The Ceremonies of the Holy Week at Rome by Charles Michael Baggs

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_Render e questo voce a voce in tempra_
_Ed in dolcezza, ch' esser non puo nota_
_Se non cola dove il gioir s'insempra._

to whom, with all the readiness of the bucolic shepherds, whom this
classic soil even now produces, Card. Sorbelloni, the Pope's cousin,
replied:

_Risponda dunque; O beata sorte!_
_Risponda alla divina cantilena_
_Da tutte parti la beata Corte,_
_Si ch' ogni vista ne sia pia serena._

Baini Mem. Stor. T. 1.

[Sidenote: Ceremonies at S. John Lateran's.]

The ceremonies of holy-week are performed at S. John Lateran's[128]
by the chapter of that protobasilica, and resemble for the most part
those which we have already described. On holy-saturday however, in
addition to the rites before mentioned, the font of the baptistery is
blessed by the Card. Vicar, baptism is solemnly administered there to
adults, the newly-baptised are confirmed in the church, ordination is
conferred during mass upon candidates, for the priesthood. We shall
treat briefly of these various ceremonies.

[Sidenote: Blessing of the fonti: baptistery.]

After the twelve prophecies have been recited, the Card. Vicar, (as
the representative of the Bishop of Rome) wearing a purple cope and
a mitre, goes in procession from the tribune of the basilica to the
baptistery[129]. He is preceded by acolythes bearing the paschal
candle[130], and the cross and usual lights, as well as by the
candidates for baptism and orders, and the chapter of the basilica.
In the mean time the beautiful tract, As the stag thirsts for the
fountains of water, etc. is sung[131]. His Em. then chants the prayers
appointed for the benediction of the font; he divides the water with
his hand in the form of a cross, exorcises it, touches it, signs it
three times with the sign of our redemption, and pours some of it
towards the four parts of the world, in allusion to the command of
Christ: "_Go teach all nations, baptising them_" (Matt. XXVIII). He
then dips the paschal candle three times into the water, singing, and
each time raising his voice to a higher pitch than before: "May the
power of the Holy Ghost descend upon the fulness of this font"; as
when He descended, says Gavant, "in the form of a dove at the baptism
of Christ represented by this candle plunged into the water". Then
breathing three times on the water nearly in the form of a cross "that
he may unite the Trinity with the cross" (as the same author observes)
he continues the chant, and raises the candle from the water,
alluding in the prayer to "the effect of baptism, which confers grace,
_raising_ the soul from sin to glory". (Gavant). The blessed water
is then sprinkled upon the people, and some of it is reserved to be
sprinkled in houses, etc. In order to sanctify the water still
more, the Cardinal now pours into it, in the form of a cross, oil of
catechumens and chrism; and mixes them with the water of the font,
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This last ceremony
is intended to signify, according to mystical interpreters, such as
Amalarius, Honorius, Durandus, etc. "the union of Christ by baptism
with the members of the church" (Gavant). The prayers of this
benediction, most of which are sung in the tone of the _preface_ at
ferial mass, contain beautiful allusions to the mention of water in
the Old and New Testaments, as for instance: "O God, whose Spirit at
the very beginning of the world was borne upon the waters, that the
nature of water might even then conceive the power of sanctification;
O God, who washing with waters the crimes of a guilty world, didst
sign the figure of regeneration in the very out-pouring of the deluge;
may this font receive of the Holy Ghost the grace of thy only begotten
Son"[132].

[Sidenote: Baptism of adults.]

The Caeremoniale Episcoporum prescribes that infants, except in danger
of death, should not be baptised during the eight preceding days, that
they may be reserved for holy-Saturday. The beginning of the baptismal
service and the exorcisms are performed privately in the sacristy
by the parish-priest, while the prophecies are read in church[133].
After the font has been blessed, the catechumens wearing a long white
dress, and accompanied by their respective godfathers and godmothers,
approach the font, and in turn ascend. In answer to the questions of
the Cardinal (who is now vested in a white, and not a purple, cope,)
having renounced Satan and all his works and pomps, they profess
their belief in the articles of Christian faith, and their desire of
baptism[134]: then assisted by their sponsors they are baptised by
infusion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; they are
anointed with chrism, receive a white garment, with a charge to bear
it unspotted before the tribunal of Christ, and in fine a lighted
taper, that "when the Lord shall come to the nuptials, they may meet
him in the heavenly court unto life everlasting".

[Sidenote: Litanies and confirmation.]

