punishment of malefactors on the cross, the Christians, who well knew
with S. Paul that Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block,
and to the gentiles foolishness', prudently abstained from
representing our Saviour nailed to the cross, and used rather to
depict a lamb with a cross near it, of which instances may he seen in
Rork's Hierurgia p. 520. The first mention of the _crucifix_ in the
church is believed to occur in the poem titled _De Passione Domini_
referred to the fourth century. That the use of the sign and the
image of the _cross_ was much more ancient and very prevalent among
Christians will appear from the following facts. "At every step and
movement" says Tertullian (in the early part of the third century)
"whenever we come in or go out, when we dress and wash ourselves, at
table, when lights are brought in, whether we are lying or sitting
down; whatever we are doing, we mark our foreheads with the sign of
the cross". Eusebius mentions that Constantine placed a magnificent
cross De Vit. Const. I. 3. In the fourth century in his palace S. John
Chrysostom in one of his eloquent homilies observes "Every where the
symbol of the cross is present to us. We inscribe it very diligently
on our houses, and walls, and doors, and brows, and thoughts". S.
Basil (De Spirit. S. ad Amphilochium c. 27.) derives the sign of the
cross from Apostolic tradition. That this custom universally prevailed
among Christians might be proved from S. Jerome, from the historian
Socrates and others, and from monuments of the early Christians still
preserved in Egypt: but why travel so far? we have only lo look around
us in the catacombs, or in the Vatican Museum and Library. The cross
is the chosen, the beloved sign of Christians; they repeated it a
thousand times on their lamps, on their rings, on their cups and
sacred vessels, that they might have the sign of their redemption ever
before their eyes, they kissed it at the hour of their death, and
had it marked on their tomb, as a sign of their hope of salvation. No
sooner had peace shone upon the church, than crosses were erected on
high roads, and in many places of public resort: and would to God that
those sacred ancient monuments, which once adorned our own country,
bore public testimony to the faith of its inhabitants, and recalled
to the minds of passers-by the sufferings of their Saviour, had not
been too rudely treated in the first heat of religious and political
frenzy! For some ancient representations of the cross see the learned
work of Dr. Rock on the mass. I shall content myself with noticing an
interesting instance, which he has not mentioned. At Pompeii the house
of Pansa, as it is called, is one of the most remarkable yet excavated
on account of its extent and regularity. Some parts of it were used
as shops, and appear to have been let out, (as is still the custom in
some palaces of Rome): for they have no communication with the body
of the building. Between two parts thus separated is an entrance from
a side street to the peristyle or open court surrounded by columns;
and on the pier between the two doors is, or rather was a painting
representing one of the guardian-serpents or tutelary deities, who
were sometimes represented under that form, as we occasionally see
at Pompeii, and as we learn from Virgil (lib.) V. Hence as we see
in Titus' baths and are informed by Persius, a place was considered
sacred, in which serpents were painted. Indeed these reptiles became
such favourites, that, according to Seneca, they used to creep upon
the tables amid the cups: and some ladies so far overcame natural
prejudices, as to place real serpents, if not boas, round their necks,
to cool them, instead of using artificial boas to warm themselves.
"Si gelidum nectit collo Glacilla draconem" says Martial. Before the
serpent painted in Pansa's house is or was a projecting brick intended
to support a lamp: the painting in consequence of its situation could
be seen only by persons within the house: but upon the opposite wall
there is or was a cross worked in bas relief upon a panel of white
stucco, so situated as to be visible to all persons passing. It had
the form of a Latin cross, which, we may observe, as well as the Greek
cross: is found upon ancient Christian monuments; though of course
we cannot bring forward other instances so ancient as the monument
in question. (See Rock p. 516). "It is hard to conceive", says the
learned Mazois, "that the same man should bow at once before the cross
of Christ, and pay homage to Janus, Ferculus, Limetinus, Cardia, the
deities of the threshold, and the hinges of doors. Perhaps at this
time the cross was of a meaning unknown except to those who had
embraced the Christian faith, which, placed here among the symbols
of paganism, as if in testimony of gratitude, informed the faithful,
that the truth had here found an asylum with a poor man, under the
safeguard of all the popular superstitions". So far Mazois, whose
opinion is embraced by the author of the interesting work on Pompeii
published by the society for promoting useful knowledge: but is it not
probable, I may ask, or rather is it not certain that, at that early
period, while some members of the same family were pagans, others were
Christians? it is not then surprising if in the same house we find
both Christian and Pagan emblems: we may suppose, that some such
persons may have been inmates of the same house as Mr. Bulwer's
pagan gladiator Lydon and his Christian father Medon. Pompeii was
overwhelmed by ashes in the year of Christ 79: and if Vesuvius still
occasionally lay waste the surrounding country, we are indebted to it
for the preservation not only of a thousand classical monuments, but
also of a representation of the cross of Christ, which cannot be of a
much later date than the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.]
