Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

kept seven. The ceremonies ordained by the rituals to those who are allowed Christian burial vary in certain circumstances; but in general, when the time is come for the corpse to be carried to church, notice thereof must be given by the tolling of a bell to the priests, and other clergymen, whose province it is to assist at the funeral, to assemble in proper order, clothed in their sacerdotal vestments, in the church where they are to pray. After this, the rector puts his black stole and chasuble over his surplice, and they all set out to the house where the corpse lies: the exorcist, carrying the holy water, walks first; next the cross-bearer; afterwards the rest of the clergy; and last of all, the officiating priest. The corpse of the deceased must be either laid out at the street-door, or in some apartment near it, with his feet turned towards the street; the coffin being surrounded with four or six lighted tapers of yellow wax, in as many large candlesticks.

When the clergy are come to the house where the corpse lies, the crossbearer plants himself, if possible, at the head of it; the officiating priest over-against him, at the feet; the person who carries the holy water, a little behind the officiating priest, at his right hand; and the other persons of the choir range themselves on each side, observing to stand nearer or farther off from the officiating priest, in proportion to their rank or superiority in the Church. Everything must be ordered in this manner, provided there be room for it; for it often happens, that the cross stands at the door on that side where the funeral is to go, and that the choir are obliged to range themselves on each side, in order to leave room for the officiating priest in the middle. During this interval, the tapers and torches of yellow wax are lighted, and given to those who are appointed to carry them.

The officiating priest now standing before the cross, with his face turned towards the body, the assistant who carries the holy water presents him with the sprinkler, with which the priest sprinkles the corpse thrice, without saying a word.

Then follow certain other ceremonies, after which the corpse is carried to the church, where the service for the dead is read, and also mass, if the time will permit.

Prayers now follow; the corpse is again sprinkled; after which it is carried to the grave in the same manner in which it was carried to the church.

Being come to the grave, the whole company pull off their hats, and draw up in much the same order as at church. The bearers lay the corpse near the grave, with its feet turned towards the east, it being affirmed that JESUS CHRIST was buried in that manner. If the corpse be buried in the church, its feet must be turned towards the altar; but those of priests must have their heads turned in a contrary direction.

After the body has been laid on the brink of the grave, the officiating priest blesses it by a prayer, in which he makes the general commemoration of the dead who have been interred therein. The prayer being ended, he again sprinkles and incenses the body, and also the grave thrice. He afterwards begins this anthem, Ego sum Resurrectio, &c., I am the resurrection and the life, &c., and concludes with the Requiem. Then the officiating priest performs a third time the triple sprinkling of the

corpse with holy water, but does not incense it; which is followed by another prayer, with the anthem, Si iniquitates, and the De profundis. The body being laid in the grave, the relations and friends of the deceased come, before the earth is thrown into it, and sprinkle it with holy water, in their turns. When the grave has been filled up, the company condole with the relations of the deceased, and they all return to the church, where, after the mass for the deceased is ended, the funeral sermon is preached.

Sometimes the funeral happens in a season when mass cannot be said; in which case, the ceremony is performed with much greater simplicity; for then the corpse is only sprinkled and incensed by a priest clothed in his black chasuble, and accompanied with two clerks, the one carrying the cross, and the other the sprinkler and the thurible.

Independently of the age requisite for marriage, the liberty of contracting so solemn an engagement, and the publication of the bans, the rituals require further, "That the persons to be joined together in Ceremonies matrimony shall be sufficiently instructed in the Christian of Marriage. doctrine; that they should know the nature of the sacrament of marriage, its ends and obligations; and that they should first confess themselves, and receive the sacrament, before they join themselves together for ever.

When the priest in his proper vestments goes to the altar, he is preceded by one or two clerks in their surplices, carrying the holy-water pot, the sprinkler, the ritual, and a little basin, in which to put the ring when it is to be blessed. After he has said the usual prayer for the couple, he advances towards them on the last step of the altar; the man standing on the epistle and the woman on the gospel side, so that the man stands at the woman's right hand. The relations and witnesses stand behind them. Then the priest asks the couple their names and surnames; which is only a formality, their names being already known to him, by the publication of the bans, and by a certificate confirming the same, which the couple are obliged to produce at the time. He afterwards addresses himself to the man and woman separately, in their mother-tongue, calling them both by their proper names, and asks the man whether he will have such a one for his wife? and the woman whether she will have such a one for her husband? Reciprocal consent is absolutely requisite in this case, and without it the marriage would be null. After mutual consent has been given, by expressly answering "Yes," the priest, who before was covered, uncovers himself, takes the couple by the hand, and making them join hands, says, Egojungo vos in matrimonium, &c.; that is, I join you together in marriage, in the name of the Father, &c. At the same time he makes the sign of the cross upon them, and then sprinkles them with holy water. This being done, he blesses the wedding-ring, and sprinkles it also with holy water, in the form of a cross; after which he gives it to the man, who puts it on the wedding-finger of the woman's left hand. This ring is the pledge of the conjugal chastity and fidelity which the wife owes the husband. To all this the priest adds some prayers; after which follows an exhortation to the married couple and to the assembly, and afterwards mass.