The litanies are sung, while the procession returns to the church,
where the newly-baptised are confirmed in a side-chapel, and exhorted
to perseverance in virtue, by the Cardinal[135]; the litanies are
then continued, but cease while all kneeling venerate the heads of
SS. Peter and Paul shewn from above the high altar; the procession
afterwards returns to the tribune, where the mass of the day is sung,
and orders are conferred by the Cardinal-Vicar.

[Sidenote: Mass and ordination.]

The orders of priests and deacons are often mentioned in the N.
Testament: and the church, as S. Thomas observes, instituted the
inferior orders. Subdeacons are mentioned by Pope Cornelius and S.
Cyprian in the 3rd century, as well as acolythes, exorcists, and
lectors. S. Augustine and S. Gregory Nazianzen speak of _ostiarii_;
and the clerical tonsure is mentioned by S. Isidore at the beginning
of the 5th century, as a rite established before his time. Orders
are conferred by the laying on of hands and prayer, as the scripture
teaches, and also by the delivery of the instruments belonging to each
order: appropriate exhortations addressed to the candidates for the
different orders are interspersed with the prayers prescribed in the
pontifical. (On their antiquity the reader may consult Morinus de
Ordinationibus, Martene de Antiquis Eccl. Ritibus, T. 2. etc.) The
tonsure is given after the _Kyrie eleison_ of the mass, the 4 minor
orders after the _Gloria in excelsis_; subdeacons are ordained before
the epistle, which one of them repeats; deacons after the epistle
and finally priests after the first part of the tract. These last,
after the imposition of hands, receive their peculiar vestments,
viz. the stole hanging down in front, and the chasuble: their hands
are anointed with oil of catechumens, and they receive a chalice
containing wine and water, a paten with a host, and power to say
mass. (Luke XXII, 19). After offerings of candle have been made to the
ordaining Bishop, the new priests join him in saying mass[136]: and
after the newly-ordained and baptised have communicated, the priests
profess their faith by reciting the apostles' creed; they receive
power to forgive and retain sins (John XX, 22, 23), they promise
reverence and obedience to their ecclesiastical superior, and receive
the bishops blessing, who then directs that masses and prayers be
said by those whom he has ordained, and recommends himself to their
prayers. In other respects the mass is similar to that of the Papal
chapel[137]. Morcelli in his calendar in summing up the ceremonies
of this day, having mentioned the station at S. John Lateran's, the
baptism of Jews and Turks, and mass in the papal chapel, says that
at the _Gloria, tonitrus tormentorum ab Arce fiunt, AEra templorum ac
Turium sonant._

[Sidenote: Armenian Catholics:]

Having spoken of the ceremonies of the Vatican and S. John Lateran's,
we might consider our task as completed[138]. Yet one more _funzione_
attracts our countrymen on this day; and we are therefore unwilling to
bid them farewell, before it is ended. Come then to S. Biagio or to S.
Gregorio Illuminatore, to assist at the Armenian mass; and on the
road we may talk of the venerable and amiable Fathers who perform that
solemn service, and of the nature of their liturgy.

SS. Bartholomew and Thaddaeus were the first apostles of Armenia:
but it was not till the beginning of the 4th century, that the whole
country became Christian in consequence of the divine blessing, which
attended the zealous exertions of S. Gregory surnamed the Illuminator.
In the 6th century great numbers of the Armenians were infected with
the heresy of Eutyches, who denied that there were two natures in
Christ: and to this error they afterwards added some others. In the
pontificate of John XXII, about the year 328, a zealous Dominican
bishop, called Bartholomew of Bologna, went as a missionary among
them; and many of the Eutychians or Monophysites returned to the bosom
of the Catholic church. In the 16th century the Catholics were so
furiously persecuted by Zachary, a schismatical patriarch, that they
fled and took refuge in other countries. They have at present two
establishments at Rome, one of the Antonian monks at the church of
S. Gregory Illuminator, behind the colonnade of S. Peter's; and a
national _ospizio_ at S. Biagio in strada Giulia.

[Sidenote: their liturgy.]

