The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome Part 4

This seems to be the origin of the far-famed _Miserere_. Various authors, whom Baini enumerates, afterwards composed _Miserere_[52]; but the celebrated composition of Gregorio Allegri a Roman, who entered the Papal college of singers in 1629, was the most successful, and was for some time sung on all the three days of Tenebrae. Then one composed by Alessandro Scarlatti, or that of Felice Anerio, used to be sung on holy thursday: but these were eclipsed by the _Miserere_, composed in 1214 by Tommase Bai a Bolognese, director of the choir of S. Peter's. From that time only Allegri's and Bai's were sung in the Pope's chapel; till Pius VII directed the celebrated Baini to compose a new _Miserere_, which has received well-merited applause. Since the year 1821 all three, viz. Baini's, Bai's, and Allegri's _Misereres_ are sung on the three successive days, and generally in the order in which we have mentioned them: the two latter are sometimes blended together. The first verse is sung in harmony, the second in plain chant, and so successively till the last verse, which alone is sung in harmony by both the choirs, into which the singers are divided; only one choir sings the other verses[53].

[Sidenote: Cardinal penitentiary]

[Sidenote: Trinita dei Pellegrini]

On Wednesday-afternoon, the Cardinal great Penitentiary goes in state to S. Mary Major's, where the minor Penitentiaries are Dominicans.

For an account of this custom see the preceding chapter. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, Christians may be edified at the Trinita dei Pellegrini[54] by the sight of Cardinals, princes, prelates and others, was.h.i.+ng in good earnest, and afterwards kissing the feet of poor pilgrims, while they recite with them the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, and other beautiful prayers, such as;

_Gesu, Giuseppe, Maria,_ _Vi dono il cuore e l' anima mia._ _Gesu, Giuseppe, Maria,_ _a.s.sisteleci nell' ultima agonia, etc._

They afterwards wait on them at table, and accompany them to their beds, reciting other devout prayers. In another part of that establishment, princesses and other ladies practise the same offices of charity towards the female pilgrims. Here might we fancy that the primitive christians were before us, those men of charity, simplicity, and lowliness: and when in the same place, a few years ago, that devout Pontiff Leo XII on his knees washed and kissed the feet of pilgrims, who had journeyed from afar; who that saw him did not call to mind with tears the lowliness and charity of his predecessor Peter, and of a greater than Peter, who "washed the feet of his disciples, and who wiped them with the towel wherewith he was girded".

Marius mourned over the ruins of Carthage; but his was the sorrow of disappointed, selfish ambition. Jeremiah lamented the fall and desolation of Jerusalem: and his plaintive accents were inspired by genuine patriotism and religion. Observe his venerable figure in the Sixtine chapel; there he sits pensive and disconsolate, with his legs crossed, his wearied head resting upon his hand, and his eyes rivetted on the ground, as if nothing could engage his attention but the woes of the daughter of Sion[55]. Then listen to the lamentations of this inspired and afflicted prophet: they are full of deepest pathos, and uttered in notes sweet as the warblings of philomel. Turn now, O Christian soul, to a more sublime and mournful spectacle. Jesus in the garden of Gethsemani and on mount Calvary mourned not for a single city or nation: he sorrowed over the ruins of a world, not as of old Noah may have done, when secure from danger he looked down upon the waters which overspread the earth; but "He was wounded for our iniquities, and he was bruised for our sins: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all", He suffered and died for us. The moral ruins of the world, our sins and their awful consequences, caused all the pangs and sorrows of Jesus. Come then let us cast ourselves at the foot of that cross, and cry aloud for mercy with a contrite and humble heart, which He will never despise. To _Thee_ alone, shall we say, have we sinned, and have done evil before thee; yet have mercy on us, O G.o.d, according to thy great mercy. And thou, O blessed Virgin and Mother, who standest in silent anguish beneath the cross of thy agonising Son[56], would that we could feel love and sorrow like unto thine.

_Eja mater fons amoris_ _Me sentire vim doloris_ _Fac, ut tec.u.m lugeam._ _Fac, ut ardeat cor meum_ _In amando Christum Deum,_ _Ut sibi complaceam. Amen._

[Footnote 46: See also Palmer's Origines Liturgicae, Vol. 1 Antiq. of the English ritual c. 1, p. 1. Both writers do not hesitate to admit that the breviary is the great source of the Church of England's Morning and Evening prayer.]

