The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome. Charles Michael Baggs
the Cardinal Dean receives from the governor of Rome and presents to the Pope those three palms, which were borne by M. Sagrista, the deacon and subdeacon. One of these is held during the service by the prince assistant at the throne, the other two are delivered to the care of M. Coppiere, one of the Camerieri segreti partecipanti: the shortest is carried by the Pope in the procession. An embroidered apron is now placed over the Pope's knees, and the cardinals in turn receive a palm from Him, kissing the palm, his right hand and knee. The bishops present kiss the palm which they receive and his right knee: and the mitred abbots and Penitenzieri kiss the palm and his foot34, as do all who come after them in the following order, which is observed also on good-friday at the kissing of the cross, and it is also on candlemas-day and ash-wednesday.
The Governor, the Prince assistant, the Uditore della Camera, the Treasurer, the Maggiordomo, the Apostolic protonotaries; the Generals of Religious Orders, the Conservatori and Prior of the Caporioni, the Maestro del S. Ospizio, the Uditori di Rota, the Maestro del S. Palazzo, the Votanti di Segnatura, the Abbreviatori del Parco maggiore, the priest, deacon, and subdeacon who assist the cardinal who is to celebrate mass, the Masters of ceremonies, the Camerieri segreti and d'onore, the Consistorial advocates, the Cappellani segreti, d'onore and comuni, the Ajutanti di camera, the bussolanti, the Procuratori generali of religious orders, the Procuratori di Collegio, the singers, the clerks of the papal chapel, the cardinal's caudatarii, the ostiarii, the mace-bearers, some students of the German college, and in fine such noblemen and gentlemen as are admitted on this occasion to receive a palm from His Holiness, who is assisted as usual by two Card. deacons.
During the distribution of the palms, the anthems Pueri Hebræorum etc. are sung by the choir; and when it is finished, the Pope washes His hands, and says the usual concluding prayer: the prince stationed at the throne brings the water, and the Cardinal Dean presents the towel to His Holiness.
Solemn procession.
The Pope then puts incense into the thurible for the procession, and the first Card. Deacon turning towards the people says according to the old formula Let us proceed in peace: the choir answers, in the name of Christ. Amen'. The procession, in which the blessed palms are carried, moves round S. Peter's, in the following order, which is observed also for the most part on holy thursday and good friday. The Procuratori di Collegio,35 Procuratori generali, the Bussolanti, the Ajutanti di Camera, Cappellani comuni and segreti, the Consistorial advocates, the Camerieri d' onore, and segreti, the singers, the Abbreviatori, Votanti di Segnatura, Cherici di Camera, Uditori di Rota, the Thurifer, (Votante di Segnatura), the Subdeacon (Uditore di Rota) who carries the cross ornamented with a small palm, between two acolythes (Votanti di Segnatura) carrying candles, the Penitenzieri, the mitred abbots, bishops and the Cardinal deacons, priests and bishops all wearing their mitres.36 The Pope is preceded by many officers of his guards (who go to the throne towards the end of the distribution of palms), the Maestro del S. Ospizio, the Conservatori, Senator and Governor of Rome. His Holiness is carried on his Sedia gestatoria37 under a canopy supported by 8 Referendarii (prelates of the tribunal of Segnatura) between the flabelli carried by two of His Camerieri. He is followed by the dean of the Rota (whose duty it is to bear His mitre) between two camerieri segreti (who as well as two Auditors of the Rota bear His train when occasion requires), by the Uditore della Camera, the Treasurer, Maggiordomo, Protonotaries and Generals of religious orders.
During the procession the choir sings the anthem, Cum appropinquaret etc. When the procession is in the portico, two soprano singers reenter the basilica, and shut the door: then turning towards the door, they sing the first verse of the hymn Gloria, laus et honor38 and the other verses alternately with the choir, which remains without. The subdeacon knocks at the gate with the cross, and it is immediately opened; the procession returns into the church, and the choir sings the concluding anthems.
its antiquity.
The solemn commemoration, which we have described, of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, could never have taken place during times of persecution: nor did it originate immediately after Constantine had ensured peace to the church. Martene (De ant. Eccl. Rit. lib. IV, c. 20) could find no mention of it before the 8th or 9th century, when Amalarius says "In memory of this we are accustomed to carry palm-branches, and cry Hosanna". Merati however, in his notes to Gavant, considers that he has found traces of it in the Gregorian and Gelasian sacramentaries, and in a Roman calendar of the beginning of the fifth century39 and his opinion is adopted by Benedict XIV. The ceremonies of the church of Jerusalem on this day were a still closer imitation of the entry of Christ into that city.
When the procession is ended, the cardinals, bishops, and mitred abbots take off their sacred vestments and the prelates their surplices, and they all resume their respective cappe; the Penitenzieri retire, and mass is celebrated by a cardinal of the order of priests. Having already given an account not only of low mass, but also of the additional ceremonies of high mass, as celebrated in the papal chapel, we shall here mention those only which are peculiar to palm-sunday.
At those words of the epistle (which is sung as usual by the subdeacon), "in the name of Jesus let every knee bow", the whole assembly kneels to adore their divine Redeemer, who became obedient unto death for our salvation. The affecting account of His sufferings and death is then sung by three priests40 belonging to the pontifical choir, and habited as deacons in alb and stole. The history itself is sung by a tenor voice, the words, of our Saviour by a bass, and those of any other single voice by a contralto, called the ancilla, as he sings the words of the maid to S. Peter: the choir sings the words of the multitude41. The church, mourning over the sufferings of her divine Spouse, does not allow the incense, lights, or the benediction and salutation usual before the gospel; but the palms are borne to signify the triumphs consequent on His death as they are also from the elevation till after the communion. All stand up as usual from respect to the holy gospel ("as servants before their Lord" Amalarius) but kneel for a short time at the words "Jesus crying with a loud voice yielded up the ghost", to adore that God of love who died for mankind. The latter part of the gospel is sung in the usual chant by the deacon, but without the customary lights42. At the offertory is sung the first part of the beautiful hymn Stabat Mater: the music is Palestrina's, and is justly and highly panegyrised by Baini; it has been published by Dr. Burney. Both the introit and communion are sung without, and the offertory with, counterpoint: the Kyrie eleison, Gradual and tract, in plain chant. The Benedictus qui venit is usually very beautiful. At the end of the mass, as there has been no sermon, the Card. celebrant announces from the altar the Pope's usual grant to all present of an indulgence43 or remission of the temporal punishment due for past sins, whose guilt has been already remitted.
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