"The Armenians," says Palmer "have only one liturgy, which is written
in the ancient Armenian language, and has been used by them from time
immemorial. The whole groundwork and order of the Armenian liturgy
coincides with the Caesarean, as used in the time of Basil. This
liturgy has, like most others, received many additions in the course
of ages. There are several prayers extracted from the liturgy of
Chrysostom, and actually ascribed to him" Vol. 1, Liturgy of Armenia.
"The liturgy of Basil can be traced with tolerable certainty to the
4th century. Striking as are some of the features, in which it differs
from that of Antioch, it is nevertheless evidently a superstructure
raised on that basis: the composition of both is the same, i.e. the
parts, which they have in common, follow in the same order. The same
may be said of the Constantinopolitan liturgy, commonly attributed to
S. Chrysostom, of that of the Armenian church, and of the florid and
verbose composition in use among the Nestorians of Mesopotamia. So
that the liturgy of Antioch, commonly attributed to S. James, appears
to be the basis of all the oriental liturgies". Tracts for the Times,
N. 63. The author then proceeds to state the grounds of the belief
that the liturgies of Antioch, Alexandria, Rome and Gaul were of
Apostolic origin; concluding thus "It may perhaps be said without
exaggeration, that next to the holy scriptures they possess the
greatest claims on our veneration and study". Padre Avedichian
observes in his preface to the Armenian liturgy, that it was probably
compiled by John _Mandagunense_, an Armenian patriarch of the fifth
century.

[Sidenote: Armenian high-mass.]

We shall now give a brief account of their high mass, which we do the
more readily, because Mr. Palmer represents it in a very mutilated
form. The celebrant, whether priest or bishop, is vested in the
sacristy: the vestments bear some resemblance to those of the Greeks.
The beginning of the mass is the only part probably taken from the
Roman liturgy, but it contains an invocation of the B. Virgin and of
the saint of the day. When the celebrant goes up to the altar, the
veil is drawn: he uncovers the chalice, blesses the host, which is
like ours of unleavened bread; pours wine and water into the chalice,
and recites the beautiful prayer of S. John Chrysostom: "O Lord our
God, who hast sent our Lord Jesus Christ the celestial bread, the
nourishment of the whole world; do thou bless this proposition etc."
The veil is then drawn back, and the offerings, the altar, and the
people are incensed. The Celebrant recites the prayer of the festival,
followed by other prayers composed by S. John Chrysostom: the
Trisagion is sung, and the gospel is carried in procession, and is
kissed by one of the congregation. Then follow the epistle, gospel,
and creed. After two prayers, and two benedictions imparted to the
people; the offerings are carried in procession to the altar, the
celebrant offers them up to God, and prays that Jesus Christ will make
him worthy to consecrate, and receive his "holy and immaculate body
and precious blood; for thou, O Christ our God, art he who offers
and is offered". After he has washed his hands, he says "O Lord God
of armies, let this victim become "the true body and blood of thy
only begotten Son". He then blesses the people, says prayers which
correspond to our preface and _Sanctus_, and pronounces the words of
consecration. After he has said other prayers, and made the sign of
the cross several times over the host and chalice, he invokes the holy
Ghost, begging also that the body and blood of Christ may produce "the
salvation of our souls and the remission of our sins". He then prays,
through the merits of the holy sacrifice, for the whole world, the
church and state, all conditions of men and for all the faithful
departed: he invokes the intercession of the B. Virgin and all the
Saints: he prays for the Pope and all present; and after other similar
supplications, he says the _Pater noster_. The elevation takes place
at this part of the mass, and also the blessing of the people with
the consecrated host and chalice, accompanied by appropriate prayers.
After the curtains have been drawn, the priest breaks the host, and
puts a particle of it into the chalice: he then receives communion,
blesses the people with the chalice and particle, and distributes
communion; before its distribution the curtains are drawn back. When
the ablutions and prayers after the celebrant's communion are ended,
turning towards the people, he recites a prayer of S. John Chrisostom,
which is followed by the last gospel. Then invoking the holy cross he
blesses the people, who unite in praising God. He finally blesses them
again, and distributes blessed bread (not consecrated) among them. At
S. Gregorio Illuminatore Vespers are added and said _in circolo_: the
clergy carry tapers; and the gospel is held up by the Celebrant to
implore blessings on the people.

[Sidenote: Reflections.]