[Footnote 47: Our divine Lord sometimes pa.s.sed the night in prayer; and the early Christians, as Pliny informs his master Trajan, used to a.s.semble before the light to sing a hymn to Christ. Lucian as well as Ammia.n.u.s Marcellinus complained of their spending the night in singing hymns. S. Jerome in fine writes to Eustoch. (Ep. 22) that besides the daily hours of prayers we should rise _twice and thrice at night_.]

[Footnote 48: In the ma.s.s and office for the dead several prayers and ceremonies otherwise prescribed are omitted: so on this occasion, says Benedict XIV, "the church forgetting all things else thinks only of bewailing the sins of mankind, and condoling with Christ our Redeemer in His sufferings". As for the antiquity of this service, Martene remarks (lib. IV, c. 22) that the order of the _nocturnal_ and diurnal offices of holy-thursday is found, such as we now observe it, in the ancient Antiphonarium of the Roman church, and in that of S. Gregory published by B. Tommasi, so that there has been scarcely any variation during the last thirteen hundred years.]

[Footnote 49: When the Pope officiates, the eight candles over the _cancellata_ are lighted: six are lighted for a Cardinal, and four for a Bishop. Amalarius priest of Metz in the ninth century (De ordine antiphonarii), mentions the extinction of the lights in the office of these three days. It would seem however, that it was not then customary at Rome, for Theodore, archdeacon of the Roman church, in answer to his enquiries had said to him "I am usually with the Apostolic Lord at the Lateran, when the office of Coena Domini (Holy Thursday) is celebrated, and it is not customary to extinguish the lights. On Good Friday there is no light of lamps or tapers in the church in Jerusalem (Santa Croce) as long as the Apostolic Lord offers up solemn prayers there, or when the cross is saluted". This latter custom is still continued.]

[Footnote 50: In confirmation of this explanation we may observe, that the candle is placed behind the altar after the _Benedictus_ during the anthem alluding to Christ's pa.s.sion, and remains there while the verse 'Christ became obedient unto death' the psalm _Miserere_, and the prayer which mentions the crucifixion, are sung.]

[Footnote 51: See such opinions ap. Benedict. XIV, De festis Lib.

1, c. 5. The system of Du Vert, who would reject all mystical and symbolical significations attributed to the church-ceremonies, has been satisfactorily confuted by Langlet, Le Brun, Tournely and other divines.]

[Footnote 52: Tartini's and Pisari's lasted only one year each.]

[Footnote 53: Persons, who go immediately after the service in the Sixtine chapel to S. Peter's, are generally in time for part if not the whole of the _Miserere_ sung in that Basilic. The compositions of Fioravanti the late, Basili the present, master, and Zingarelli, are sung there.]

[Footnote 54: See Reminiscences of Rome. Letter 4th. London, 1838 On pilgrimages and pilgrims see Mores Catholici Book 4th, ch. 5th. S.

Philip Neri founded the Confraternity of Trinita dei Pellegrini.]

[Footnote 55: ... lia fatto alla guancia Della sua palma sospirando letto. Dante Pur. VII.

Sed frons laeta parum et dejecto lumina vultu. Virg. aeu. VI, 863.

See the learned canon. De Jorio's Munica degli antichi, art. Dolore, Mestizia. We may add that conquered provinces are often represented in a similar att.i.tude as statues, on bas-reliefs, and on medals. See for instance, Judaea Capta, a reverse of Vespasian, ap. Addison, Dialogues on ancient medals.]

[Footnote 56: "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother". John XIX, 25.]

CHAP. IV.

ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY THURSDAY

_CONTENTS._

General character of the liturgy of holy thursday--its ancient form--blessing of the oils at S. Peter's, communion under one kind--origin and explanation of the blessing and salutation of the oils--High ma.s.s in the Sixtine chapel, _troccole_--procession of the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel--antiquity of processions--reservation of the B.

Sacrament--Papal benediction from S. Peter's, _flabelli_--bull in Coena Domini--was.h.i.+ng of the feet--dinner of the _apostles_--antiquity and meaning of this custom of was.h.i.+ng feet--customs of other churches: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante--Cardinals' public dinner etc.--Tenebrae: Card. Penitentiary--recapitulation of the princ.i.p.al ceremonies of the day--S. Peter's on holy thursday-evening: was.h.i.+ng of the high-altar--antiquity and meaning of the stripping and was.h.i.+ng of the altars--conclusion.

"_Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pa.s.s out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end_". John XIII, 1.