The married couple are blessed in the following manner, when the woman is a virgin, and has always had the reputation of chastity :-The priest, after the offertory, goes to the foot of the altar, and the married

couple make what oblation they think proper; the husband first, and the wife afterwards. The priest likewise repeats some prayers; and the ceremony ends with an exhortation to the married couple. The subject of this exhortation is on the duties of the conjugal life, the end and design of marriage, reciprocal love, &c.; after which he sprinkles them with holy water. Young people are not to inhabit under the same roof, or be in company together, except in the presence of their parents or relations, till such time as they have received the blessing of the Church; but when this is over, they are at liberty to consummate the marriage, which would be criminal if done without the formalities established by the Church.

The married couple must now desire the priest to bless the marriage⚫bed; and among the other blessings which are asked by the mediation of the priest when he blesses the marriage-bed, one is, that those who are to lie in it may increase and multiply. The holy water completes the sanctification of the nuptial bed.

SEC. III.-HOLY ORDERS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

The Seven Or

THERE are seven orders in the Catholic Church, viz. the ders in the Ca- sacristan or door-keeper, the reader, the exorcist, the acolyte, tholic Church. the sub-deacon, the deacon, and the priest.

The employment of the door-keeper, called sacristan, is to open and shut the church-doors, and also to take care that the bells be rung in due time; that of the reader, to read aloud the lessons and prophecies which are sung at matins and mass; that of the exorcist, to cast out devils from the bodies of persons possessed; that of the acolyte, to bring in the tapers to light them, to take care to put fire into the thurible and frankincense into the navicula, to prepare the wine and water for the sacrifice, and to attend upon the sub-deacon, the deacon, and the priest.

The duty of the priest is to offer up the sacrifice of the mass, to administer the sacraments (those of confirmation and orders excepted), to preach the word of God, to bless the people, and to watch over the souls committed to his charge.

Church-benefices or livings, being the appurtenances of holy orders and the ecclesiastical state, can belong to those only who have been ordained, Benefices and or who have received the tonsure. Ecclesiastical dignities Dignities of the are of much more ancient date than benefices, the latter taking their rise from the latter ages of the Church.

Church.

A person must be full fourteen years of age before he can be entitled to possess a benefice, and must have received the tonsure beforehand. On all incumbents, especially those who have a cure of souls, residence is compulsory; but they frequently leave that duty to their curates. However, by the laws of the Church they are forbidden to receive any of the fruits of their benefices during the time they may have been absent from them.

Bishops are considered as the fathers and pastors of the faithful, and the successors of the Apostles; by virtue of which superiority they are allowed the chief places in the choir, in chapters, and processions. As Appointment and election of successors to the Apostles, they claim respect and homage Bishops. from the laity; and as fathers and pastors, they are obliged

to preach God's holy word to the faithful. This was the custom in the primitive Church; and there can be no prescription on this head, since, in the consecration of bishops, they are commanded to preach the Gospel to those over whom they are appointed pastors.

The ceremonial enjoins that bishops shall be clothed in purple, though the regular bishops may continue to wear the habit of their order. During Lent and Advent they must be in black, and always clothed in their sutane; but they are allowed to wear short clothes when on a journey.

The pope only has the right of electing bishops. This is a prerogative which the partisans of the Court of Rome carry to a very great height, and to the prejudice of kings and other sovereign princes. Nevertheless, some of these have reserved to themselves the right of nominating to bishoprics; after which, the pope sends his approbation and the bulls to the new bishop.

When a person hears that the pope has raised him to the episcopal dignity, he must enlarge his shaven crown, and dress himself in purple. If he be in Rome, he must go and salute his holiness, and receive the rochet from him. Three months after being confirmed in his election, he is consecrated in a solemn manner.

