Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

albam: stans ante altare incipiat reverentia signat se signo CruAntiphonam:

cis a fronte ad pectus, et clara

[blocks in formation]

"Eorum quoque,

Venerable Bede insists strongly upon the necessity of teaching the people to use this Sign: he is writing to Archbishop Egbert. qui in populari adhuc vita continentur, solicitam te necesse est curam gerere, ut-sufficientes eis doctores vitæ salutaris adhibere memineris, et hoc eos inter alia discere facias, quibus operibus maxime Deo placere, a quibus se debeant, qui Deo placere desiderant, abstinere peccatis,-qua divinam clementiam supplicantes debeant devotione precari, quam frequenti diligentia signaculo se dominicæ crucis, suaque omnia adversum continuas immundorum spirituum insidias, necesse habeant munire, &c." Beda. Op. Hist. Minora, p. 221. We must not forget that Bede lived in an age which had not experienced the abuse, and knew only the proper use of this Holy Sign. As we go on, the reader will observe too many evidences of its superstitious repetition. It is now removed altogether from the Liturgy of the Church of England, and far better is it that it should be so, than that it should be a means by which people might ignorantly be led to stumble and to take offence. The proper use of the sign of the Cross may well be defended upon many grounds, but not an improper excess.

[ocr errors]

Speaking in another place, upon this sign of the Cross, Merati says in his additions to Gavantus, tom. ii. p. 108. 'Aliqui illud tribus digitis dextræ manus efformant sub invocatione Sanctissimæ Trinitatis, alii vero duobus, ad duas Christi naturas et voluntates contra Monophysitas et Monothelitas indicandas."

[blocks in formation]

6

Gloria patri: Cum Gloria patri.

sicut erat.

Ant.

NTROI

INTRO

(Mentium. Ebor.) My edition has, by a plain typographical error,

manuum.

7 (Junctis manibus. Rom.) "In Missa semper ita persistit, nisi quidpiam agendum impediat." Le Brun. Explicatio Missæ. tom. i. p. 51.

в (Introibo. Sarum.) This very ancient commencement of the Service was most appropriate. Some writers have said that S. Ambrose alludes to it, as being used in his time in the Church of Milan: but, as others, Bona and Gavantus, &c. have pointed out, that Father in the place cited, is not treating of the Communion, but of the Newly-baptized, of Baptism, and Confirmation. "His abluta plebs" are his words," dives insignibus ad Christi contendit Altaria dicens, Introibo, &c." There is no doubt however that it was very anciently used in this place, for Micrologus speaks of it, cap. 23. Paratus, sacerdos venit ad Altare dicens Antiphonam." It is remarkable that it is not appointed to be said in the Bangor Use.

66

9 (Judica me. Sar.) Up to the earliest ages of which any record remains, we find examples of commencing the Liturgy with a Psalm: but it was not universal; and for the four first Centuries at least there was a variety of practice. It is not possible to decide what Psalms in particular were appointed, or even whether in the first ages the later practice of a fixed Psalm

HERFORD.

ROM.

NTROIBO ad altare.

IN

Ps. Judica me.

Totus psalmus dicatur cum Glo-
ria Patri.
Sequitur Antiphona.

[blocks in formation]

S. repetit antiphonam.

NTROIBO ad altare Dei, I. ad Deum qui lætificat

IN

ad Deum qui lætificat ju

ventutem meam.

NTROIBO ad altare Dei.
R. Ad
juventutem meam.
Signat se dicens v.

was observed. Durand says, lib. iv. cap. 7. that Pope Coelestin I. originally appointed this particular psalm. This would have been about the year 430. But it would seem, from an old Ordo Romanus, that this Pope merely ratified the custom of saying a Psalm. A French Ritualist of little or no authority, Claude de Vert, (of some considerable learning, but excessive prejudice towards many peculiar conceits of his own,) has laid it down that the custom of saying this psalm Judica is not older than the XIVth Century. In which he is confuted by innumerable examples to the contrary : and we may conclude that, (though we cannot fix it either to the time of Pope Cœlestine or of S. Ambrose, to whom also the institution of it has been attributed, yet) for more than 500 years, it had been so used in this part of the Liturgy. The Mozarabic Liturgy appoints the Antiphon, but omits the Psalm. This the Church of Rome now follows, in Masses for the dead, and during the days between Passion Sunday and Easter Eve: at which season the question would be inappropriate, "Quare tristis es, anima mea: et quare conturbas me?" But the Antiphon is not omitted: which is said to be, because though the signs of joy are not allowed at such times, yet the reason and the motive may nevertheless be spoken of; and therefore the Priest may still say: Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.'

[ocr errors]

66

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Tunc sacerdos stans ante gra- Deinde junctis manibus, pro

dum altaris dicat:

funde inclinatus facit confessio

nem :

« PoprzedniaDalej »