[Sidenote: Liturgy of holy-thursday]

During the last three days of holy-week the church celebrates the funeral obsequies of her Divine Spouse: and hence there are numerous signs of mourning in her temples, in her liturgy, and in the dress of her ministers. On thursday however, a pa.s.sing gleam of heavenly light irradiates the solemn gloom in which she is enveloped: for on this day Jesus Christ, having loved his own even unto the end, inst.i.tuted the holy sacrament, the staff of our pilgrimage, our solace in affliction, our strength in temptation, the source of all virtue, and the pledge of everlasting life. Accordingly the liturgy of holy-thursday bears the impress both of sorrow and of gladness: it is not unlike a fitful day of April in our northern climes, when the sun now bursts from the clouds which had concealed his brilliancy, and now once more the sky is shrouded in murky gloom--an apt emblem this of the over-changing state of man, who at one moment quaffs the inebriating cup of earthly joys, and yet a little, and it is dashed from his grasp; and sickness, sorrow and death are his portion.

[Sidenote: its ancient form.]

Anciently three ma.s.ses used to be celebrated at Rome[57] on this day, as is evident from the sacramentary of pope Gelasius; and at all the three the Pope himself officiated. At the first the public penitents were absolved:[58] at the second the oils were blessed; the last (ad vespertinum officium) was intended to commemorate the inst.i.tution of the blessed Sacrament. Public penance gradually declined in the western church after the seventh century; and the three ma.s.ses are now reduced to one. That of the Sixtine chapel, at which the Pope a.s.sists, differs very little from ordinary Ma.s.ses celebrated there, and the concourse of persons is generally very great.

[Sidenote: Blessing of the oils at S. Peter's]

[Sidenote: Communion under one kind.]

The oils are blessed in S. Peter's during ma.s.s, by the Card.

archpriest, or a Bishop in his stead. They are three, viz. 1 the oil of catechumens, used in blessing baptism, in consecrating churches and altars, in ordaining priests, and in blessing and crowning sovereigns: 2 the oil of the sick used in administering extreme unction and in blessing bells: 3 sacred chrism, composed of oil, and balm of Gilead or of the west Indies[59]: it is used in conferring baptism and confirmation, in the consecration of bishops, of patens and chalices, and in the blessing of bells. The Roman Pontifical prescribes, that besides the bishop and the usual ministers, there should be present twelve priests, seven deacons, and seven subdeacons, all habited in white vestments. After the elevation at those words of the canon, _Per quem haec omnia etc._ a little before the _Pater noster_, the Bishop sits down before a table facing the altar, and exorcises and blesses the oil for the sick, which is brought in by a subdeacon. He then proceeds with the ma.s.s, and gives communion to the ministers and the rest of the under the form of bread alone[60]. Having received the ablutions, he returns to the table above mentioned, and awaits the coming of the procession of the priests, deacons, subdeacons etc. In it, the balsam is carried by a subdeacon, etc. the oil for the chrism and that for the catechumens by two deacons: and meantime the choir sings appropriate verses. The bishop blesses the balsam, and mixes it with some oil; he then breathes three times in the form of a cross over the vessel of chrism, as do the twelve priests also. Next follows the blessing, and then the salutation, of the chrism: the latter is made 3 times by the bishop and each of the twelve priests in succession, saying, Hail holy chrism, after which they kiss the vessel which contains it. The oil of catechumens is blessed and saluted in like manner: and the procession returns to the sacristy; in the mean time the bishop concludes the ma.s.s; and thus this solemn rite terminates.

[Sidenote: Origin of the blessing of the oils.]

The oil of the sick is mentioned in the well-known pa.s.sage of St.

James V, 14 "Is any man sick among you; let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord etc." At the beginning of the fifth century also, Pope Innocent I observes that it is the office of the bishop to make or prepare (_conficere_) this "holy of chrism" or unction: and in the Sacramentary of Pope Gregory the great the rite; by which this oil was blessed and administered to the sick, is described. Chrism and the oil of catechumens also are mentioned by many ancient Fathers. (See Turnely T. 7 de Sacram. Bapt. et Confirm, etc.)[61] St. Basil in the 4th century attributes the origin of the custom of blessing the oils to tradition. "We bless the water of baptism and the _oil of unction_, as well as the person who receives baptism. By what scriptures? Is it not from silent and secret tradition?" (De Spir. S. c. 27). It is mentioned also in the second and third councils of Carthage, by S.

Cyprian, who says "The eucharist, and the oil, with which the baptised are anointed, are sanctified at the altar". Ep. 70.