The archbishops are superior to bishops, and are distinguished by the pallium or pall, which the pope sends them. Anciently some bishops were honoured with the pallium, probably because of their

Archbishops. high quality. The bishop of Bamberg in Germany, and those

of Lucca and Pavia in Italy, enjoy the same privilege at this time.

If the person nominated to an archbishop's see be at Rome, the chief cardinal-deacon performs the ceremony of putting the pall on his shoulders, although it was formerly done by the pope. After mass, the officiating prelate, clothed in his pontifical vestments, receives the oath of the archbishop elect; who is clothed in similar pomp, the gloves and mitre excepted. The officiating prelate then rises up, and putting the pall upon the shoulders of the archbishop elect, says these words to him: "To the glory of God, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, of our Lord the Pope, and of the holy Church of Rome, &c., receive this pall, which is taken from the body of St. Peter, and in which the plenitude or perfection of the function of pontiff, or patriarch, or archbishop, is found; make use of it on certain days, noted in the privileges which are granted to you by the holy Apostolic See, in the name of the Father," &c. The archbishop

is to wear the pall in the solemnities of the mass, and on high festivals, at the consecration of a church, at ordinations, at the consecration of a bishop, and at giving the veil to nuns. The pope alone has the privilege of always wearing the pall.

Be

After the archbishop has received the pall, he goes up to the altar and blesses the people. The pall consists of certain pieces of white woollen stuff, three fingers in breadth, and is embroidered with red crosses. fore it be given to the archbishop, either at Rome or elsewhere, by proxy, it must be left for one whole night on the altar of St. Peter and St. Paul. The use of the pall is rather ancient in the Church, and some footsteps of that ornament are to be found among the Romans. The officers who served at feasts and sacrifices used to wear on the left shoulder a pretty broad

piece of woollen stuff, with plaits or folds hanging down from it. This was the badge of their ministerial function; and after it had been consecrated to the use of the Christian Church, it received an additional sacred character by being anointed. The pall being made of wool, and worn on the bishop's shoulders, is said to be the emblem of the lost sheep, which the shepherd lays on his shoulders, and brings back into the sheepfold.

Every particular pall serves for the use of that archbishop only to whom it was first given; neither can he make any use of it in case he be translated from one archbishopric to another, nor leave it to his successors. When an archbishop dies, his pall is buried with him; and if he be buried in his own diocese, it is laid upon his shoulders; but if out of it, under his head. An archbishop who has been translated to several sees has all his palls buried with him; that of his last archiepiscopal see being laid upon his shoulders, and the rest under his head.

The principal functions of the master of the ceremonies are to take care that all those who have lately taken orders observe the ceremonies and practices of the Church, and that everything be done in the Masters of the choir conformably to discipline. He must likewise regulate Ceremonies. the order and march in all processions, assist at all pontifical ceremonies, such as solemn masses, the entry and consecration of bishops, synods, the visitation of a diocese, &c.

The master of the ceremonies must be in holy orders, and his vestments are of a purple colour; but he must be clothed in a surplice when in the choir, and at the divine offices of the church. On high festivals, he car

Prebends and Canons.

ries a wand, which is generally of a purple colour. The prebends, or canons, are considered the senators of the Church. When a person is promoted to a prebend, he must be presented in a very ceremonious manner to the chapter, who assemble in the cathedral to receive him. He is presented by a deputy of the chapter, accompanied by the bishop's notary and some witnesses. This deputy conducts the person elected to the altar, which the latter kisses thrice; after which, he goes and takes his seat in the choir, and stays there some time, during which the deputy gives the chapter an account of his promotion; and afterwards he goes and takes him into the choir, and presenting him to the chapter, desires them to receive him as one of their brethren. The prebend elect then makes his confession of faith aloud, and swears to observe the ordinances of the Church, and of our Holy Father the Pope. Being thus solemnly installed, he is empowered to assist at the chapter, and to chant the office in the choir, &c.

The arch-deacon is superior to deacons and sub-deacons; his office is to examine the candidates for holy orders, and to present them to the bishop; and by virtue of this office, the arch-deacon is superior to a priest, notwithstanding that the order itself is inferior to that

Arch-deacon.

of the priesthood.

The arch-priest is superior to other priests. In the absence of his bishop, he celebrates the solemn masses. It is he who, on Ash-Wednesday, leads the penitents out of the church, puts ashes on their Arch-priest. heads, and presents them to the bishop on Holy Thursday. Pescara assures us, that the office of Prothonotary was instituted by

« AnteriorContinuar »