The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome

by Charles Michael Baggs

Footnote 87: [(return)]

After these prayers the faithful used anciently to leave the church, and the Priests to go to their own churches, to perform the ceremonies till the evening-service: so that what follows was then a totally distinct service. See Sacram S. Gregorii, ant. Ord. Roman, etc. ap. Martene lib. IV, c. 23.

Footnote 88: [(return)]

It would appear, that, before Costantine abolished the punishment of malefactors on the cross, the Christians, who well knew with S. Paul that Christ crucified was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the gentiles foolishness', prudently abstained from representing our Saviour nailed to the cross, and used rather to depict a lamb with a cross near it, of which instances may he seen in Rork's Hierurgia p. 520. The first mention of the crucifix in the church is believed to occur in the poem titled De Passione Domini referred to the fourth century. That the use of the sign and the image of the cross was much more ancient and very prevalent among Christians will appear from the following facts. "At every step and movement" says Tertullian (in the early part of the third century) "whenever we come in or go out, when we dress and wash ourselves, at table, when lights are brought in, whether we are lying or sitting down; whatever we are doing, we mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross". Eusebius mentions that Constantine placed a magnificent cross De Vit. Const. I. 3. In the fourth century in his palace S. John Chrysostom in one of his eloquent homilies observes "Every where the symbol of the cross is present to us. We inscribe it very diligently on our houses, and walls, and doors, and brows, and thoughts". S. Basil (De Spirit. S. ad Amphilochium c. 27.) derives the sign of the cross from Apostolic tradition. That this custom universally prevailed among Christians might be proved from S. Jerome, from the historian Socrates and others, and from monuments of the early Christians still preserved in Egypt: but why travel so far? we have only lo look around us in the catacombs, or in the Vatican Museum and Library. The cross is the chosen, the beloved sign of Christians; they repeated it a thousand times on their lamps, on their rings, on their cups and sacred vessels, that they might have the sign of their redemption ever before their eyes, they kissed it at the hour of their death, and had it marked on their tomb, as a sign of their hope of salvation. No sooner had peace shone upon the church, than crosses were erected on high roads, and in many places of public resort: and would to God that those sacred ancient monuments, which once adorned our own country, bore public testimony to the faith of its inhabitants, and recalled to the minds of passers-by the sufferings of their Saviour, had not been too rudely treated in the first heat of religious and political frenzy! For some ancient representations of the cross see the learned work of Dr. Rock on the mass. I shall content myself with noticing an interesting instance, which he has not mentioned. At Pompeii the house of Pansa, as it is called, is one of the most remarkable yet excavated on account of its extent and regularity. Some parts of it were used as shops, and appear to have been let out, (as is still the custom in some palaces of Rome): for they have no communication with the body of the building. Between two parts thus separated is an entrance from a side street to the peristyle or open court surrounded by columns; and on the pier between the two doors is, or rather was a painting representing one of the guardian-serpents or tutelary deities, who were sometimes represented under that form, as we occasionally see at Pompeii, and as we learn from Virgil (lib.) V. Hence as we see in Titus' baths and are informed by Persius, a place was considered sacred, in which serpents were painted. Indeed these reptiles became such favourites, that, according to Seneca, they used to creep upon the tables amid the cups: and some ladies so far overcame natural prejudices, as to place real serpents, if not boas, round their necks, to cool them, instead of using artificial boas to warm themselves. "Si gelidum nectit collo Glacilla draconem" says Martial. Before the serpent painted in Pansa's house is or was a projecting brick intended to support a lamp: the painting in consequence of its situation could be seen only by persons within the house: but upon the opposite wall there is or was a cross worked in bas relief upon a panel of white stucco, so situated as to be visible to all persons passing. It had the form of a Latin cross, which, we may observe, as well as the Greek cross: is found upon ancient Christian monuments; though of course we cannot bring forward other instances so ancient as the monument in question. (See Rock p. 516). "It is hard to conceive", says the learned Mazois, "that the same man should bow at once before the cross of Christ, and pay homage to Janus, Ferculus, Limetinus, Cardia, the deities of the threshold, and the hinges of doors. Perhaps at this time the cross was of a meaning unknown except to those who had embraced the Christian faith, which, placed here among the symbols of paganism, as if in testimony of gratitude, informed the faithful, that the truth had here found an asylum with a poor man, under the safeguard of all the popular superstitions". So far Mazois, whose opinion is embraced by the author of the interesting work on Pompeii published by the society for promoting useful knowledge: but is it not probable, I may ask, or rather is it not certain that, at that early period, while some members of the same family were pagans, others were Christians? it is not then surprising if in the same house we find both Christian and Pagan emblems: we may suppose, that some such persons may have been inmates of the same house as Mr. Bulwer's pagan gladiator Lydon and his Christian father Medon. Pompeii was overwhelmed by ashes in the year of Christ 79: and if Vesuvius still occasionally lay waste the surrounding country, we are indebted to it for the preservation not only of a thousand classical monuments, but also of a representation of the cross of Christ, which cannot be of a much later date than the time of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Footnote 89: [(return)]

