RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. IRELAND. THE church of Rome has always shown a decided contempt for the understandings of the people; her superstitions, she knows have a deteriorating tendency, and therefore she thinks she can treat men as overgrown children-still addicted to shows and gewgaws, "pleased with a rattle,-tickled with a straw." Surely it was with a sense of what monstrous mummery she could play off upon the Irish people in the 19th century, that the clergy ventured to consecrate, in the following manner, Marlborough-st. metropolitan popish church. We put this piece of solemn absurdity on record in the CHRISTIAN EXAMINER, in order that Protestants may see how unchangeable is the mistress of abominations: it is extracted from the Catholic Penny Magazine, a work conducted by the Dublin priests: SOLEMN CONSECRATION, (BY UNCTION OF ITS ALTARS, WALLS, &c.) OF THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH, MARLBOROUGH-STREET, DUBLIN. This splendid and most august ceremony took place on Friday the 14th November, 1834, in the manner prescribed in the Roman Pontifical, which had not been performed in Dublin for 300 years before. The celebrating prelate was the Most Rev. Dr. Murray, archbishop of Dublin, assisted by the suffragan bishops of the province: Right Rev. Dr. Kinsella of Ossory; Right Rev. Dr. Nolan, (successor to Dr. Doyle) of Kildare and Leighlin; Right Rev. Dr. Keating of Ferns; Right Rev. Dr. O'Connor, bishop of Madras; and Right Rev. Dr. Polding, bishop of New Holland. The Very Rev. Dr. Coleman, V. G.; Very Rev. J. Meyler, archdeacon; Very Rev. J. Hamilton, the clergy of the church, and all the leading clergy of the diocese took a part in the procession. Her Excellency the Marchioness Wellesley, with her sister, Miss Caton, and their venerable mother, (just returned from America,) heade d the laity, who attended in immense numbers. The choir and music were excellent, and the whole had a most sacred and imposing effect. The ceremony commenced at nine, and terminated about three o'clock. FORM OF CONSECRATION.-As the consecration of a church is performed with more propriety on a Sunday, or solemn festival of a saint, the ceremony on the present occasion took place on Friday, 14th of November, being the Feast of St. Laurence, archbishop and patron of Dublin. Agreeably to the Pontifical, the archdeacon previously announced to the clergy and laity, the name of the church about to be consecrated, and the time of the ceremony, that the consecrating prelate and those who petitioned for the consecration might fast on the preceding day. On the evening of the 13th instant, the Most Rev. Dr. Murray prepared the reliques to be enclosed in the altar to be consecrated, depositing them with three grains of incense in a suitable vase, in which he also placed a scroll of parchment, inscribed as follows: "In the year of our Lord, M,DCCC,XXXIV, on the fourteenth day of November, I, Daniel, Archbishop of Dublin, have consecrated this Church and altar, in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and enclosed herein the reliques of holy martyrs; granting to all the faithful of Christ on this day, one year of true indulgence in the usual form, and forty days of indulgence to those who shall visit it upon the anniversary of this consecration." This vase was sealed and placed on an ornamental bearer in an appropriate place before the door of the church, with suitable lights, where vigil was kept, and the mattins and lauds chanted. All things necessary for the consecration were prepared in the church, as holy chrism, oil, incense, burning coal, ashes, salt, wine, wax candles, lime and sand in suitable vessels, five small crosses for each altar, two lighted torches to precede the bishop, basins of water to wash his hands. two vessels of holy water, clean new altar cloths, and various other vessels necessary for the divine service. About ten feet above the ground of the interior walls, were painted twelve crosses, four on each wall, and at the top of each cross, a nail was placed to which a candle of an ounce weight was affixed. A ladder, high enough to touch those crosses, was placed for the bishop to ascend. The holy water fonts were cleaned and empty, and the passage made free round the exterior of the church. Early in the morning of the consecration his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Murray came to the church, and gave directions for the necessary arrangements. The twelve candles were then lighted, the episcopal seat adorned and placed upon a carpet in the centre of the church. He retired for a short time, and immediately the gates of the church were closed. The archbishop, then, attended by his clergy and people, approached where the reliques had been deposited, and commenced the ceremony, repeating in a low voice the Seven Penitential Psalms, with the Antiphon : Remember not, O Lord, our