[Footnote 89: St. Helen discovered the cross on which Christ suffered,
and erected a church in Jerusalem, in which it was deposited.
"The bishop of that city every year, at the season of the paschal
solemnity, exhibits it to be _adored_ by the people, after he himself
has first performed his act of profound veneration". S. Paulinus
of Nola, A.D. 430, ep. 11 ad Sever. "In the middle of Lent, the
life-giving wood of the venerable cross is usually exposed for
_adoration_". S. Sophronius patriarch of Jerusalem in 639. (Orat. in
Exalt. Crucis). From this custom of the church of Jerusalem probably
arose that of the Roman church, in which a crucifix, containing a
particle of the true cross, was publicly venerated on good Friday. In
the Sacramentary of pope Gelasius (A.D. 402) we read in an account
of the ceremonies of this day "The priest comes before the altar,
adoring the Lord's cross and kissing it--all adore the holy cross and
communicate". This ceremony is mentioned also in the Antiphonary of
S. Gregory the great and the ancient _Ordo Romanus_. Flecte genu,
lignumque crucis venerabile adora, says Lactantius. See bishop
Poynter's Christianity p. 151. Of the Greeks Leo Allatius relates that
"on good-friday, while they accompany as it were Christ himself to the
tomb, they lead round through the cities and _adore_ the sculptured
body of Christ". De consensu utriusque Eccl. lib. 5. c. 15. The
Syrians also practise this ceremony, as we learn from documents
published by Card. Borgia and Nairon. This rite is called the
_adoration_ of the cross. Let us not forget what is said in the Book
of Common Prayer in the solemnization of Matrimony "With this ring
I thee wed; with my body I thee _worship_". Such words of doubtful
signification must be interpreted from the doctrine of the church
which adopts them. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. Now
the word _adorare_ used in our liturgy (derived from _ad_ and _ora_,
because persons when _adoring_ used to put their right hand to their
mouth; Plin. I. 28, c. 2. Apuleius in Apolog.) signifies not only to
pay divine worship, but also to venerate and even to salute. Thus
from the instances collected in Forcellini's Lexicon we may select the
following: "Primo autem septimum Germanici consulatum adoravi". Stat
in præf i. 4 Silv. Imo cum gemitu populum sic adorat: Apulei. lib 2.