St. Helen discovered the cross on which Christ suffered, and erected a church in Jerusalem, in which it was deposited. "The bishop of that city every year, at the season of the paschal solemnity, exhibits it to be adored by the people, after he himself has first performed his act of profound veneration". S. Paulinus of Nola, A.D. 430, ep. 11 ad Sever. "In the middle of Lent, the life-giving wood of the venerable cross is usually exposed for adoration". S. Sophronius patriarch of Jerusalem in 639. (Orat. in Exalt. Crucis). From this custom of the church of Jerusalem probably arose that of the Roman church, in which a crucifix, containing a particle of the true cross, was publicly venerated on good Friday. In the Sacramentary of pope Gelasius (A.D. 402) we read in an account of the ceremonies of this day "The priest comes before the altar, adoring the Lord's cross and kissing it—all adore the holy cross and communicate". This ceremony is mentioned also in the Antiphonary of S. Gregory the great and the ancient Ordo Romanus. Flecte genu, lignumque crucis venerabile adora, says Lactantius. See bishop Poynter's Christianity p. 151. Of the Greeks Leo Allatius relates that "on good-friday, while they accompany as it were Christ himself to the tomb, they lead round through the cities and adore the sculptured body of Christ". De consensu utriusque Eccl. lib. 5. c. 15. The Syrians also practise this ceremony, as we learn from documents published by Card. Borgia and Nairon. This rite is called the adoration of the cross. Let us not forget what is said in the Book of Common Prayer in the solemnization of Matrimony "With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee worship". Such words of doubtful signification must be interpreted from the doctrine of the church which adopts them. Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim. Now the word adorare used in our liturgy (derived from ad and ora, because persons when adoring used to put their right hand to their mouth; Plin. I. 28, c. 2. Apuleius in Apolog.) signifies not only to pay divine worship, but also to venerate and even to salute. Thus from the instances collected in Forcellini's Lexicon we may select the following: "Primo autem septimum Germanici consulatum adoravi". Stat in præf i. 4 Silv. Imo cum gemitu populum sic adorat: Apulei. lib 2. Metam. The doctrine of the catholic church on this subject is as usual clear and decided. The twenty-fifth session of the Council of Trent decreed as follows: "The holy synod commands all bishops, and others sustaining the duty and care of teaching, that they should diligently instruct the faithful concerning the legitimate use of images according to the custom of the catholic and apostolic church received from the commencement of christianity, and the consent of the holy fathers, and decrees of the sacred councils, teaching them ... that the images of Christ; of the Virgin mother of God, and other saints, are to be had and retained especially in churches, and that due honour and veneration are to be given them: not that any divinity or virtue is believed to exist in them for which they are to be worshipped, or that any thing is to be asked from them, or that confidence is to be placed in images, as was formerly done by the Gentiles, who used to place their hope in idol; but because the honour which is given to them is referred to the prototypes which they represent; so that by the images which we kiss, and before which we uncover our heads and bow our bodies, we adore Christ, and venerate the Saints, whose likeness they bear: this has been decreed against the opposers of images by the decrees of councils, especially of the second synod of Nice. And let the bishops diligently teach, that by the histories of the mysteries of our redemption expressed in pictures or other likenesses the people are instructed and confirmed in commemorating and assiduously venerating articles of faith, and that from all sacred images a great fruit is derived, not only because the people are admonished of the benefits and gifts conferred on them by Christ, but also because God's miracles through the saints, and salutary examples are laid before the eyes of the faithful, that they may return thanks for them to God, and may compose their life and manners to an imitation of the saints, and may be excited to adore and love God and cherish piety". The council then gives directions for the extirpation of any abuses which may creep in. These words, by which our faith and practice are regulated, are too clear to need comment, and sufficiently justify catholics from the foolish and calumnious charge of idolatry. The true Catholic practice is well expressed in a work attributed to Alcuin "We prostrate our bodies before the cross, and our souls before the Lord: we venerate the cross by which we have been redeemed, and we supplicate Him who redeemed us".

