at least four or six take copes. (Ibid. n. 4-6.)

3. The mitre being taken off, the Bishop rises and makes the benediction of the candles in a ferial tone. He stands somewhat turned towards the candles, having the book held before him more solito. At the commencement of the last Prayer, the Acolyte with the holy water, and the Thurifer with fire and incense, approach the throne. The Bishop blesses the incense, and asperses and incenses the candles in the usual manner. (Ibid. n. 7, 8.)

4. The Bishop having finished the benediction, sits and receives the mitre. The senior Dignitary paratus, then receives an ornamented candle, and presents it to the Bishop, kissing first the candle and then the Bishop's hand. The Bishop having received it, consigns it to the care of a Chaplain, who holds it near the Altar. (Ibid. n. 8.)

5. The Assistant Deacons raise the borders of the cope, and the gremial is sustained by two Acolytes on the knees of the Bishop, who now proceeds to distribute the candles to the clergy, and others of distinction, who are conducted with the usual reverences by a Master of Ceremonies, each and all according to their rank. All kneel to receive them, except Canons, who incline profoundly. (Ibid. n. 9—11.) One of the clergy, according to the wish of the Bishop, or the custom of the Church, proceeds to distribute candles to the laity of both sexes. (Ibid. n. 12.)

6. The distribution over, the Bishop washes his hands, and the gremial is taken away; in the mean time, the Cantors sing the antiphon Exurge Domine, &c., the Psalm, and again the antiphon. The singing over, the Bishop rises without mitre, and sings towards the Altar Oremus: if it be after Septuagesima, or on any other day than Sunday, the Deacon on the right sings Flectamus genua, and he on the left Levate. The Bishop sings the Prayer Exaudi, &c., as in the Missal, the Acolytes of the credence standing near with lighted candles. (Ibid. n. 13.)

7. This over, the Bishop sits, receives the mitre, and blesses incense more solito. (Ibid. n. 14.) The candles of the clergy are lighted, and the procession prepared to move forward. The Assistant Deacon, on the Bishop's right, sings the Pro

cedamus in pace; to which the choir answers, In nomine Christi. Amen. The procession passes, in the customary route, in the following order :-The Cantors, followed by the Thurifer, who precedes the Subdeacon (in folded chasuble) with the Cross, and the Acolytes with their candles; then the clergy, two and two, according to their rank; and, lastly, the Bishop and his Assistants, having their candles lighted. The Bishop carries his candle in his left hand, that he may use the right in blessing the people. (Ibid. n. 15.) Should the Bishop not celebrate, during the procession, the Ministers will vest for the Mass. (Ibid. n. 16.)

8. The procession having returned to the Altar, the Canons unvest, and the candles are extinguished. The Bishop commences the Confession more solito, at the foot of the Altar. Should he, however, wish to celebrate, he will commence Terce, and vest as usual. The Bishop holds his candle lighted during the singing of the Gospel; and if he do not celebrate, from the Elevation until after the Communion, unless, indeed, it be the Mass of a day on which the candles are not taken.

CHAPTER II.

ASH-WEDNESDAY.

ARTICLE I.-Preparations.

1. In the sacristy, in the usual place, the cope, stole, girdle, alb, and amice, for the Celebrant; the folded chasuble, stole, girdle, alb, and amice, for the Deacon; and the same vestments, except the stole, for the Subdeacon.1 The vestments should be purple.

2. The Altar should have no other ornaments than the candlesticks and the Cross, and the purple antependium. On the Epistle side is placed the vessel of silver, or some other becoming material, containing the dry ashes (Sac. Cong. of Rites, May 23, 1603), which should be covered until the beginning of the function (Castaldi, lib. iii. sess. iv. cap. ii. n. 4; Bisso, litt. F. n. 41, § 1; Merati, part iv. tit. vi. n. 2), either with a purple veil, or with its own cover. (Mem. Rit. tit. ii. cap. i.)

1 In some churches where the folded chasubles are not used, the Deacon and Subdeacon take the simple alb, the Deacon with the stole in addition; it is, however, recommended, rather to follow the ceremonial given for small churches, in Part V. Chap. II.

3. On the credence, in addition to the usual things for High Mass, the vase of holy water, with its aspersory; a small plate, with two or three slices of crumb of bread; the ewer, containing water; and the towel, on a salver. (Cærem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xviii. § 1; Merati, ibid.)

4. On the seat of the sacred Ministers, the chasuble and maniple for the Celebrant, and two other maniples for the Ministers, which they should put on after the Celebrant has been vested in the chasuble. (Carem. Epis. ibid. n. 21.)

5. In a convenient place, the thurible, with its boat; a grate, with lighted charcoal, and a pair of tongs.1

ARTICLE II.-The Benediction and Distribution of the Ashes.

6. The Ministers being vested, as usual, in their albs, and the Deacon in his stole also, assist in vesting the Celebrant in the amice, girdle, stole, and cope; after which, they themselves put on their folded chasubles. At the intimation of the Master of Ceremonies, the Ministers issue from the sacristy, having the Celebrant in the centre, whose cope they raise on either side. All three advance covered. (Merati, part iv. tit. vi. n. 5.)

7. Having arrived at the Altar, and having as usual tendered their birrettas to the Master of Ceremonies, they there make the due reverences, and ascend to the predella, where the Celebrant kisses the centre of the Altar (Gavanto, part iv. tit. vi. in Rubr. ii. litt. F.), and the sacred Ministers at the same time make a genuflection. (Merati, ibid. n. 6.) They then retire in cornu Epistolæ, where they arrange themselves in the following order :-the Celebrant in the centre, the Subdeacon at his left, and the Deacon on the step to the right, both being a little distant from the Altar. (Bisso, litt. B. n. 86, § 3.) The Master of Ceremonies then uncovers the ashes. (Mem. Rit. tit. ii. cap. ii.)

8. The sacred Ministers having arrived in cornu Epistolæ, the Celebrant reads the antiphon Exaudi, &c., which the choir sings (Rubr. Miss. ut in die), as at the Introit of the Mass. (Bisso, ibid.) The Celebrant reads the antiphon with joined hands. (Bauldry, part iv. cap. iv. art. i. n. 5.)

9. The antiphon being repeated by the choir, the Celebrant in the same place, and without turning towards the

1 Should the Bishop bless the ashes, his vestments should be prepared on the Altar; also the book, bugia, faldstool, cushion, and gremial veil, in their proper places.