Metam. The doctrine of the catholic church on this subject is as usual
clear and decided. The twenty-fifth session of the Council of Trent
decreed as follows: "The holy synod commands all bishops, and others
sustaining the duty and care of teaching, that they should diligently
instruct the faithful concerning the legitimate use of images
according to the custom of the catholic and apostolic church received
from the commencement of christianity, and the consent of the holy
fathers, and decrees of the sacred councils, teaching them ... that
the images of Christ; of the Virgin mother of God, and other saints,
are to be had and retained especially in churches, and that due honour
and veneration are to be given them: not that any divinity or virtue
is believed to exist in them for which they are to be worshipped, or
that any thing is to be asked from them, or that confidence is to be
placed in images, as was formerly done by the Gentiles, who used to
place their hope in idol; but because the honour which is given to
them is referred to the prototypes which they represent; so that
by the images which we kiss, and before which we uncover our heads
and bow our bodies, we adore Christ, and venerate the Saints, whose
likeness they bear: this has been decreed against the opposers of
images by the decrees of councils, especially of the second synod of
Nice. And let the bishops diligently teach, that by the histories
of the mysteries of our redemption expressed in pictures or other
likenesses the people are instructed and confirmed in commemorating
and assiduously venerating articles of faith, and that from all sacred
images a great fruit is derived, not only because the people are
admonished of the benefits and gifts conferred on them by Christ, but
also because God's miracles through the saints, and salutary examples
are laid before the eyes of the faithful, that they may return
thanks for them to God, and may compose their life and manners to an
imitation of the saints, and may be excited to adore and love God and
cherish piety". The council then gives directions for the extirpation
of any abuses which may creep in. These words, by which our faith
and practice are regulated, are too clear to need comment, and
sufficiently justify catholics from the foolish and calumnious charge
of idolatry. The true Catholic practice is well expressed in a work
attributed to Alcuin "We prostrate our bodies before the cross, and
our souls before the Lord: we venerate the cross by which we have been
redeemed, and we supplicate Him who redeemed us".]
[Footnote 90: This rite is described in the Ordo Romanus XIV with the
same ceremonies. It is first mentioned in the Ordo XI of the Canon
Benedict.]
[Footnote 91: We kiss and press to our hearts the pictures of those
whom we love, and shall we think it sinful to kiss the image of Him,
who for love of us humbled himself even to the death of the cross?
Oh! let each one of us rather exclaim with S. Paul "God forbid that I
should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the
world is crucified to me and I to the world" (Gal. VI): or in the
words attributed to S. Andrew when he was going to be crucified "Hail
precious cross, that hast been consecrated by the body of my Lord, and
adorned with his limbs as with rich jewels. Oh good cross, that hast
received beauty from our Lord's limbs, I have ardently loved thee,
long have I desired and sought thee; now thou art found by me and made
ready for my longing soul". Act. S. Andreæ.]
[Footnote 92: "The greatest glory" says Baini "was deservedly obtained
by _Pierluigi_ on account of the _improperii_, and the hymn _Crux
fidelis_ which he set to music for 8 voices divided into two choirs,
and which were sung for the first time by the choir of the Lateran
basilica on good Friday in the year 1560: by them _fece sbalordire
arte e natura_. Pius IV demanded them for the use of the apostolic
chapel, and, after he had heard them, declared that Palestrina had
surpassed his expectations. These _improperii_ are still sung and will
ever be sung in the apostolic chapel" Baini, Mem. storic. di Giovanni
Pierluigi da Palestrina 1. p. 64.]
[Footnote 93: This hymn is frequently sung in the Greek and Oriental
church. Renaudot T. I, p. 70. According in the Menologium Græcum
and S. John Damascen it was first used in the reign of Theodosius,
when public supplications were offered to heaven during a terrible
earthquake at Costantinople. This Palmer admits, I, 64. It is still
said in Greek, in which it was originally composed, as well as in
Latin, in the Roman church. See Goar in notis ad Rituale Græc.]
[Footnote 94: In the Ordo Romanus XII, Ap. 1, de Presbyterio, it is
prescribed that "according to ancient custom whatever is offered upon
the cross ought to belong to the _schola_ (or company)" of the cross:
in the Ordo XIV, that it belongs to the _Sagrista_. The sum collected
is at present the perquisite of M. Sagrista and the two principal
Masters of ceremonies. These offerings were customary also in other
churches, and in particular at Paris.]
[Footnote 95: Baini observes, that the chant of this hymn is one of
the few instances of _rhythmical_ chant preserved by uninterrupted
_tradition_ in the papal chapel and adorned with the ancient
ornaments. (See his Saggio sopra l'indentità dei ritmi musicale e
poetico. Firenze, 1820). "The chant of that hymn" says Eximano (quoted
by Baini, Mem. Stor.) is a true plain chant, that is, a chant of
unison, such as it is found in all choral books: but the mode of
singing it in the pontifical chapel makes it appear different from
what is sung in other churches--Above all, the distribution of the
notes, which are sung (not of those which are written) adapted to
express the length and shortness of the syllables which compose the
rhythm of the hymn, ought to be studied. "Se si dà quell'inno ad un
maestro di cappella per metterlo in musica concertata ed in _battuta
sensibile_, verrà subito distrutto il _ritmo_, e se la cantilena
della cappella pontif. si scrive in battuta, si vedranno cadere
nel _battere_ alcune sillabe brevi, senza pregiudizio della loro
quantità". Dubbio di D. Antonio Eximeno sopra il saggio fondamentale
pratico di contrappunto del R.P.M. Martini. Roma, 1773.]
