Bisso, ibid. § 40; Merati, ibid. n. 68.) The Celebrant, without saying Agnus Dei, and without giving the Pax, says the last Post-Communion, Perceptis corporis, &c., submissa voce (Rubr. ibid.), having his hands joined upon the Altar (Merati, ibid.): the Prayer finished, he genuflects with his Ministers, and then says Panem cœlestem, &c. (Rubr. ibid., and more clearly in part ii. tit. x. n. 4, in the general Rubrics.) He takes the paten and Sacred Host, and communicates, after having said the Domine non sum dignus, with the usual ceremonies. (Rubr. Miss. ut in die.)

59. The Celebrant having consumed the Sacred Host, the Subdeacon uncovers the chalice at the proper time, and all three genuflect. The Celebrant then gathers up the Fragments, and puts Them into the chalice (Merati, ibid. n. 70), without any form of words; in the mean time, an Acolyte carries the cruets to the Altar, as usual. The Celebrant takes the wine with the Fragments, without making any signs of the Cross (according to a decree of the Sacred Congregation, 28 Aug. 1627), and without any form of words: the Ministers remain in the mean time profoundly inclined. (Bauldry, ibid. n. 23; Merati, ibid.)

60. The Celebrant having consumed the Sacred Particles with the wine, the candles held by the clergy are extinguished, and all sit. (Carem. Epis. ibid.; Castaldi, ibid. n. 16; Gavant. ibid. in Rubr. xix. litt. N.; Merati, ibid. n. 72.) The Celebrant, omitting the usual Prayers and ceremonies, takes only the ablution of the fingers, which is made with wine and water, served by the Subdeacon. (Merati, ibid. n. 71.)

61. This over, the Deacon and Subdeacon change sides, genuflecting only in the centre, one behind the other. The Subdeacon goes to the Missal, and the Deacon to the credence, where having divested himself of the large stole, and resumed the folded chasuble, he returns to the predella, to the right of the Celebrant, who having taken the ablution of the fingers, and being slightly inclined, with his hands joined before his breast, says, submissa voce, in the middle of the Altar, the Prayer, Quod ore sumpsimus, &c. The Subdeacon dries the chalice as usual, covers it with a veil, which an Acolyte should have placed upon the Altar, carries it to the credence, returns to the Celebrant's left, taking care to genuflect in passing before the Altar, and closes the Missal.

62. At a signal from the Master of Ceremonies, the three

sacred Ministers make an inclination to the Cross, descend in plano, and genuflect. The Acolytes, without their candles, genuflect with them, as also the Master of Ceremonies. They then salute the choir, receive their birrettas, which are presented without kisses, and return more solito to the sacristy to unvest. (Merati, ibid.)

Note. Should any unforeseen accident prevent the Celebrant from terminating the office, it should be finished by him who fulfils the function of Deacon (supposing him to be a Priest, and to be fasting); or, by another Priest. If there be no other Priest ready and fasting, the Sacred Host should be carried to the place where the Sacred Particles are reserved, and It should be consumed at the Mass on the next day, so the ceremony would remain unfinished. (S. R. C. 8 Mar. 1825.)

63. The sacred Ministers having departed, Vespers are recited in choir, as on the preceding day. (Rubr. ibid.) In the mean time, the Thurifers remove the Missal with its stand, and the Altar-clothes, so that the Altar may be entirely stripped (Rubr. ibid.), and only the Cross and candlesticks remain on it. They then carry the things which they have removed, as well as those on the credence, to the sacristy. (Merati, ibid. n. 75.)

64. The clergy in choir genuflect to the Cross, at the termination of Vespers, and retire to the sacristy: one of the Acolytes extinguishes the candles on the Altar. (Castaldi, ibid. n. 18; Gavant. ibid. in Rubr. xx. litt. A.; Merati, ibid.)

SUPPLEMENTARY ARTICLE.-The Bishop Celebrating on Good Friday.

1. The Bishop, in cappa, is received at the church without holy water he prays before the Holy Sacrament, and before the High Altar; then, going into the Secretarium, where an Altar is prepared, and all things, except the veiled Cross, are uncovered, he goes up to his seat, where standing uncovered, he commences None, and sits after the commencement of the first Psalm. In the mean time, the Deacon and Subdeacon take their vestments, except the maniple and folded chasuble, and so remain until the time to vest the Bishop. (Carem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xxv. n. 5.)

2. The Bishop finishes None whilst kneeling at a faldstool before the Altar. This over, he returns to his seat, lays aside the cappa, washes his hands, and is vested by the Deacon

and Subdeacon. The buskins and sandals are not used on this day. In the mean time the Canons also vest. The Deacons will this day use folded chasubles, and the Assistant Priest a black cope. The Bishop being vested, sits a short time, while the Deacon and Subdeacon put on the maniple and folded chasuble. All proceed to the Altar, as usual, except that no incense is used, and the candles on either side of an archiepiscopal Cross are not lighted: unless for an archbishop a cross is not carried. (Carem. Epis. ibid. n. 6-8.)

3. The Bishop kneels at the faldstool, and prays whilst the Altar is covered. He ascends the Altar, and proceeds as in the Missal. The Lector, who sings the first Lesson, does not kiss the Bishop's hand. The Bishop unveils the Cross, more solito; having alone, without Ministers, laid it on the cushion prepared, he returns to his faldstool, puts aside his shoes, with the assistance of servants, and then, between his Assistant Deacons, makes the usual adoration. He returns to the faldstool, retakes his shoes, chasuble, and mitre, and sitting, reads the Reproaches, only the Chaplains assisting. (Ibid. n. 26.)

