and we know he never suffers himself to be outdone in generosity. When we have to return to our duties, we will, like the Magi, leave our hearts with our Jesus; and it shall be by another way, by a new manner of life, that we will finish our sojourn in this country of our exile, looking forward to that happy day, when life and light eternal will come and absorb into themselves the shadows of vanity and time, which now hang over us.

In Cathedral and other principal Churches, after the Gospel has been sung, the approaching Feast of Easter Sunday is solemnly announced to the people. This custom, which dates from the earliest ages of the Church, shows both the mysterious connection which unites the great Solemnities of the year one with another, and the importance the Faithful ought to attach to the celebration of that which is the greatest of all, and the centre of all Religion. After having honoured the King of the universe on the Epiphany, we shall have to celebrate him, on the day which is now announced to us, as the conqueror of death. The following is the formula used for this solemn announcement.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF EASTER.

Know, dearly beloved Brethren, that by the mercy of God, as we have been rejoicing in the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so also do we announce unto you the joy of the Resurrection, of the same our Saviour. Septuagesima Sunday will be on the... day of... Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the fast of most holy Lent will be on the . . . of... On the ... of... we shall celebrate with joy the holy Pasch of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Diocesan

Noveritis, fratres charissimi, quod annuente Dei misericordia, sicut de Nativitate Domini nostri Jesu Christi gavisi sumus, ita et de Resurrectione ejusdem Salvatoris nostri gaudium vobis annuntiamus. Die... erit Dominica in Septuagesima . . . Dies cinerum, et initium jejunii sacratissimæ Quadragesimæ... Sanctum Pascha Domini nostri Jesu Christi cum gaudio celebrabimus. Dominica secunda post Pascha, Diœce

sana Synodus habebitur... erit Ascensio Domini nostri Jesu Christi... Festum Pentecostes... Festum sacratissimi Corporis Christi ... Dominica prima Adventus Domini nostri Jesu Christi, cui est honor et gloria in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Synod will be held on the se-
cond Sunday after Easter. The
Ascension of our Lord Jesus
Christ will be on the . . . of

The Feast of Pentecost on the . . . of ... The Feast of Corpus Christi on the .. of... On the . . . of... will occur the first Sunday of the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom are honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

During the Offertory, the holy Church, whilst presenting the Bread and Wine to God, makes use of the words of the Psalmist, who prophesies that the Kings of Tharsis, Arabia, and Saba, together with the kings and people of the whole earth, would come to the new-born Saviour and offer him their gifts.

OFFERTORY.

Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerent: Reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent: et adorabunt eum omnes Reges terræ ; omnes gentes servient illi.

The Kings of Tharsis, and the islands, shall offer presents: the Kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts: and all the Kings of the earth shall adore him ; all na; tions shall serve him.

SECRET.

Ecclesiæ tuæ, quæsumus, Domine, dona propitius intuere, quibus non jam aurum, thus et myrrha profertur: sed quod eisdem muneribus declaratur, immolatur et sumitur, Jesus Christus Filius tuus Dominus noster. Qui tecum.

Mercifully look down, O Lord, we beseech thee, on the offerings of thy Church, among which gold, frankincense, and myrrh, are no longer offered: but what is signified by these offerings, is sacrificed, and received-Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Who liveth, &c.

There is a proper Preface for the Feast and Octave of the Epiphany. It celebrates the Divine and

immortal Light that appeared through the veil of our human nature, under which the Word, out of love for us, concealed his glory.

PREFACE.

During the Communion, the holy Church, now united to Him who is her King and Spouse, sings the praises of that Star, which was the messenger of this Jesus; she is full of joy that she followed its light, for it has brought her to her God.

COMMUNION.

Such graces as these that you have received require from you a corresponding fidelity; the Church asks it for you in her Postcommunion; she begs of God to give you that spiritual understanding and purity, which these ineffable mysteries call for.

POSTCOMMUNION.

Præsta, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus, ut quæ solemni celebramus officio, purificata mentis intelligentia consequamur. Per Dominum.

Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that our minds may be so purified, as to understand what we celebrate on this great solemnity. Through, &c.

SECOND VESPERS OF THE EPIPHANY.

The Second Vespers of our great Feast are almost exactly the same as the First. The same Antiphons tell us of the Theophany, the divine Apparition, here below, of that eternal Word, begotten before the day-star, and come down to us to be our Saviour; of the glory of the Lord that has risen upon Jerusalem, and of the Gentiles walking in the light he gives them; of the Magi opening their treasures, and laying their mystic gifts at the feet of the Child our King; of the seas, and rivers, and fountains, that are sanctified by the baptism of the God-Man; and lastly, of the wonderful brightness of the Star, which points out the King of kings.

But the fifth Psalm is changed. Instead of the Psalm, which yesterday invited all nations to praise the Lord, the Church sings the 113th, Inexitu Israel, (page 103,) wherein the Royal Prophet, after having commemorated the deliverance of Israel, denounces the idols of the Gentiles as the works of the hands of men; all are to fall at the approach of Jesus. The adoption granted to Jacob is now extended to all nations. God will bless, not only the house of Israel, and the house of Aaron, but all that fear the Lord, no matter of what race or nation they may be.

The Antiphons and Psalms are, therefore, as in First Vespers, (page 130,) excepting the fifth Psalm, which is In exitu Israel, (page 103).

The Capitulum is, also, as in First Vespers, puge 132.

The Hymn, Crudelis Herodes, after the Capitulum. After the Hymn, the following versicle:

. The Kings of Tharsis, and the islands, shall offer presents.

R. The Kings
Arabians and of Saba shall

Kings of the

bring gifts.

. Reges Tharsis et insulæ munera offerent.

R. Reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent,

In the Antiphon of our Lady's Canticle, the Church once more commemorates the triple mystery of to-day's solemnity.

ANTIPHON OF THE Magnificat.

ANT. We celebrate a festi- ANT. Tribus miraculis orval adorned by three miracles: this day, a star led the Magi to the manger; this day, water was changed into wine at the marriage-feast; this day, Christ vouchsafed to be baptised by John in the Jordan, for our salvation. Alleluia.

LET US PRAY.

O God, who by the direction of a star, didst this day manifest thy only Son to the Gentiles: mercifully grant, that we, who now know thee by faith, may come at length to see the glory of thy Majesty. Through the same, &c.

natum diem sanctum colimus: hodie stella Magos duxit ad præsepium : hodie vinum ex aqua factum est ad nuptias: hodie in Jordane a Joanne Christus baptizari voluit, ut salvaret nos. Alleluia.

OREMUS.

Deus, qui hodierna die Unigenitum tuum Gentibus stella duce, revelasti: concede propitius, ut qui jam te ex fide cognovimus, usque ad contemplandam speciem tuæ celsitudinis perducamur. Per eumdem.

On each day during the Octave of this great Feast, we intend giving portions from the ancient Liturgies,