[Footnote 96: The corporal is a square piece of linen so called,
because the Corpus or body of Christ is placed on it. S. Isidore of
Pelusium in the beginning of the 5th century says, that the white
linen cloth, which is spread under the divine gifts, is the clean
linen cloth of Joseph of Arimathea: "for we, sacrificing the bread of
proposition on the linen cloth, without doubt find like him the body
of Christ": it was anciently much larger than it is at present. The
purificator is a small towel, which serves to wipe the chalice and
the hands and mouth of the priest, after he has received the B.
Sacrament.]
[Footnote 97: The veil is used from reverence to the B. Sacrament:
on an ancient mosaic on one of the arches of S. Prassede, a person
is represented enveloped in it, holding a sacred vessel apparently
intended to contain the B. Sacrament. Ciampini, Vet. mon. T. 2.]
[Footnote 98: According to the Gelasian Sacramentary, "the deacons go
to the _sacrarium_ and walk in procession with the body and blood of
the Lord, which remained from the preceding day": with it the most
ancient Ordo Romanus ad usum monasteriorum agrees.]
[Footnote 99: In the fourth century Pope Innocent I in his epistle to
Decentius assigns as a reason, why the holy sacrifice is not offered
up on this day, the example of the apostles who, concealing themselves
for fear of the Jews, spent this and the following day in fasting and
mourning for the death of their master, and were thus debarred from
the holy mysteries. During the whole of Lent the Greek church still
celebrates, towards evening, only the mass of the presanctified,
except on Saturdays and Sundays, and on the feast of the Annunciation,
when the ordinary mass is offered up. This is one of the ancient
instances of communion under one kind; for, as Leo Allatius observes,
either it is received under the form of bread alone, or if some drops
of the sacred blood were sprinkled on the host, all the species
of wine have disappeared before communion. (De utriusque Ecclesiæ
consensione, p. 875). Neither in the Latin or the Greek church is the
mass of the pre-sanctified a _Missa sicca_ or dry mass: in which not
only the consecration, but also the communion, and all those prayers
which are said over the holy Eucharist, used to be omitted. See
Durandus in Rationali c. 1. This is the only day in the year on which
mass is not offered up in the Latin church, and even on it the priest
communicates: on holy Saturday mass is said, but the priest alone
communicates: on all other days all the faithful may and many do
communicate, either during mass or before or after it according to
circumstances. Palmer having quoted a passage from Bona, in which the
Cardinal regrets that communion, as well as other rites to which the
mass is not essential, is often delayed till after the mass is ended,
subjoins the following ejaculation. "Would that they who communicate
with the Roman church were not too timid or too lukewarm to return to
the practice of the primitive church in this and many other respects".
Orig. Liturg. vol. 2, p. 154. Now in the primitive church the
faithful, and even those in health, used to communicate not only
during mass, but also at other times, as is evident from the office of
the presanctified, at which, according to the Gelasian sacramentary,
all present communicated, as well as from the numerous ancient
instances of communion under one kind mentioned in the preceding
chapter; for in these cases it was not received during the mass, and
many of them are cases of "_persons in health_". In the same page Mr.