These ceremonies may appear singular to us, who are of a different
clime and different customs; their music in particular is little in
accordance with our taste, or notions of melody and harmony. Yet the
remark of Montfaucon (Diario Italico) "aera Dodonaea dixisses", alluding
to the brass kettles of the oracle (Potter Arch. Graec. B. 2, Sec. 8)
is an exaggeration. Their _flabelli_ are of metal, of a round form,
surrounded with little bells, which are sounded at the seraphic hymn,
to express, if we might believe Cancellieri, "by the trembling of the
hands, that of the blessed spirits, who assist at the throne of the
Divine Majesty with fear and trembling". (Tre Pontific. Not. VI).
Their mass is anticipated, but not at so early an hour as that of
the Latin. (Even in the Latin church, permissions to say mass in
the afternoon of this day have been granted by some Popes; they may
be seen in Cancellieri. _Funz. d. Sett. S. p_. 183, 184). Amid the
numerous differences between their rite and our own, the attentive
spectator will not fail to remark the similarity of the substance and
order of their liturgy, and of that of the Roman church; although,
with the solitary exception of the beginning of the mass, both have
existed independently of one another during the last 1400 years. This
is a powerful argument in favour of the great antiquity, nay of the
apostolic origin of their most important ceremonies, which may be
traced through different channels to the _primitive_ liturgies of Rome
and Antioch. It is also one of those striking illustrations, which
Rome presents, of the unity and catholicity of the church; and at
the same time of the adaptation of her immutable doctrines and sacred
practices to the feelings and customs of widely-separated nations who,
having little in common but human nature, yet all acknowledge "one
Lord, one faith, and one baptism". (Ephes. IV. 5); and all belong to
"one fold and one shepherd". John X, 16.

[Sidenote: Conclusion.]

Having now considered in detail the various ceremonies of Holy Week
at Rome, a philosophic mind will take a general review of them: and
this question will very naturally suggest itself: What judgment
ought I to form concerning them? am I to consider them as mummery, or
superstition, or idolatry, as many most confidently pronounce, who
are unacquainted with their nature, their origin, and their meaning;
and at the same time are little accustomed from early infancy to
any language or gesticulations save those of the tongue? or am I not
rather to regard them as a solemn, and sacred, and pathetic, and most
ancient expression of Christian faith and Christian feeling; which,
united as it is with the noblest productions of divine inspiration and
of Christian art may haply not only instruct and elevate the mind, but
also enkindle in the soul flames of that pure and practical devotion,
which this holy season demands from every follower of Christ? Let the
reader decide for himself; but for our part, we envy not the mind
or heart of him, who can prefer the former of these views. We shall
ever bless God, that we have learnt in another school not to condemn
the customs and manners of other countries and other people, merely
because they differ from our own; and that we are disposed to
attribute to signs the meaning attached to them by those who adopt
them, and not that of our own fancies. Men of warmer climates than our
own convey to others their sentiments and feelings by action as easily
as by the tongue. Italians, as well as Greeks and Orientals, have
inherited from their fathers a language of gesture more powerful and
expressive than that of words. The Hebrew prophets, Isaiah, Ezechiel,
and others, nay Christ himself, spoke by action as well by the tongue.
God appointed in the old law innumerable ceremonies: Christ in the new
law of spirit and truth instituted sacred rites, or sanctified those
which previously existed: the early church imitated His blessed
example: and they have been faithfully preserved as a precious
inheritance till the present time. The very objection, that some of
them were borrowed from Jews or Pagans, is a proof of their primitive
antiquity: Christ or the church removed from them all profaneness or
superstition, and then adopted and sanctified them. (See Wiseman's
Letters to Poynder). If all parties unite in approbation of the
illumination of the cupola of S. Peter's, and of the fireworks of S.
Angelo, considered as outward demonstrations of the exultation of the
church at the resurrection of her Divine Spouse; we shall ever admire
also the expressions of christian feeling exhibited in the interior
of her temples, whether they consist in ceremonies or words; and on
this day emulating the transports of joy of the fervent and eloquent
pilgrim to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai, when shall unite our voices with
those of the angelic spirits in singing, _Alleluja_; "because Jesus
Christ, our Lord, who was delivered up for our sins, rose again for
our justification". Rome. IV, 24, 25.[139]