Footnote 90: [(return)]

This rite is described in the Ordo Romanus XIV with the same ceremonies. It is first mentioned in the Ordo XI of the Canon Benedict.

Footnote 91: [(return)]

We kiss and press to our hearts the pictures of those whom we love, and shall we think it sinful to kiss the image of Him, who for love of us humbled himself even to the death of the cross? Oh! let each one of us rather exclaim with S. Paul "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the world" (Gal. VI): or in the words attributed to S. Andrew when he was going to be crucified "Hail precious cross, that hast been consecrated by the body of my Lord, and adorned with his limbs as with rich jewels. Oh good cross, that hast received beauty from our Lord's limbs, I have ardently loved thee, long have I desired and sought thee; now thou art found by me and made ready for my longing soul". Act. S. Andreæ.

Footnote 92: [(return)]

"The greatest glory" says Baini "was deservedly obtained by Pierluigi on account of the improperii, and the hymn Crux fidelis which he set to music for 8 voices divided into two choirs, and which were sung for the first time by the choir of the Lateran basilica on good Friday in the year 1560: by them fece sbalordire arte e natura. Pius IV demanded them for the use of the apostolic chapel, and, after he had heard them, declared that Palestrina had surpassed his expectations. These improperii are still sung and will ever be sung in the apostolic chapel" Baini, Mem. storic. di Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 1. p. 64.

Footnote 93: [(return)]

This hymn is frequently sung in the Greek and Oriental church. Renaudot T. I, p. 70. According in the Menologium Græcum and S. John Damascen it was first used in the reign of Theodosius, when public supplications were offered to heaven during a terrible earthquake at Costantinople. This Palmer admits, I, 64. It is still said in Greek, in which it was originally composed, as well as in Latin, in the Roman church. See Goar in notis ad Rituale Græc.

Footnote 94: [(return)]

In the Ordo Romanus XII, Ap. 1, de Presbyterio, it is prescribed that "according to ancient custom whatever is offered upon the cross ought to belong to the schola (or company)" of the cross: in the Ordo XIV, that it belongs to the Sagrista. The sum collected is at present the perquisite of M. Sagrista and the two principal Masters of ceremonies. These offerings were customary also in other churches, and in particular at Paris.

Footnote 95: [(return)]

Baini observes, that the chant of this hymn is one of the few instances of rhythmical chant preserved by uninterrupted tradition in the papal chapel and adorned with the ancient ornaments. (See his Saggio sopra l'indentità dei ritmi musicale e poetico. Firenze, 1820). "The chant of that hymn" says Eximano (quoted by Baini, Mem. Stor.) is a true plain chant, that is, a chant of unison, such as it is found in all choral books: but the mode of singing it in the pontifical chapel makes it appear different from what is sung in other churches—Above all, the distribution of the notes, which are sung (not of those which are written) adapted to express the length and shortness of the syllables which compose the rhythm of the hymn, ought to be studied. "Se si dà quell'inno ad un maestro di cappella per metterlo in musica concertata ed in battuta sensibile, verrà subito distrutto il ritmo, e se la cantilena della cappella pontif. si scrive in battuta, si vedranno cadere nel battere alcune sillabe brevi, senza pregiudizio della loro quantità". Dubbio di D. Antonio Eximeno sopra il saggio fondamentale pratico di contrappunto del R.P.M. Martini. Roma, 1773.

Footnote 96: [(return)]

The corporal is a square piece of linen so called, because the Corpus or body of Christ is placed on it. S. Isidore of Pelusium in the beginning of the 5th century says, that the white linen cloth, which is spread under the divine gifts, is the clean linen cloth of Joseph of Arimathea: "for we, sacrificing the bread of proposition on the linen cloth, without doubt find like him the body of Christ": it was anciently much larger than it is at present. The purificator is a small towel, which serves to wipe the chalice and the hands and mouth of the priest, after he has received the B. Sacrament.