Palmer observes that "_during all the primitive ages_ the whole body
of the faithful communicated at each celebration of the liturgy". Now
has the church of England preserved this "practice of the primitive
church"? So far is this from being the case, that Palmer considers
her _ordinary_ office as a "_Missa sicca_; or dry service" p. 164,
in which there is neither consecration or communion, and the earliest
notice of which occurs in the writings of Petrus Cantor (A.D. 1200),
according to Palmer's own admission, ibid. Even on those few days
in the year when she admits her children to communion, her ministers
generally consider that they make an oblation only of bread and wine,
and not of the body and blood of Christ, whereas, whatever Palmer or
the Tracts for the Times may say to the contrary, we are prepared to
prove from the _very liturgies_, which the former cites, that in the
mass there is an oblation not merely of bread and wine but also of the
body and blood of Christ; and accordingly even the author of Tract 81,
vol. 4, admits, p. 61, that "the real point of difference between the
primitive church and modern views is whether there be in this oblation
a _mystery_ or no". It is truly lamentable that men of learning should
falsely accuse the Roman church of departure from primitive discipline
in a matter of so little comparative importance as the precise
_time_ when communion is to be received, while they themselves must
acknowledge, that they have _abolished communion_ itself as well as
_consecration_ on _nearly_ all the days of the year, and that they
have reduced the oblation of the mass from a '_mystery_' and a
'_venerable, tremendous_ and unbloody sacrifice' (Palmer vol. 2, p.
84) to an offering of bread and wine. They have thus deprived their
followers of the inestimable fruits of communion enumerated by Christ
in the gospel--yet these forsooth are the men who charge Catholics
with a departure from primitive practice. How many other _primitive
practices_ mentioned in this work have been abolished by the church
of England!]
[Footnote 100: This plate, which is of gold or silver-gilt, resembles
_in form_ the patera used in the ancient sacrifices, and generally
represented together with the _prefericulum_ on sepulchral monuments
dedicated to the Manes.]
[Footnote 101: The wine is sanctified, but is not consecrated, either
by the particle of the sacred host, or by the recital of the _Pater
noster_, as has been shewn by Mabillon, (Museum Ital.) Bossuet, and
other authors quoted by Benedict XIV. The wine and water represent
the blood and water, which flowed on this day from Christ's body. See
Act. Coer. p. 54. Whenever priests _say Mass_, they receive under both
kinds, in compliance with the command of Christ "Drink ye all of this"
which words as well as those others, "Do this in commemoration of me"
were addressed to the apostles and their successors.]
[Footnote 102: According to the direction of the Gelasian
sacramentary, the _Pax Domini etc_. is not said on this day.]
[Footnote 103: "As the communion," says Mabillon "is of the nature of
a sacred banquet, it consists of food and drink; hence the other part
of the banquet, viz. drink, was supplied by wine, mixed with water,
but sanctified by a particle of the B. Sacrament" See for the service
of this day a MS. Pontifical of the church of Apamea in Syria ap.
Martene t. 3, p. 132. It is found with little variation also in the
Gelasian Sacramentary, in a very ancient _Ordo Romanus_, and some MSS.
cited by Martene. In the Roman church, as Amalarius was informed by
the Roman archdeacon "at the station no one communicated". In many
other churches there was general communion; this is prescribed by the
church during this holy season.]
[Footnote 104: In many churches the crucifix used to be solemnly
placed in the _sepulchre_ after the Vespers. See the Sarum and other
missals, ap. Martene t. 3, p. 139.]
[Footnote 105: So jealously are these relics kept, that even
sovereigns cannot go up where they are preserved, without being
first appointed Canons of the Basilica. The Emperor Frederic III,
and afterwards Ladislaus son of the king of Poland, and Cosimo III
grand-duke of Tuscany went up dressed as Canons of St. Peter's.]
[Footnote 106: The learned professor Sholz after his return from
Palestine defended in a dissertation the genuineness of this tomb
against Dr. Clark's objections: if it be within the walls of the
modern city of Jerusalem, it was certainly outside the ancient walls.]
[Footnote 107: The lance preserved at Nuremberg resembles in form that
of St. Peter's, but is made of common iron, united with a part of one
of the nails of the cross.]
[Footnote 108: These relics are shewn to the people on holy-Wednesday
after the matins of Tenebræ; on Thursday and Friday several times in
the day: on holy Saturday morning after mass: on Easter Sunday after
the Pontifical mass: on Easter Monday, and a few other festivals.]
