The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome

by Charles Michael Baggs

In the Roman church, as in that of Bologna, it has been for many ages customary for the Bishop to wash feet on this day. In the Ordo Romanus of Cencius Camerarius it is mentioned, that the Roman Pontiff after mass washed the feet of twelve subdeacons, and after dinner of 13 poor persons, or according to the Ordines Romani published by Mabillon, of 12 deacons. The Ceremoniale, attributed to Marcellus archbishop of Corcyra, prescribes that the Pope should wash the feet of thirteen poor men. Various causes are assigned by different authors to explain, why the number is thirteen, and not twelve as was that of the apostles. (See Benedict XIV, De Festis, lib. I, c. VI, §§ 57, 58). The most probable account, we think, is that the thirteenth apostle was added in memory of the angel, who is believed to have appeared among the 12 poor guests of S. Gregory the great, while he was exercising united charity and humility. A painting of this event may be seen in one of the chapels near his church on the Cælian mount, in which is preserved the table, at which he daily fed twelve poor persons. (See the passage of John the deacon cited above in the note). The two customs of washing the feet first of 12, and then of 13, have been reduced to one, and in it the number 13 is preserved[⁷⁶].

Cardinals' public dinner.

Till within the last few years the Cardinals used to dine in public at the Vatican on holy Thursday and good Friday, that they might be spared the trouble of returning to their respective palaces before Tenebræ; and anciently the Pope used to dine with them at the Lateran palace, in the hall called the Triclinium Leonianum[⁷⁷]. The Pontiff wore on such occasions his cope and mitre, and the Cardinals were habited in sacred vestments with mitres. After dinner a sermon was preached before the Cardinals. Mons. Maggiordomo used to invite on these days prelates, officers, and others engaged in the cappella or palace, to a dinner at which he presided.

Tenebræ etc.

Recapitulation.

In the afternoon, at the office of Tenebræ, among other signs of mourning, the cross is veiled in black, and the candles are of yellow wax: the Pope's throne is stripped of its usual ornaments, and is without a canopy: the cardinals' and prelates' benches also are without carpets. The Cardinal Penitentiary goes to S. Peter's, where the minor Penitentiaries are Conventuals of S. Francis. We have spoken on these subjects in the preceding chapters. We may here recapitulate the principal ceremonies of the day, as Morcelli has done in his Calendar. The oils are blessed in S. Peter's; the Pope assists at mass in the Sixtine chapel, carries the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel, gives His solemn benediction from S. Peter's, washes the feet of thirteen priests and serves them at table. In the afternoon Tenebrae in the Sixtine chapel; and the Cardinal great Penitentiary goes to S Peter's.

S. Peter's on holy thursday-evening.

In this basilic the B. Sacrament is preserved amid many lights in the Sepulchre in a side-chapel[⁷⁸], and several confraternities come in procession to venerate the relics, of which we shall speak in the next chapter. It is much to be regretted that the cross, which used on holy-Thursday and good-Friday to glow with 628 lights[⁷⁹], and to produce a splendid effect by the chiaroscuro which resulted from it in this vast and magnificent fabric, is no longer suspended before the Confession, in consequence of irreverent conduct on preceding occasions.

Washing of the altar.