The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome

by Charles Michael Baggs

Footnote 73: [(return)]

John the deacon, in his life of Gregory the great, mentions the Sacellarius or Treasurer (see Thomassin lib. 2. c. 103, n. 11), whom that holy Pope commanded according to custom to invite the twelve pilgrims to dinner. Besides the gifts mentioned above, the white dress is given to these apostles, who are chosen by some Cardinals, Ambassadors, the Propaganda, the Maggiordomo, and the captain of the Swiss guards.

Footnote 74: [(return)]

The water is brought to him by the Prince assisting at the throne, and the towel is presented by the first Cardinal Priest. When the Pope is prevented from performing this ceremony, the Cardinal Dean supplies his place in presence of the sacred college (Lunadoro). In that case the gospel is sung, not by a cardinal, but by the prelate who is deacon of the cappella. Formerly, according to the MS. Pontifical of the Apamean church written in 1214, Vespers were sung by the Pope's chaplains, while he washed the feet of twelve subdeacons.

Footnote 75: [(return)]

Chardin and other travellers testify, that this practice is preserved in modern times. In Homer's Odyssey the custom of taking a bath before a banquet is frequently mentioned, III, 467; IV, 49, VI. 216; VIII, 449.

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The emperors of Costantinople used (according to Codinus De Officiis Aulæ Costantinop.) to wash the feet of twelve poor persons: and Vespasiano Fiorentino in the fifteenth century, in his life of Alfonso di Napoli quoted by Cancellieri, says that "Il Giovedi Santo lavava i piedi a tanti poveri, quant' egli aveva anni, et lavavagli, come si deve ... et a tutti dava una veste bianca, et un pajo di calze, et un Alfonsino, et un fiorino et un carlino, et non so che altra moneta. Dipoi il Giovedi medesímo faceva ordinare una cena,... et la Maestà del Re la pigliava, et metteva loro innanzi, e con il vino, et quello avevano di bisogno con grandissima umiltà". See also Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. Lib. IV, c. XII, § 8. Our readers will here call to mind the good old custom still preserved of the maundy of our British Sovereigns, so called from mandatum, the first word of the first anthem sung during, the washing of the feet. In the Greek church, according to Baillet, not only are the feet of twelve poor persons washed, but the name of an apostle is given to each of them; as it may be supposed, nobody is anxious to have the name of Judas Iscariot: so lots are drawn to determine the person who is to represent that traitor. This may remind us of the threat of Leonardo da Vinci to copy the head of Judas, in his celebrated last supper, from the importunate Prior of S. Maria delle Grazie of Milan. Poor Leonardo despaired of finding a model for the head of our Saviour; and for more than a year was seeking the rabble for a fit subject whom he might represent as Judas: meantime the Prior was continually worrying him to finish the fresco. "In ogni caso poi" said he to Lodovico Sforza, "faro capitale del ritratto del P. Priore, che lo merita per la sua importunità e per la sua poca discrezione". The story of Leonardo bears some resemblance to the manner in which Michelangelo punished Biagio da Cesena Pontifical Master of Ceremonies, who before Daniel of Volterra had acquired his well-known nickname of braghettone complained to the Pope, that the naked figures of the last judgment were unworthy of a house of prayer. The artist introduced his censor in his painting as Minos judge of the infernal regions, with long ears like those of the other devils, and a serpent's tail. Paul III when appealed to is said to have answered, that if his Ceremoniere had been in Purgatory, he might have helped him out, but out of hell there was no redemption. This Papal witticism Platner could not find in any writer earlier than Richardson (See Beschreibung der Stadt Rom) but se non è vero, è ben trovato. Dante was not more scrupulous than Michelangelo about thrusting his opponents into his inferno.

Pictoribus atque poetis

Quidlibet audendi semper fuit æqua potestas.

Footnote 77: [(return)]

The mosaics with which it was adorned by Pope Leo III are preserved in the great niche adjoining the scala santa.

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The Portuguese, Spanish and some other churches are generally distinguished on this day by the brilliancy of the illumination of their sepulchres.

Footnote 79: [(return)]

In the eighth century Pope Hadrian I, according to Anastasius, suspended under the principal or triumphal arch, as it was called, a silver cross with 1365 or 1380 small lamps, which where lighted at Easter and other great festivals. This was perhaps the origin of the cross which used to be suspended in S. Peter's at this season.

Footnote 80: [(return)]

We have already mentioned an ancient Christian fresco in which an aspergillum is represented.

Footnote 81: [(return)]

Formerly, as Card. Borgia has proved (De Cruce Vaticana) this ceremony was performed in S. Peter's on good Friday. In other churches there were two distinct observances; 1. that of stripping the altars on holy Thursday, when Christ's passion began; and 2. that of washing them with wine and on good Friday, when blood and water flowed from His side, as the Abbot Rupert observes. For the ancient ceremonies of this day at Rome see besides the Apamean Pontifical above-cited, the Pontificals of Egebert archbishop of York and of Tirpin archbishop of Rheims ap. Martene, loc. cit. In some places the fast of Lent was not observed on this day, as appears from S. Augustine, Ep. 54 and Januarium. Of old this was the day for shaving in preparation for Easter-Sunday: it was therefore called shere-Thursday.