4. The rest of the office proceeds without any material departure from the former part of the present Chapter. The Bishop, at the close of the office, washes his hands, goes to the throne, is unvested more solito, and Vespers begin. At the conclusion, the Bishop kneels at the faldstool before the Altar, and after saying the Prayer Respice, &c., retires.

CHAPTER VIII.

HOLY SATURDAY.

ARTICLE I.-Preparations.

1. Ar the proper time the church is adorned with costly white ornaments. The Altar at which the office is about to be performed, will be prepared as for a great solemnity, at first, however, without relics and images, which should not be placed there until the Sacred Ministers assume the white vestments. (Merati, part. iv. tit. x. n. 1.) A white antependium should be placed under a purple one, which latter should be removed a little before the Mass: the predella should be uncovered.

2. The lamps of the church should be so prepared that they may easily be lighted at the proper time. (Merati, ibid.)

The images in the church should remain covered until the end of the Litanies. (Bauldry, part iv. cap. xi. art. i. n. 3; Merati, ibid.) If there be a Tabernacle, it should be covered with rich white hangings underneath purple ones: these latter should be removed at the same time as the purple antependium. (Merati, ibid.)

3. Purple vestments should be prepared for the sacred Ministers in the sacristy: namely, a cope, stole, alb, girdle, and amice, for the Celebrant; two folded chasubles, with albs, amices, and girdles, for the Ministers; besides a stole for the Deacon. Beneath these, or in another place by themselves, white vestments should be laid out for all three. (Merati, ibid.) There should also be in readiness the thurible and boat, the holy water, and aspersory, the five grains of incense upon a salver, the processional Cross, and two candlesticks for the Acolytes at the solemn Mass. (Merati, ibid.)

4. A large vessel of water, with a small vase of salt, should be prepared, either in the sacristy or some other customary place. This water is blessed before the office, either by a Priest vested in cotta and purple stole, or by the Celebrant, after he has vested in alb and stole: this, however, depends upon the custom of each church. (Rubr. Miss. de Benedic.)1

5. The seats for the sacred Ministers should be prepared as usual for High Mass, but with a purple covering. (Castaldi, in Cærem. lib. iii. n. 1.) If there be none of this colour, the seats should remain uncovered until the beginning of Mass. Upon the seats, a purple chasuble and maniple for the Celebrant, another for the Deacon, and the Subdeacon's birretta, should be placed.

6. On the Gospel side will be placed, a lectern, covered with a rich white hanging, for the singing of the Exultet (Merati, ibid.), and the candlestick for the Paschal candle. (Carem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xxviii. n. 1; Bisso, litt. C. n. 55.) In plano, near the Altar, the Paschal candle; also a stone or wooden stand for the reed, bearing the triple candle; and near at hand, a lectern for the Prophecies.

7. On the Credence, everything that is usually required for Mass, all of white colour, and covered with the large white

1 For the blessing of the font, which the author has not included, a table covered with a cloth, the holy oils, basin and ewer of water, crumb of bread, towel for the hands, and book, should be prepared in the baptistery. The baptismal water in the font should be poured into the piscina, and be replaced by pure water from the spring.

veil, and again over this the purple one. Near the credence, three purple cushions for the sacred Ministers, when lying prostrate during the Litanies. (Bisso, litt. S. n. 6, § 2; Merati, ibid.)

8. In the porch, or if there be no porch, outside the church; or, should the weather not permit, at the entrance of the church (Rubr. Miss. ut in die), a table covered with a cloth (Castaldi, lib. iii. sect. viii. cap. i. n. 4), without Cross or candlesticks (Bauldry, ibid. n. 14); on the Gospel side, as it were, of this table, a white dalmatic, stole, and maniple (Castaldi; Bauldry, ibid.), and on the Epistle side, a purple maniple for the Subdeacon, a Missal, taper, and packet of matches.

9. A small fire should also be prepared, that it may easily be lighted before the ceremony. A pair of small tongs should be ready near at hand.

10. Near the table, the reed decorated with flowers, having at the top three candles of white wax, four or five ounces each, joined at the bottom, so as from one stem to form three branches.1

ARTICLE II.-From the Blessing of the Fire to the Exultet.

11. The sacred Ministers having vested, as we have said in Chapter X. n. 8, except that they do not take the maniple (Merati, part iv. tit. x. n. 3), at a signal from the Master of Ceremonies, the Subdeacon takes the Cross, and the procession moves forward in the following order :-Three Clerks walk first, he in the middle carrying the holy water and aspersory; he on the left, the five grains of incense in a salver; and he on the right, the thurible without fire, and the incense-boat with its spoon. The Subdeacon carrying the Cross, proceeds after them, and is followed by the clergy. (De Bralion, part iii. cap. viii. n. 3.) The Celebrant walks last, with head covered, having at his left the Deacon, who is uncovered, as the rest of the clergy: all have their hands joined. (Merati, ibid. n. 4.) Should they pass before the High Altar, all genuflect except the Subdeacon, who carries the Cross, who makes no salutation, and the Celebrant who makes only an inclination. (Bauldry, part iv. cap. xi. art. 1.)

1 Should the Bishop celebrate, his throne should be prepared with white under purple, also his vestments in convenient places :-purple cope, &c., for blessing the fire; purple chasuble, &c., as at Mass, for the Prophecies; purple cope for the benediction of the font, and white costly vestments for the Mass. The basin and ewer, books, bugia, cushions, salvers, &c., will be placed for the convenience of the Master of Ceremonies.