To Father Holy Ghost and Son, Amen. Towards the end of the Adoration, &c. the Candles on the Altar are lighted, and the Cross being placed thereon, the Priest, with his Attendants, go to fetch the Presanctified Host from the place where it was yesterday deposited. Whilst the Procession is returning the following HYMN is sung. VEXILLA regis pro deunt, Et morte vitam protulit. Electa digno stipite Tam sancta membra tan Hoc passionis tempore! Te fons salutis, Trini tas, David fideli carmine, Dicendo nationibus: Regnavit a ligno Deus. Arbor decora et fulgida, Ornata regis purpura! Having placed the Sacred Host on the Altar, he censes it on his knees, and lays it on the corporal : and after receiving the Chalice with wine and water from the Deacon, he censes both Host and Chalice, saying: MAY this incense, which hath been blessed by thee, O Lord, ascend to thee, and may thy mercy descend upon us. LE At the censing of the Altar. ET my prayer, O Lord, ascend like incense ir thy sight; and let the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Place, O Lord, a guard upon my mouth, and a gate of prudence before my lips, that my heart may not wander after words of malice, to seek excuses in sin. On returning the Censer to the Deacon he says: ΜΑ AY the Lord kindle in us the fire of his love, and the flame of everlasting charity. Then he washes his fingers without saying any thing; afterwards he bows down at the middle of the altar, and says: ACCEPT us, O Lord, coming to thee in the spirit of humility, and with a contrite heart; and grant that the sacrifice of this day may be so celebrated by us as to be well pleasing to thee, O Lord our God. Then turning about towards the people, he says: RETHREN, pray that this my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father Pr. B Almighty. R. May the Lord receive this sacrifice from thy hands to the praise and glory of his own name, to our benefit, and that of all his holy Church. Pr. INST Let us pray. NSTRUCTED by thy saving precepts, and following thy divine directions, we presume to say: Our Father, &c. p. xxix. R. Deliver us from all evil. Having answered Amen in silence, he then says aloud: Deliver us, we beseech thee, O Lord, &c. as in p. xl. Having elevated the Sacred Host, and divided it into three parts, he puts one of them into the Chalice saying: ET not the participation of thy body, O Lord sume to receive, turn to my judginent and condemnation; but let it, through thy mercy, become a safe-guard and remedy both to soul and body: who with God the Father, in unity with the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen. I Taking up the Sacred Host on the Paten, he says: WILL receive the bread of heaven, and call on the name of the Lord. L Then he strikes his breast, repeating thrice: ORD, I am not worthy thou shouldst enter under my roof; speak therefore but the word, and my soul shall be healed. When he receives the Sacred Host, he says: ΜΑ AY the body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve Having received the Chalice, and taken the Ablution, GRANT, O Lord, that what we have taken with our mouths, we may receive with a pure heart; that as we now receive it in this mortal life, it may procure us that which is eternal. VESPERS. ANTHEMS and PSALMS, as yesterday, p. 275. except the ANT. At the Magnificat. ANT. Cum accepisset acetum dixit; consummatum est: et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum. V. Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. Our Father being said in secret, the office concludes with the Ps. Miserere, p. 279, and the Prayer Respice, p. 270. HOLY SATURDAY. N the first ages of the Church there was no Mass celebrated either on this day or yesterday. The faithful silently adored Jesus Christ in the sepulchre till towards evening, when they assembled in the Church, ? Fong there and occupied themselves in praying, reading lessons from the holy Scriptures, singing psalms, baptising and confirming catechumens, &c. &c. until about midnight, when the Mass of the Resurrection began. Wherefore in order to perpetuate the remembrance of the fervent piety of her first children, the Church still retains the word night in the Office of this day. The BLESSING of the FIRE. The Lord be with you. Let us pray. R. And with thy spirit. GOD, who by thy only Son, the chief cornerstone of thy Church, hast bestowed on the faithful the fire of thy divine love: bless this new fire produced from a flint for our use: and grant that during this paschal solemnity. we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with purity of mind, we may come to those festivals, where we may enjoy a light which will never end. Thro' the R. Amen. same. Let us pray. Domine, Deus. LORD God, Almighty Father, never-failing light, who art the Creator of all the lights; bless this light, which hath been before blessed and sanctified by thee, who hast enlightened the whole world; that we may be inflamed by that same light, and enlightened by the fire of thy brightness: and as thou didst enlighten Moses when he went out of Egypt, so enlighten our hearts and senses, that we may obtain that light and life which will have no end. Thro' Christ our Lord. R. Amen. Domine sancte. Let us pray. HOLY Lord, Almighty Father, Eternal God, vouchsafe to assist us, while we bless this fire in thy name, and in that ot thy only Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, and the Holy Ghost: assist us against the fiery darts of the enemy, and enlighten us with thy heavenly grace. Who livest and reignest with the same, &c. R. Amen. The BLESSING of the five Grains of INCENSE. PLENTILULLY pour forth, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, thy blessing on this incense and kindle, Ŏ invisible regenerator, the brightness of this night; that not only the sacrifice which is offered this night may shine by the sacred mixture of thy light; but also, that into whatever place any thing sanctified by these mystical prayers shall be carried, there by the power of thy majesty, all the malicious artifices of the devil may be defeated Thro' Christ our Lord. R. Amen. After an Acolyte has put some of the blessed Fire into the Censer, the Priest adds incense saying: "May thou be blessed by him, in whose honour thou art to be burnt." Here he sprinkles the Grains of Incense and the Fire thrice saying: "Sprinkle me, &c." p. xiii. Then having fumed them thrice with Incense, he takes the Cane with the three Candles to the entrance of the Church, where one is lighted by an Acolyte with a candle from the new fire, whilst the Deacon sings alone: "Behold the light of Christ," to which, all kneeling, add: "R. Thanks be to God." The same is repeated at lighting the second in the middle of the Church, and the third at the foot of the altar; after which the Deacon says: 66 Pray, Sir, give me your blessing." To which the Priest replies: May the Lord be in your heart and lips, that you may worthily and fitly proclaim his Paschal praise: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, &c. R. Amen. During the BLESSING of the PASCHAL CAN DLE, all stand up. 66 LET now the heavenly troop of angels rejoice let these divine mysteries be joyfully celebrated: and let the heavenly trumpet publish the victory of our great King, and let the earth also triumph, beng beautified with such resplendent beams; and let |