Footnote 131: [(return)]
The stag was a favourite subject of the early Christian artists, who often represented it in their paintings, and afterwards on their mosaics. The text above quoted explains its signification.
Footnote 132: [(return)]
"In most of the old rituals we find that the font was hallowed with various ceremonies besides prayer. It was customary to make the sign of the cross, as we learn from the testimony of Chrysostom, Augustine, and Pseudo-Dionysius". Palmer vol. 2, p. 195. Martene observes that the rite of pouring chrism into the water is mentioned in all the ancient Gallican, Ambrosian, and Mozarabic liturgies. The blessing of baptismal water is reckoned by S. Basil, in the 4th century, among apostolical traditions. (De Spiritu. S. c. 27).
Footnote 133: [(return)]
"Some form of admission to the class of catechumens was used in all churches at an early period, and it seems most commonly to have consisted of imposition of hands with prayers for the person. To this in many places were added various rites, such as, signing the forehead of the candidate with the cross, the consecration and giving of salt, which was entitled the sacrament of catechumens, repeated exorcisms, or prayers and adjurations to cast out the power of Satan, anointing with oil, and other mystical and figurative rites. In the course of many ages, when the Christian church had overspread the face of the world, and infidelity had become in most places extinct, the form of admission to the class of catechumens was from a veneration for old customs in many places conjoined to the office of baptism, and administered at the same time with it to the candidates for that sacrament whether they were infants or not". Palmer, vol. 2, c. 5, sect. 1.
Footnote 134: [(return)]
"It has been customary in the Christian church from the most remote period, for the candidates for baptism to renounce the devil and all his works, before they were admitted to that sacrament. This renunciation was always followed by a profession of faith in Christ, as it is now in the English liturgy. The last interrogation and answer "Vis baptizari, Volo" have long been used in the west. (Martene de Antiq. Eccl. rit. tom. I, p. 180, 192). According to the ancient custom of the Roman church, represented in the Sacramentary of Gregory, the profession of faith occurs between the hallowing of the water and the administration of the sacrament. This custom has long been used in the Roman church; since the Sacramentary of Gelasius (A.D. 494) appointed the confession of faith to be made immediately before baptism, though the renunciations were made some hours before. In primitive times the sign of the cross was not only made on the forehead of the elect at the time of baptism, but was used very often in other ways: this act is probably not more recent than the apostolical age; and this sign was made in some part of almost every Christian office. The administration of baptism was succeeded by various rites in the primitive church; among other the newly-baptised were clothed in white garments. Formerly also confirmation followed immediately after baptism". I have extracted the preceding passages from different sections of Palmer's 5th chapter, vol. 2: coming from a clergyman of the church of England, they are important admissions, and they dispense with the necessity of my proving the antiquity of these various baptismal riles. The reader may see proofs of them collected in Palmer (loc. cit.) Martene T. 1: cap. 2, etc.
Footnote 135: [(return)]
Palmer says, that in confirmation, to the rites of prayer and imposition, of hands was added "that of anointing with an unguent or chrism, made of oil and balsam, and hallowed by the prayers of the bishop.—We learn from the writings of Tertullian and Origen, that it was already customary both in the east and the west at the end of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century. This chrism was intended to signify the grace of the Holy Spirit then conferred". Palmer, Or. Lit. vol. 2, p. 199. If this unction had not been of apostolic origin, it would not have been customary in all churches at so early a period.
Footnote 136: [(return)]
At S. John Lateran's, when the Agnus Dei is said, the ancient custom is preserved, which was originally established by Pope Sergius, of saying Miserere nobis three times, and not Dona nobis pacem, which words were introduced into the liturgy, (according to Innocent III, De Myst Missæ) about the 10th century, in time of schism.
Footnote 137: [(return)]
Orders are generally conferred on the saturday of each ember-week, besides the saturday before passion and easter sundays. A minute detail of the numerous ceremonies of ordination can not be expected in a work on the ceremonies of holy-week. The reader may find them all enumerated in the Pontifical, and on their antiquity he may consult Morinus, De Ordinationibus; Martene, De Ant. Eccl. Rit. t. 2. etc. On the service of holy saturday see the MS. Pontifical of the Apamean church and various Ordines ap. Martene, lib. IV, c. 24. Formerly after the mass there was general communion; and at Rome no Vespers were said (Alcuin), and 7 altars were consecrated.
Footnote 138: [(return)]
In the afternoon the parish-priests bless with prayers and holy water the houses and paschal food of their parishioners. In the Ordo Romanus, besides the blessing of milk and honey, there is a formula of benediction of a lamb and other food. Durandus also (lib. 6 Ration.) mentions the blessing of the lamb, a custom which is preserved at Rome till the present time. The shops of the pizzicaroli are illuminated and gaily decorated, probably because they have peculiar reasons to rejoice at the conclusion of the austerities of lent.
Footnote 139: [(return)]
For the ceremonies of Easter-sunday see The Pontifical Mass sung at S. Peter's on Easter-sunday etc. By C.M. Baggs. D.D. Rome 1840.