with the due genuflections, removes it from the throne. If the Deacon, he will not place the Remonstrance on the corporal, but immediately consign it to the Celebrant, who is kneeling, he himself genuflecting as soon as he has delivered it. (Instruz. Clement. ibid.) If, however, another Priest removes the Blessed Sacrament from the throne, placing it on the corporal, he will retire, with the proper genuflection; and the Deacon, having ascended to the predella, will take it as above, continuing afterwards in conformity with the rules prescribed for the Exposition, on the subject of the Ceremonies and Rite of the Procession. (Instruz. Clement. ibid.)

56. The Procession having returned, as in No. 23, and the Celebrant having arrived at the lowest step of the Altar, the Deacon, kneeling, will receive from him, whilst he stands, the Blessed Sacrament, towards which the Celebrant immediately genuflects, taking off the humeral veil. The Deacon then places the Remonstrance on the corporal, in the centre of the Altar, returning to the right of the Celebrant (Instruz. Clement. No. 21), with the usual genuflections.

57. As soon as the Deacon has returned to the right of the Celebrant, the Cantors intone the Tantum ergo. At the Genitori the incense is put in, and the Blessed Sacrament incensed. After the versicle, Panem de cœlo, &c., to which, in Paschal time, and within the Octave of Corpus Christi, the Alleluia will be added (according to a decree of the Sacred Cong. of Rites, Jan. 10, 1705), the Celebrant will rise, and without repeating the genuflection, or saying the Dominus vobiscum (according to the Decrees of the Sacred Cong. of Rites, June 16, 1663; Sept. 28, 1675; Aug. 2, and Sept. 6, 1698) sing the Prayers with joined hands, the Ministers supporting the book.

58. The Prayers being finished, he kneels down, and having said, as on the first day, the Fidelium animæ, &c., receives the humeral veil, and having ascended to the predella, genuflects upon one knee. He then takes, with both hands veiled, the Remonstrance, holding its nodus with his right and its foot with his left hand, the Ministers kneeling upon each side on the edge of the predella, and slightly inclined, raise the borders of his cope. (Bauldry, part iv. cap. xvi. art. iii. n. 35; Merati, part. iv. tit. xii. n. 20, 22.) Turning towards the people by his right shoulder, with the Remonstrance before his breast, he then gives the Benediction, making over them the sign of the cross in the following manner, and without saying anything-he will regulate himself, however,

according to the height of the Remonstrance :-Turning towards the people, as above, he will slowly bring the Remonstrance upon a level with his eyes, and then in the same manner lower it below his breast, and in this attitude turn a little towards the Epistle side; after which, returning by the centre, he will complete the circle by immediately turning to the Altar by the Gospel side. Having placed the Remonstrance on the corporal, he genuflects, at which time he puts off the humeral veil, and returns with the Ministers to the lowest stop (taking care not to turn his back to the Blessed Sacrament), where he will continue kneeling. The Deacon, or a Priest, wearing a stole, having made the due genuflections, will then place the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle, which for this purpose should be kept upon the Altar of Exposition. The consecrated Host should be consumed in a Mass of that or the following morning. (Instruz. Clement. ibid.)

59. Whilst the Sacred Host is being placed within the Tabernacle, the Acolytes take their candlesticks from the credence, and proceed to the centre; the Master of Ceremonies, in the mean time, takes the berrettas from the bench of the Ministers, and, the Function being concluded, gives notice to the Ministers to rise; all having then genuflected on the pavement, he gives them their berrettas, and they retire to the sacristy, preceded by the Thurifers and Acolytes. They unvest in the usual manner.

Note.-As it often happens that a Bishop or Cardinal, and not the Celebrant, terminates the Function, it may be necessary to mention how the Ministers should proceed after the Mass, when this is the case. The last Gospel being finished, the Celebrant, with the Ministers, proceeds to the centre of the Altar, and having genuflected on one knee, but without any inclination of the head, descends in plano, taking care not to turn their backs to the Blessed Sacrament, as in No. 40. Having arrived there, all will genuflect on both knees with a profound inclination, before the lowest step of the Altar, at the same time with the Acolytes and Master of Ceremonies, as they did before Mass. Then all rise, and depart with heads uncovered, not putting on their berrettas until they are out of sight of the Blessed Sacrament. Having arrived in the sacristy, the Sacred Ministers take off their maniples, and if they are required to assist the Cardinal or Bishop, and are wearing vestments of any other colour than

white, they will divest themselves of the former, and put on white vestments, according to a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, Sept. 20, 1816. They will then assist the Dignitary who is to make the procession, and proceed to the Altar, preceded by the Acolytes with their candlesticks, and followed by the train and mitre bearers. Having arrived before the Blessed Sacrament, the Deacon will remove the mitre and zucchetto from the Officiant, and having genuflected on both knees, they will kneel on the lowest step, the Master of Ceremonies taking care to deposit in its place the cushion (Cærem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xxiii. n. 19) upon which the Cardinal or Bishop kneels, and the Function will be continued as described above. At the Benediction, the Clerk of the Mitre will kneel down.

60. The greater part of the Ceremonies prescribed in this chapter are taken from the sixth volume of the collection of Decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, part ii., where Monsignor Gardellini makes a commentary upon the Instruzione Clementina, for the Forty Hours' Adoration; and if any person desires to be more fully instructed therein, he can have recourse to these erudite comments.

CHAPTER II.

THE ASPERGES.