[Footnote 109: The opinion of Röstell (Beschreibung der Stadt Rom, B.
I, p. 400) that these phials contained the blessed eucharist under
the form of wine, if admitted, would form a new proof of the real and
permanent presence of Christ's blood in the B. Sacrament; yet it is
a novel, unsupported, and untenable conjecture. Some of the ancient
Christian Fathers complain, it is true, of the abuse of burying the
eucharist with the deceased under the form of bread; but the phials of
blood have been found with so many bodies, that we cannot reasonably
suppose the custom to have been an abuse: and who among the ancients
mentions that the eucharist was ever buried with them under the form
of _wine_? That the palm-branch or crown accompanied by these phials
of blood are authentic signs of martyrdom, see Raoul-Rochette's
Memoires sur les pierre sepulcrales, t. XIII des Mem. de l'Academie,
p. 210, 217. On one of the phials mentioned by Röstell was found the
inscription Sanguis Saturnini.]
[Footnote 110: In the Vatican Library is a small relic-case, marked
with the monogram, of great simplicity and consequent antiquity. There
is another of ivory, adorned with bas-reliefs of the resuscitation of
Lazarus, Christ's apprehension etc. Plainer, Bescher. der Stadt Rom.
B. 2. See also Rock's Hierurgia Vol. 2, cap 6.]
CHAP. VI.
ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY-SATURDAY
_CONTENTS._
Service of Easter-eve--Ceremonies of
holy-saturday-morning--Sixtine chapel. 1. Blessing of the fire
and incense-procession; Paschal candle--the deacon sings the
_Exultet_--triple candle--2. Baptism administered on this
day: communion of children in former times--prophecies--3.
The litany: invocation of Saints--change from mourning
to rejoicing--High mass: sacred pictures
etc.--_Alleluja_--Vespers--end of the mass: mass of Pope
Marcellus--Ceremonies at S. John Laterans. Blessing of
the font: baptistery--baptism of adults--litanies and
confirmation--mass and ordination--Armenian catholics--their
liturgy; and high mass on Easter-eve--reflections--Conclusion.
"_But now Christ is risen from the dead, the first-fruits of
them that sleep_". 1 Cor. XV, 20.
[Sidenote: Service of Easter-eve.]
I remarked in the last chapter, that anciently mass was not said
either on good-friday, or holy-saturday, and I quoted Pope Innocent I,
who assigns as a reason the example of the Apostles, who spent those
days in mourning for their Master. It was formerly customary to
celebrate mass on the night of Easter-eve or holy Saturday. Hence when
Tertullian, the oldest Latin Christian writer, endeavoured to dissuade
his wife from ever marrying a pagan, in case of his own death, among
other arguments he used the following; "Who will tranquilly wait for
you, when you are spending the night at the paschal solemnities?"
S. Jerome also (in cap. 25 Matt.) says, that according to apostolic
tradition, the people did not leave the church on Easter-eve before
midnight. This custom continued for many ages; but Hugh of S. Victor
in the twelfth century says, that in his time, in order to avoid
weakness arising from long fasting, the hour anciently observed was
anticipated. The service, which is now performed before noon on holy
Saturday, was formerly assigned to the night of Easter-eve: and this
anticipation accounts for the occasional mention of night, which
it contains, as well as for the early celebration of Christ's
resurrection.
[Sidenote: Ceremonies of holy saturday.]
The ceremonies of holy saturday-morning may be arranged under three
heads: 1st. the blessing of the fire and of the paschal candle: 2nd.
the preparation for, and ceremonies of, baptism: 3rd. the litany
and mass. All three allude, as we shall see, to the resurrection of
Christ, which is the great object of our devotion on this day. In Rome
two sanctuaries are the great centres of attraction in the morning,
viz. S. John Lateran's on account of the baptism of adults, and
the Sixtine chapel, where the service is always beautiful, and
particularly on this day. We shall first give an account of the
ceremonies observed in the latter, and shall then describe the
additional interesting rites of S. John Lateran's.
[Sidenote: Sixtine chapel: 1. Blessing of fire and incense.]