Part 10 (1/2)
[Footnote 126: Gavant and others, following Walafridus Strabo and the abbot Berno, think that the Offertory and _Agnus Dei_ are not said, in order to signify the silence of the holy women returning from the sepulchre (Mark XVI, 8). Others attribute some of these omissions to the circ.u.mstance, that there is no communion; on this day, and therefore neither offertory or postcommunion; anciently however communion was given on this occasion, as is evident from the Gelasian sacramentary (See Bened. XIV, De Festis c. VIII). The kiss of peace, as Grancolas observes, is not given, because formerly at the dawn of easter-sunday, soon after the ma.s.s of easter-eve, the faithful used to a.s.semble in the church ”and kissing one another with mutual charity to say, _Surrexit Dominus_ ”; (the Lord is risen) Ordo Rom. ab Hittorpio ed. p. 55. Merati says, that the _Agnus Dei_ is omitted because it is of recent origin, having been first introduced into the liturgy by Pope Sergius A.D. 688 (lib. Pont.), whereas the Ma.s.s of the day is of greater antiquity.]
[Footnote 127: Cancellieri says that the music of this _Magnificat_ was composed by Luca Marenzio. Among the compositions prior to Palestrina, and still sung in the papal chapel, Baini reckons the Magnificats of Carpentra.s.so and Morales, as well as the _Te Deum_ and _Lumen ad revelutionem gentium_ of Costanzo Festa.]
[Footnote 128: This basilic, which is the cathedral of the bishop of Rome, was first erected by Constantine, whose statue taken from his baths adorns the portico. It was in great part destroyed by fire in 1308; but it was restored by the munificence of the Popes and the piety of the faithful, emulated in these days, in which we deplore the burning of S. Paul's. In the gothic tabernacle over the high altar are preserved the heads of SS. Peter and Paul. The mosaics of the tribune were made by order of Nicholas IV (A.D. 1278-1292).]
[Footnote 129: This baptistery, as well as the basilica, is attributed to the time of Constantine; it was reduced to its present state by Urban VIII; On an ancient and interesting Christian sarcophagus taken from the Vatican cemetery is represented a basilica with its apsis, and near it a circular building evidently meant for the baptistery: this is covered with a cupola surmounted by the monogram of Christ; and over the gate are curtains drawn up on each side, See Raoul-Rochette-Tableau des Catacombs, p. 332. The font is an ancient urn of basalt the paintings above it, between the second order of columns, representing, the life of S. John Baptist, are by Carlo Maratta.]
[Footnote 130: In a missal of Pavia it is called a figure of the column which preceded the Israelites going out of Egypt.]
[Footnote 131: The stag was a favourite subject of the early Christian artists, who often represented it in their paintings, and afterwards on their mosaics. The text above quoted explains its signification.]
[Footnote 132: ”In most of the old rituals we find that the font was hallowed with various ceremonies besides prayer. It was customary to make the sign of the cross, as we learn from the testimony of Chrysostom, Augustine, and Pseudo-Dionysius”. Palmer vol. 2, p. 195.
Martene observes that the rite of pouring chrism into the water is mentioned in all the ancient Gallican, Ambrosian, and Mozarabic liturgies. The blessing of baptismal water is reckoned by S. Basil, in the 4th century, among apostolical traditions. (De Spiritu. S. c.
27).]
[Footnote 133: ”Some form of admission to the cla.s.s of catechumens was used in all churches at an early period, and it seems most commonly to have consisted of imposition of hands with prayers for the person.
To this in many places were added various rites, such as, signing the forehead of the candidate with the cross, the consecration and giving of salt, which was ent.i.tled the sacrament of catechumens, repeated exorcisms, or prayers and adjurations to cast out the power of Satan, anointing with oil, and other mystical and figurative rites. In the course of many ages, when the Christian church had overspread the face of the world, and infidelity had become in most places extinct, the form of admission to the cla.s.s of catechumens was from a veneration for old customs in many places conjoined to the office of baptism, and administered at the same time with it to the candidates for that sacrament whether they were infants or not”. Palmer, vol. 2, c. 5, sect. 1.]
[Footnote 134: ”It has been customary in the Christian church from the most remote period, for the candidates for baptism to renounce the devil and all his works, before they were admitted to that sacrament.
This renunciation was always followed by a profession of faith in Christ, as it is now in the English liturgy. The last interrogation and answer ”Vis baptizari, Volo” have long been used in the west.
(Martene de Antiq. Eccl. rit. tom. I, p. 180, 192). According to the ancient custom of the Roman church, represented in the Sacramentary of Gregory, the profession of faith occurs between the hallowing of the water and the administration of the sacrament. This custom has long been used in the Roman church; since the Sacramentary of Gelasius (A.D. 494) appointed the confession of faith to be made immediately before baptism, _though the renunciations were made some hours before_. In primitive times the sign of the cross was not only made on the forehead of the elect at the time of baptism, but was used very often in other ways: this act is probably not more recent than the apostolical age; and this sign was made in some part of almost every Christian office. The administration of baptism was succeeded by various rites in the primitive church; among other the newly-baptised were clothed in white garments. Formerly also confirmation followed immediately after baptism”. I have extracted the preceding pa.s.sages from different sections of Palmer's 5th chapter, vol. 2: coming from a clergyman of the church of England, they are important admissions, and they dispense with the necessity of my proving the antiquity of these various baptismal riles. The reader may see proofs of them collected in Palmer (loc. cit.) Martene T. 1: cap. 2, etc.]
[Footnote 135: Palmer says, that in confirmation, to the rites of prayer and imposition, of hands was added ”that of anointing with an unguent or chrism, made of oil and balsam, and hallowed by the prayers of the bishop.--We learn from the writings of Tertullian and Origen, that it was already customary both in the east and the west at the end of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century. This chrism was intended to signify the grace of the Holy Spirit then conferred”. Palmer, Or. Lit. vol. 2, p. 199. If this unction had not been of apostolic origin, it would not have been customary in all churches at so early a period.]
[Footnote 136: At S. John Lateran's, when the _Agnus Dei_ is said, the ancient custom is preserved, which was originally established by Pope Sergius, of saying _Miserere n.o.bis_ three times, and not _Dona n.o.bis pacem_, which words were introduced into the liturgy, (according to Innocent III, De Myst Missae) about the 10th century, in time of schism.]
[Footnote 137: Orders are generally conferred on the sat.u.r.day of each ember-week, besides the sat.u.r.day before pa.s.sion and easter sundays.
A minute detail of the numerous ceremonies of ordination can not be expected in a work on the ceremonies of holy-week. The reader may find them all enumerated in the Pontifical, and on their antiquity he may consult Morinus, De Ordinationibus; Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. t.