each side on the edge of the predella, and slightly inclined, relieve 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 either puts off the humeral veil, or returns with the Ministers to the lowest step, 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 the 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 birrettas from the seat 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 birrettas, and they retire to the sacristy, preceded by the Thurifers and Acolytes, to take off their vestments, in the usual manner.

Note. As it often happens that a Bishop or Cardinal, and not the Celebrant, performs the Function, it may be necessary to mention how the Ministers should comport themselves 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 birrettas 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 first step, the Master of Ceremonies taking care to deposit in its place the cushion (Carem. 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 fourth volume of the collection of Decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, part ii., where Monsignor Gardellini makes a commentary upon the Instruzione Clementina, in the Forty Hours' Adoration; and if any person desires to be 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 (Carem. 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

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

day, as also the maniples of the Deacon and Subdeacon, should be placed on the seat 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 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, of 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 relieve 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 birrettas 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 birrettas to the seat, and the Acolytes go to the credence. The Celebrant with his Ministers kneel on the lowest step, and the Clerk with the holy-water approaches to the right of the Deacon.

I 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.)

6. The Deacon, having received the aspersory, presents it to the Celebrant with the usual kisses. The Priest, intoning the Asperges me, or the Vidi aquam, according to the season, thrice asperses the Altar (Carem. Epis. ibid.),—first towards the middle, afterwards towards the side of the Gospel, and lastly, towards that of the Epistle. Should the Blessed Sacrament be exposed, the Deacon presents the aspersory without kisses, 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, giving the usual kisses, 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 relieve 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.1 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, and 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

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.

him by the sacred Ministers. They then make the proper reverence to the Altar, and retire to the seat, 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; they then take their own maniples. (Carem. Epis. lib. i. cap. xv. n. 14; lib. ii. cap. xxi. n. 3.) They return to the Altar, and commence the Mass more solito.

11. When the Bishop is present at the aspersion, the following will be observed:-After the aspersion of the Altar, the Celebrant does not asperse himself, but, leaving his Ministers at the Altar, goes, accompanied by the Master of Ceremonies and Clerk with the holy-water, before the Bishop, to whom he makes a profound inclination, and presents the aspersory with the usual kisses. The Bishop, having taken holy-water himself, asperses the Celebrant and his own Ministers, and returns the aspersory, which the Celebrant receives more solito; the Celebrant makes a profound inclination, consigns the aspersory to the Clerk, and returns to the foot of the Altar, where he makes the due reverence, and asperses the Deacon and Subdeacon. He proceeds as on other occasions, except that he is not accompanied by his Ministers,' but only by the Master of Ceremonies and Clerk: the Ministers remain standing at the foot of the Altar. (Carem. Epis. ibid.)

CHAPTER III.

BENEDICTION OF THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT.2

1. The Altar, at which the Benediction is to be given, should be adorned with candles (at least twelve) and flowers, according to the solemnity of the occasion. The Cross, Reliquaries, and Altar-cards should be removed, but not left exposed on the credence. A throne, with canopy, will be

The reason Gavantus gives for this, is, that for the sake of reverence to the Bishop, the Celebrant should be attended with less than ordinary pomp. ? It is recommended, if possible, to treat the Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament as a function distinct from any other which may have preceded it. Thus, for instance :-that the Officiant, Cope-men, Master of Ceremonies, and Acolytes, withdraw to the sacristy immediately after Vespers, and reenter for Benediction. In the interim, the sermon may be given, or an English hymn sung. Should it not be possible for the Officiant to retire from the Altar, he need not change his vestments, but use a cope and stole of the colour of the day, and humeral veil of white.