It would appear however from the 20th canon of the first council of Toledo that anciently chrism could be blessed _at any time_; and hence Benedict XIV is of opinion, that the custom of blessing it only on holy Thursday began about the seventh century; for it is mentioned in the Sacramentary of S. Gregory, in the old Ordo Roma.n.u.s, and in other works written after that period. This day has been with reason chosen for this ceremony, as St. Thomas observes, in order that the chrism may be prepared for the solemn baptism administered on Easter Eve; and because on it the Eucharistic sacrament, for which the other sacraments are as it were preparatory, was inst.i.tuted. S. Isidore however a.s.signs a different reason, viz. that two days before the pasch Mary _anointed_ the head and feet of the Lord". De Divi Off.

lib. 2, c. 28.

[Sidenote: Meaning of the ceremonies already described.]

Pouget (Inst.i.tut. Cath. t. 2, c. 8) proves that the blessing of the oils originates in apostolic tradition, as St. Basil cited above observes. He proves also that since the fifth and sixth centuries the bishop and priests used to breathe three times over the chrism and oil of catechumens, and to salute them with the words "Ave sanctum chrisma: ave sanctum oleum". Our Saviour breathed on His apostles, when He said 'Receive ye the holy Ghost': and hence his ministers breathe over the chrism, by which the Holy Ghost is conferred in confirmation, and over the oil of catechumens, which is used in other sacred rites. Respect is paid to them, because they are employed in G.o.d's service, and hence it is a relative respect directed to Him.

An ardent soul will never hesitate to address inanimate objects; in fact some of the finest pa.s.sages of ancient and modern oratory are apostrophes of this nature[62]. S. Andrew is said to have saluted the cross, on which he suffered, S. Paula the birth-place of our divine Lord; and theirs were words of love of G.o.d, and not of idolatry.

[Sidenote: High ma.s.s in the Sixtine chapel.]

In the Sixtine chapel the crucifix and tapestry over the altar are covered with a white and not a purple veil; the throne also is white, and the Pope is vested in a white cope. On the rich facing of the altar is represented Christ dead, His descent into limbo, and His resurrection. The cardinal dean generally celebrates the high ma.s.s, after the _Gloria in excelsis_ of which no bells are allowed to be tolled in Rome (except at the papal benediction) but in their stead are used _troccole_ or boards struck with iron: this practice is observed until the _Gloria in excelsis_ is sung in the papal chapel on the following sat.u.r.day-morning[63].

After the offertory of the ma.s.s Palestrina's motet _Fratres ego enim_ is sung; of which Baini says that he "does not hesitate to affirm that it resembles as closely as possible the music of heaven". Two hosts are consecrated, one of which is received by the celebrant, and the other destined for the following day is put into a chalice, which the deacon covers with a paten and _palla_ or linen cloth, as the dead body of Christ was wrapped in "fine linen"[64]. Mark XV, 46. At the beginning of the canon twelve lighted torches are brought in by _bussolanti_; and after the elevation two masters of ceremonies distribute among the cardinals and others candles carried by clerks of the chapel, in preparation for the procession. The usual kiss of peace is not given, from detestation of the treacherous kiss given this day by Judas to his divine master, as Alcuin remarks[65].

[Sidenote: Antiquity of processions]

Immediately after ma.s.s the cardinal celebrant with his ministers leaves the chapel; the other cardinals, bishops and mitred abbots, put on their respective sacred vestments, and the _Uditori di Rota_, the _Cherici di Camera, Votanti_, and _Abbreviatiori_, their surplices: the other prelates wear their usual _cappe_. They all now accompany the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel[66] in solemn procession, which is regulated like that of palm-Sunday. The singers go to the _sala regia_, illuminated with large cornucopia, and there begin to sing the _Pange lingua_ (a hymn in honour of the holy Sacrament) as soon as the cross covered with a purple veil appears: the last verses of it are sung in the Pauline chapel, which is splendidly illuminated.

The cardinals bearing their mitres and torches precede two by two the Holy Father, who bare-headed and on foot carries the blessed Sacrament under a canopy supported by eight a.s.sistant bishops or protonotaries[67]. When the Pope reaches the altar, the first cardinal deacon receives from His hands the B. Sacrament, and preceded by torches carries it to the upper part of the _macchina_; M. Sagrista places it within the urn commonly called the sepulchre, where it is incensed by the Pope; in the mean time the conclusion of the hymn is sung. M. Sagrista then shuts the sepulchre, and delivers the key to thy Card. Penitentiary, who is to officiate on the following day.

[Sidenote: Reservation of the B. Sacrament.]