offences." The prelate now vested himself in an amice, alb, cincture, stole, and white cope, wearing a plain mitre, and taking the pastoral staff in his left hand. second deacon and subdeacon attended vested, with acolythes, and other ministers in surplices. When the Seven Penitential Psalms were ended, the bishop returned to the front door of the church, where a second episcopal chair was placed. Here, putting away his mitre and crozier, standing, he commenced an anthem, which the choir continued. After this he offered a prayer, and resuming his mitre, leaned prostrate in his chair whilst the chanters commenced the litanies. After this the bishop blessed water and salt, repeating the prescribed prayers. After beginning the antiphon, he resumed his mitre, and stationing himself before the door of the church, preceded by two acolythes with burning torches, he began at the right hand, the exterior circuit of the church, accompanied by the clergy and people, and sprinkling the wall high above and the cemetery beneath, repeating the prayers, blessings, and responses. Then he struck the door above the threshold with the end of his crozier. A second circuit was then made. The choir chanted in the mean time: "Bless, O Lord, this house, &c." When the circuit was completed, the bishop, standing before the door of the church, offered up several other prayers. Striking the doors a second time, in a loud voice he said, "Raise up your gates, &c." To which the deacon inside responded, "Who is this King of glory?" The bishop then made a third circuit, accompanied by his clergy and people, sprinkling the cemetery and exterior of the walls, repeating the blessing, prayers, antiphons, &c. He advanced a third time to the door of the church, striking it above the threshold with the crozier, saying, "Raise up your gates, &c.” To which the deacon responded as before. After the sign of the cross, the door was opened, and the bishop, accompanied by his clerical attendants, choir, and masons to cover and cement the stone, entered. Prayers and anthems were then chanted. After thus advancing to the middle of the church, where the A episcopal chair was prepared, he knelt with his face turned towards the high altar, and commenced the hymn of the Holy Ghost, "Veni Creator," which the choir continued. Meanwhile, one of the attendants sprinkled ashes over the pavement of the church, in shape of a cross, forming two lines of about twelve inches each in breadth, one commencing at the angle of the church to the left of the principal door, and carried transversely across to the angle at the right of the high altar; the other line drawn from the two remaining opposite angles. At the end of the hymn, the bishop resumed his mitre, and leaned prostrate upon his episcopal chair, whilst the choir continued the litanies before commenced. The blessed Virgin Mary, in whose name and honour the church was dedicated, was twice invoked, and also those saints whose reliques were deposited within. When the petition, that "Thou wilt give eternal rest, &c." was chanted, the bishop rose, and holding the crozier in his left hand, begged of God to "visit this place, &c." Then raising high his hand he formed the sign of the cross three times successively, over the church and altar, saying at each blessing, "That thou vouchsafe to bless this church and altar about to be consecrated to thy honour, and in memorial of the consecration of the Blessed Virgin Mary." Resp. "We beseech thee to hear us." After this, resigning his crozier, he leaned prostrate upon his episcopal chair, while the choir concluded the litanies, after which he rose, took off his mitre, and standing with his face to the great altar, proceeded with other prayers. After this the choir chanted the antiphon: "O how fearful is this place, &c." and the Canticle of Zachary, from the 1st chap. 68 to 79 v. of St. Luke's Gospel. After each verse of the canticle, the anthem, "O how fearful, &c." was repeated. During the chant the bishop resuming his mitre and crozier, and beginning at the angle of the church, to the left of the grand entrance, according to the direction of the lines formed, described upon the ashes, with the extremity of his crozier, the letters of the Greek alphabet, at such a distance from each other, as to occupy the entire space, and in like manner on the other line he made the Latin alphabet. After this he put on his mitre, proceeded towards the high altar, knelt down, and prayed three times, the choir answering each. Then he blessed other water, salt, ashes, and wine, in the manner prescribed. He then advanced to the door of the church, and with the end of his crozier made the sign of the cross on the upper and lower parts of the inside, after which he prayed: "May thy invincible cross be set on this threshold, &c." Then going back where he blessed the water, standing turned towards the great altar, he said: "We