1. THE aspersion of holy water takes place on all Sundays of the year, except when the Bishop celebrates solemnly (Cærem. Epis. lib. ii. cap. xxxi. n. 4); the water may be blessed in Ecclesia vel in Sacristia. (Rubr. Miss. in loc).1

2. As the Priest who celebrates should make the aspersion (Rubr. Miss.), his chasuble and maniple, of the colour of the day, as also the maniples of the Deacon and Subdeacon, should be placed on the bench at the Epistle side, so that they may vest for Mass without leaving the Sanctuary.

3. Before the time of the Divine Office, the Deacon and Subdeacon, having washed their hands in the sacristy, vest as for Mass, with the exception that they do not take their

Aqua benedicta singulis saltem hebdomadibus renovetur. (Carem. Epis. lib. i. cap. vi. n. 2.)

maniples; they then assist the Celebrant to vest in amice, alb, girdle, stole, which is crossed on the breast, and cope of the colour of the day. (Carem. Epis. ibid. n. 3.)

4. The whole of the Ministers salute the Cross, or Image, in the sacristy, standing in the following order-the Celebrant in the middle, the Deacon at his right, and the Subdeacon at his left; the Acolytes, with their candles lighted, a little behind, the first on the side of the Deacon, and the second on the side of the Subdeacon; the Clerk, who carries the holy-water and aspersory, at the left of the first Acolyte : it is usual for the Thurifer to fulfil this office. The Master of Ceremonies would be conveniently placed at the right of the Deacon. Having saluted the Cross, the sacred Ministers salute the Celebrant, who inclines to them in return; they then cover themselves, and the procession moves forward in the following order :-First, the Clerk with the holy-water, followed by the Acolytes with their candles; and lastly, the Celebrant, with hands joined, supported on either side by the sacred Ministers, who raise the borders of his cope. (Carem. Epis. lib. i. cap. xv. n. 4; lib. ii. cap. xxxi. n. 3.)1

5. On arriving in choir, they salute the clergy; then, having proceeded to the steps of the Altar, they give their berrettas to the Master of Ceremonies, and all genuflect on the pavement, with the exception of the Celebrant, who makes a profound inclination, unless, indeed, the Blessed Sacrament be in the Tabernacle, in which case he makes a genuflection as the others. The Master of Ceremonies carries the berrettas to the bench, and the Acolytes go to the credence. The Celebrant with his Ministers kneels on the lowest step, and the Clerk with the holy-water approaches to the right of the Deacon.

6. The Deacon, having received the aspersory, presents it to the Celebrant with the usual oscula. The Priest, intoning the Asperges me, or the Vidi aquam, according to the season, thrice asperses the Altar (Cærem. Epis. ibid.),—first towards the middle, afterwards towards the side of the Gospel, and

1 Should there be a number of clergy to join the procession, they will form two lines in that part of the sacristy nearest the entrance of the church. When the Master of Ceremonies has given the signal to proceed, and the Acolytes and Clerk with holy-water have passed through, they will close together, and proceed to choir in the usual manner, being between the Acolytes and the sacred Ministers.

2 The Acolytes will take their position at the foot of the Altar, exactly in the same manner as when they enter for Solemn Mass. (See page 11.)

U

lastly towards that of the Epistle. Should the Blessed Sacrament be exposed, the Deacon presents the aspersory without oscula, and the Celebrant omits to asperse the Altar.

7. The Celebrant, still kneeling, first asperses himself; then, having risen, asperses the Deacon and Subdeacon (Rubr. Miss. in loc.), who remain kneeling on the step; the Deacon then receives the aspersory, with the usual oscula, and consigns it to the Clerk having the holy-water.

8. Having made a proper reverence to the Altar, they proceed to asperse the clergy in choir; the Clerk bearing the holy-water precedes the Celebrant, who is attended by his Ministers on either side, to hold back the borders of his cope. Having saluted the choir, the Deacon again presents the aspersory to the Celebrant, who, whilst continuing the aspersion, recites, submissa voce, with his Ministers, the Psalm Miserere. (Rubr. Miss. in. loc.)

9. The Canons, if there be any present, are aspersed each in particular, afterwards the Clergy, more solito, commencing with the highest in dignity, and lastly the people (Rubr. Miss.); this over, the Deacon again receives the aspersory, and consigns it to the Clerk; then, having saluted the choir, they return to the foot of the Altar, and make the proper reverence. The Deacon again presents the aspersory to the Celebrant, who asperses the Acolytes of the credence and other clerks employed in the service of the Altar. Whilst aspersing, the Celebrant does not incline his head, but the clergy and others will stand uncovered, make a convenient reverence (Gavant. in Benedict.), and the sign of the Cross.

2

10. The aspersion over, and the antiphon repeated by the choir, the Celebrant, before the Altar, says with joined hands the versicles and prayer from the book which is held before him by the sacred Ministers. They then make the proper reverence to the Altar, and retire to the bench, where, standing with their faces towards the Altar (Baldeschi, vol. iv. cap. iv. art. iv. n. 33), the Ministers divest the Celebrant of his cope, and vest him in maniple and chasuble e; they then take their own maniples. (Carem. Epis. lib. i.

1 An Celebrans diebus dominicis chorum aditurus ad aspergendum clerum aqua lustrali, accedere debeat per latus Epistolæ, atque circulum perficiens post aspersionem redire debeat ad Altare per latus Evangelii, seu potius ire ac redire debeat per latus Evangelii ?-Resp. Affirmative, ad primam partem : Negative, ad secundam. (S. R. C. 7 Dec. 1844.)

2 The choir will be instructed to repeat the whole of the antiphon, and not merely the two words, Asperges me.