[Footnote 111: Anciently in some churches, as Thomassin has shewn (de
dierum Festorum celebratione lib. 2. c. 14), fire used to be struck
from a flint to light the church-lamps etc. every day and particularly
on Saturday, and the new fire was blessed; on holy Saturday however
this ceremony was performed with great solemnity; and in the 11th
century it was restricted to that day alone. At Rome in holy week
this practice was not originally confined to holy Saturday, but was
observed on the three days before caster: for the first _Ordo Romanus_
directs, that on holy _thursday_ fire should be struck from a flint
outside the church, and blessed. Amalarius also (4e Ordine Antiph.)
testifies that on good _friday_ "new fire was enkindled and reserved
till the nocturnal office". Leo IV however (A.D. 847) appears to have
first ordered that on Easter Eve "the old fire should be put out, and
new fire blessed and distributed among the people" (Homil. de cura
Pastorali). For Pope Zachary, about the year 731. in answer to
the enquiries of Boniface, bishop of Mayence, states that "on holy
thursday, when the sacred chrism is consecrated, three lamps of a
large size filled with oil collected from the different lamps of the
church, and placed in a secret part of the said church, should burn
there constantly, so that the oil may suffice till the third day,
that is saturday. Then let the fire of the lamps which is used for the
sacred font be renewed. But concerning the fire taken _ex cristallis_,
as you have asserted, we have no tradition". Pouget (Inst. Cathol. l.
1) observes that the new fire is blessed with great solemnity on this
day, "because the fire struck from a flint appears to be a type of
Christ arising from the dead". Formerly not only the lights of the
church, but all the fires of the city were enkindled from the blessed
fire (as we learn from a MS. Sancti Victoris (ap. Martene, De ant.
Eccl. Ritibus lib. IV, c. XXIV). "After the _Ite Missa est_" says
the Ordinarium of Luke archbishop of Cosenza "the bishop gives his
blessing, and immediately the deacon commands the people, saying
"Receive the new fire from the holy candle, and having put out the
old, light it in your houses in the name of Christ; then rejoicing
they depart with the light". This custom is mentioned also in Leo
IVth's homily above quoted.]

[Footnote 112: As for the Paschal candle, Anastasius says that
Zosimus, who was elected pope in 417, gave leave that candles should
be blessed in the churches. Bened. XIV, Merati and Gretser understand
by these words, that that Pontiff only extended to the parish churches
a custom already practised in the greater churches: however this may
be, the blessing of this candle is at least as old as the time of Pope
Zosimus. It is inserted in the ancient sacramentary of Pope Gelasius
(A.D. 495). S. Augustine (lib. 15 de Civ. Dei) mentions some verses
written by himself in praise of the paschal candle. S. Jerome also
speaks of it in his epistles; and Ennodius bishop of Pavia in
519 wrote two formulas, according to which it might be blessed.
Cancellieri, at the end of his _Funzioni della Settimana Santa_,
describes two blessings of the paschal candle contained in manuscripts
of the 12th century. Du Vert as usual rejects every mystical meaning
of the candle: but why then should it be lighted on this night, and
not on christmas and other nights? The 4th Council of Toledo, held in
633, states that the paschal candle is blessed, in order that we may
receive the mystery of Christ's resurrection; and hence the abbot
Rupert says, that the candle when lighted represents Christ's
resurrection from the dead. That such is its meaning appears from the
five holes made in it in the form of a cross, to represent the five
wounds of Christ: in them the five grains of incense are fixed by the
Deacon, in order to represent, according to Rupert, the spices applied
to Christ's body by Joseph of Arimathea. In confirmation of this
explanation, we may observe that this candle is not removed from the
church till the gospel has been sung on Ascension-day when Christ
departed from among men: and it is lighted at solemn mass before the
_gospel_ and at vespers before the _Magnificat_ on the Sundays and
holidays which occur between holy saturday and the ascension. To the
same symbolical meaning of this candle we must attribute the ancient
custom of affixing to it (as a symbol of Christ) a tablet on which
the current year of our Lord and its indiction were marked: sometimes
these, if not other chronological dates, were inscribed on the candle
itself by the deacon, before he sang the _Exultet_, as Ven. Bede
testifies, The same idea was preserved in the practice of forming the
_Agnus Dei_ with the wax of the paschal candle. "On this day" (holy
saturday) says Durandus "the acolythes of the Roman church make
_lambs_ of newly blessed wax, or of the _wax of the paschal candle_
of the preceding year mixed with chrism: on Saturday in Albis they
are distributed by the Lord Pope to the people in the churches".
Amalarius likewise mentions this custom. It appears also from the
two benedictions of Ennodius mentioned above, that the faithful used
particles of the pascal candle as a preservative against storms: the
good effects hoped for in this and similar cases are attributed to the
prayers of the church, which God in His goodness has promised to hear.
The paschal candle is painted according to an ancient custom.

"Ast alii _pictis_ accendant lumina _ceris_".

S. Paulinus Nat. VI. S Felicis

Pierin del Vaga, whom Vasari considered as the most distinguished
of Raffaello's assistants, was originally nothing more than a
candlepainter. His creation of Eve at S. Marcello at Rome, and
his frescoes in the Doria place at Genoa, are well-known; at the
Vatican he assisted Giovanni d'Udine in his arabesques, Polidoro in
his antique chiaroscuri, and executed some of the most beautiful
historical paintings of the loggie di Raffaello. Hence may we judge of
the versatility of his talents.]

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