beseech, dearest brethren, Almighty God the Father, in whose house there are many mansions, that he would vouchsafe to bless and preserve this abode, by the aspersion of this water, mixed with wine, salt, and ashes; through our Lord Jesus Christ, &c." After this the bishop proceeded to the altar, and there intoned the anthem, "I will go up to the house of God, to God who rejoiceth in my youth," and repeated the 42d Psalm : "Judge me, O God, &c." After cach verse of this psalm the anthem was repeated. As soon as the anthem commenced, the bishop, retaining his mitre, standing before the altar, dipped the thumb of his right hand into the water, just then blessed, and with it and the water made a cross in the middle of the table of the altar, saying: 66 May this altar be sanctified to the honour of the Almighty God, and of the glorious Virgin Mary, and of all the saints, and in the name and in memorial of the Conception of the B. V.M. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peace be to thee." Then he made with his thumb, as before, dipped in the water, four crosses, in the four corners of the altar, repeating at each cross, the same words: “ May this altar, &c." The prayer "In virtue of that signal propitiation, &c." ended, the bishop went round the table of the altar seven times, sprinkling it and the basement with holy water, and said each time three verses of the 50th Psalm: "Have mercy on me, O God, &c." together with the Antiphon: "Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, &c." Subsequently he went round the interior of the church three times, sprinkling its walls with holy water, beginning first behind the great altar, from the right side, sprinkling the walls in the lower part near the ground, and saying the anthem: "This is the house of the Lord, firmly built, well-founded on the solid rock," the choir singing the 121st Psalm: "I rejoice at the things that were said to me, &c." Going round the second time and sprinkling the walls to his own height, he said: "Let God arise, &c." Then he said the 67th Psalm, v. 27: "In the churches bless God the Lord, &c." Going round the third time, sprinkling the walls higher than before, and commencing at the left hand side, the Anthem, "He that dwelleth, &c." and the 90th Psalm (continued) "He shall say to the Lord, &c." were chanted. Then he sprinkled the floor of the church in the centre, beginning from the altar to the principal entrance, and then across from one wall to the other, the choir chanting: "My house shall be called the house of prayer, &c." Whilst he was in the middle of the church, the choir entoned, he beginning: "Jacob saw a ladder, &c." During the repetition of this he sprinkled the floor of the church, towards the east, west, north, and south. Then turning towards the principal entrance he repeated the "O God, who sanctifiest, &c."" O God, the Almighty Sovereign, &c." and the Preface: "It is truly meet, &c." as in the Pontifical. Then receiving his mitre he went up to the altar, and with the holy water made mortar, praying: "O Almighty God, &c." The bishop and clergy then proceeded in procession to the place where the reliques were laid the holy chrism was brought to the gates of the church, where standing outside, the bishop said: "Let us bend the knee," and repeated other prayers; then receiving his mitre he entered with the clergy, the choir chanting: "O how glorious is that kingdom, &c." then the 94th Psalm: “Come, let us praise the Lord with joy, &c." Then standing before the reliques, he prayed for some time, after which two acolythes, with lights, then the cross, the clergy chanting, he commencing. "You prayers: shall go forth with delight, &c." After these the priests carrying the relique-bier with the reliques, and finally the bishop with his assistants. When the procession began to move, the bishop commenced the anthem: "You shall go forth, &c." which was resumed by the choir. After this the bishop and priests made a circuit round the exterior of the church, the people following exclaiming: "Lord have mercy on us." This being done, the bishop, having received his mitre, and being seated in his chair before the door of the church, addressed a few words to the people, in which he set forth the respect and reverence due to the house of God, where sacrifice is daily offered up, and the very walls by sacred unction, devoted solely to the purpose of religion. He then reminded them of the sacredness of the place, whence all noise and commerce, and secular concerns of every kind, should be removed; that, as it is called, so it may in reality be, the House of prayer." Afterwards he pointed out the duty of the people to contribute to the support of their pastors. The archdeacon then read two decrees from the 22d and 25th Sessions of the Council of Trent, respecting ecclesiastical revenues, and their just appropriation.- After which the bishop ordered prayers to be offered up for all those who contributed towards the erection of the church, and for those who desired its consecration, granting them a share in all the spiritual advantages that shall be reaped within its holy precincts. Then he chanted the following Resp. : The Lord shall be my God, and this stone, &c." Then turning towards the door of the church he said: "Let us pray, &c." Before he entered he dipped the thumb of his right hand into holy chrism, and marked therewith in the form of a cross the outer door of the churcli, saying: 66 In the name of the Father, &c." Then entering the church all proceeded in procession, the bishop commencing: Enter, ye saints of God, &c." Upon arriving at the altar, in which the reliques were to be deposited, the bishop commenced the Ant. The saints shall exult, &c." and the Psalm 149: "Sing ye, to the Lord, &c." Psalm 150: "Praise ye the Lord, &c." and the other prayers. The bishop then resumed his mitre, and dipping his right hand in holy chrism, he anointed therewith the four corners of the sepulchre where the reliques were afterwards laid, making on each the sign of the cross. Then resigning his mitre he reverentially deposited the vessel containing the reliques, sealed as stated the preceding day, in the sepulchre of the altar, and then began the anthem. "Under God's altar, &c." Then he enclosed the deposited reliques, received his mitre, took the table or stone that closed the sepulchre, dipped his right hand thumb in holy chrism, and formed therewith the sign of the cross on the centre of the under part of the stone, saying: "Be this table (or stone) consecrated, &c." After cementing the stone which was secured by a mason, he repeated: "I heard from under the altar of God, &c." "O God, who for the dwelling, &c." Whilst the responses were made he proceeded praying, and using the words" Be this altar sealed and sanctified in the name of the Father, &c." Then putting incense in the thurible, he said :-" Be thou blessed by Him in whose honour thou shalt burn. In the name of the Father, &c." Making the sign of the cross over the thurible, he began, the choir continuing the chant: "An angel stood by the altar, &c." Then incensing the altar in every direction, on both sides, right and left, in front and on top; when the chant was finished, he said: "May my prayer, &c." After incensing and going round the altar thrice, the choir chanted the Psalm 83: "How lovely are thy tabernacles, &c." While these were sung, the bishop, mitred and standing, dipped his right thumb in the oil of Catechumen's and with it formed five crosses, namely, in the centre and four corners of the altar, the second at the remote right or gospel corner, the third at the left from the corner, the fourth at the right front corner, and the fifth at the hinder left corner, repeating at each: Be this stone made a second time five crosses, and N. S. VOL. III. sanctified, &c." After other prayers he went round the altar, and said: "Let the ineffable tenderness, &c." "Jacob rising in the morning, &c." Psalm 91: "It is good to give praise to the Lord, &c." After this he walked round incensing the altar as before, praying " Be thou propitious, O God, &c." He then intoned, "God, thy God, &c." and Psalm 44: " My heart bath uttered, &c." He then made again five crosses, praying, and incensing the altar, as before, and continued: "Let thy holy Spirit, &c."-" The Lord hath sanctified, &c." and Psalm 45: “Our God is our refuge, &c." While this was chanted he poured out the oil of Catechumen's and chrism on the altar, rubbing the oil over with his right hand, saying: "Behold the odour of my Son," and Psalm 86: "The foundations thereof are in thy holy mountains, &c." Then saying, "Dearest brethren, let us pray that our Lord may bless and consecrate this stone, &c." The choir chanted, he commencing with: "Thy works are all precious, &c."-the 147th Psalm, "Praise the Lord, &c." with responses, while the bishop beginning behind the altar, anointed with holy chrism each of the twelve crosses painted on the walls of the church, saying at each unction: "May this temple be sanctified, &c." each cross being incensed thrice. The bishop returning to the altar, the choir continued, he beginning: "Moses created an altar, &c."-"We suppliantly implore the mercy of God, &c." Then blessing the incense, he said after the Antiphons: "O Lord God Almighty, &c." then sprinkling it with holy water, he formed with his hand, of this incense, four crosses, each of five grains, over those five places of the altar where the crosses of water, oil, and chrism had been made, &c. Then resigning his mitre, kneeling before the altar, he began, the choir chanting: "Come Holy Ghost, &c.""-"O holy Lord, &c.' The candles and incense being now consumed, the ashes were scraped away, &c. the bishop before the steps of the altar said several other anthems, prayers, &c. He then said: "Almighty God, 4 F |
