Seventh Day Within the Octave

of the earth ; from this day forward, infidelity will lose ground, and faith will progress ; and, when the Blood of the Lamb having been shed, Baptism shall 6e promulgated, the Magi shall be, not merely men of desire, but perfect Christians, initiated into all the Mysteries of the Church.

The ancient tradition, which is quoted by the author of The Imperfect Work on St Matthew, which is put in all the editions of St. John Chrysostom, and was probably written about the close of the 6th century — tells us that the three Magi were baptised by St. Thomas the Apostle, and devoted themselves to the preaching of the Gospel. But we scarcely need a tradition on such a point as this. The vocation of these three Princes could never be limited to the mere privilege of being the first, among the Gentiles, to visit the eternal King, who had come down from heaven to be born on this earth and show himself to his creatures ; a second vocation was the consequence of the first, the vocation of preaching Jesus to men.

There are many details relating to the life and actions of the Magi, after they had become Christians, which have been handed down to us ; but we refrain from mentioning them, as not being sufficiently ancient or important traditions, to have induced the Church to give them place in her Liturgy. We would make the same observation with regard to the names assigned to them of Melchior, tfaspar, and BaZthassar ; the custom of thus naming them is too modern to deserve credit ; and though it might be indiscreet to deny that these were their true names, it seems very difficult to give proofs of their correctness.

The Belies of these holy Kings were translated from Persia to Constantinople, under the first christian Emperors, and, for a long time, were kept in the Church of Saint Sophia. At a later period, they were

CHRISTMAS. translated to Milan, when Eustorgius was Bishop ot that City. There they remained till the 12th century, when, through the influence of the Emperor Frederic Barbarossa, they were translated to the Cathedral Church of Cologne, by Reynold, Archbishop of that metropolitan See. The Relics are in a magnificent Shrine, perhaps the finest specimen now extant of medieval metallic-art, and the superb Cathedral, where it is religiously kept, is, by its size and architectural beauty, one of the grandest Churches of the Christian world.

Thus have we followed you, O Blessed Magi ! Fathers of the Gentile-world ! from your first setting out from the East for Bethlehem, to your return to your own country, and even to your sacred restingplace, which the goodness of Qod has made to be in this cold West of ours. It was the love of children for their parents that made us thus cling to you. Besides, were we not ourselves in search of that dear King, whom you so longed for and found ? Blessed be those ardent desires of yours, blessed be your obedience to the guidance of the Star, blessed be your devotion at the Crib of Jesus, blessed be the yifts you made him, which while they were acceptable to God were full of instruction to us ! We revere you as Prophets, for you foretold the characters of the Messias by the selection of your three gifts. We honour you as Apostles, for you preached, even to Jerusalem herself, the Birth of the humble Jesus of Bethlehem, of that Jesus whom his Disciples preached not till after the triumph of his Resurrection. We hail you as the Spring-Flowers of the Gentile-world, but Flowers which produced abundant and rich fruits, for you brought over entire nations and countless people to the service of our divine Kin?. Watch over us, and protect the Church. Be mindful of those Eastern countries, whence rises to the earth the light of day, the beautiful image of your own journey towards Bethlehem. Bless this Western world of ours, which was buried in darkness when you first saw the Star, and is now the favoured portion of God's earth, and on which the Divine Sun of J ustice pours forth his brightest and warmest rays. Faith has grown weak among us ; re-enkindlo it. Obtain of the divine mercy, that the West may ever send forth her messengers of salvation to the south, and north, and even to that infidel East, where are laid the tents of Sem, and where the light that you gave her has been long extinguished by her apostacy. Pray for the Church of Cologne, that illustrious sister of our holiest Churches in the^ West ; may she preserve the faith, may she defend her sacred rights and liberty; may she be the bulwark of Catholic Germany, and be ever blessed by the protection of her Three Kings, and the patronage of the glorious Ursula and her virginal army. Lastly, we beseech you, O venerable Magi ! to introduce us to the Infant Jesus, and his Blessed Mother ; and grant us to go through these forty days, which the Church consecrates to the Mystery of Christmas, with hearts burning with love for the Divine Child, and may that same love abide with us during the pilgrimage of our life on this earth.

To-day, also,- we will make use of the formulas employed by the several ancient Churches in honour of the Mystery of the Epiphany. Our first selection is a Hymn written by the great Fulbert of Chartres.

HYMN.

"I bring you tidings from 44 heaven above : Christ, the " Ruler of the earth, is born " in Bethlehem of Juda : for 44 thus was it foretold by the " Prophet."

Nuntium vobis fero do supernis ; Natus est Christus, Domi- nator orbis, In Bethlehem Judaa ; sic enim Propheta Dixerat ante.

CHRISTMAS.

Hunc canit laetus chorus Angelorum, Stella declarat, veniunt Eoi Principes, dignum celebrare cultum, Mystica dona. Thus Deo, myrrh am tribuunt sepulchro, Auream Regi speciem decenti,

Dum colunt unum, merainere Trino Tres dare terna.

Gloriara trinae monadi canamus, Cum Deo divae Genitore Proli,

Flamini necnon ab utroque fuso

Corde fideli. Amen.

Thus sing the glad choir of Angels: toe same is announced by the Star, and the Eastern Kings come to offer to Jesus the worthy homage of their mystic gifts.

They offer their Frankincense to him as to their God \ the Myrrh honours his sepulchre : the Gold is the token of his Kingly character. Whilst thus worshipping One, the three offerers give three gifts to the Blessed Three.

Let us, too, sing praise to our Tri-Une God : glory to the Father, and to his divine Son, and to the Holy Spirit, who • is sent into the hearts of the faithful by the Father and the Son. Amen.

The two following Prayers are taken from the Mozarabic Breviary.

PBAYER.

Tu es, Domine, stella veritatis oriens ex Jacob, homoque consurgens ex Israel : et in novo sidere ostenderis Deus, et in prsesepio positus Deus et homo, unus crederis Christus : propter magnara roisericordiam tuam vision is tuse nobis proroga gratiaui : appareat in nobis lucis tuse raaiabile signum, quod expellat ounces teuebra* vitiorum: ut, qui visionis tuse desiderio anhelauius, visionis tuse praemio consolemur. Amen.

Thou, 0 Lord, art the Star of truth, that riseth out of Jacob, and the man that springeth from Israel. In the new Star thou showest thyself as God, and, lying in the Crib God and Man, we confess thee to be the one Christ. In thy great mercy, grant us the grace of seeing thee, and show unto us the radiant sign of thy light, whereby all the darkness of our sins may be put to flight : that so, we who now languish with the desire of seeing thee, may be refreshed with the enjoyment of that blissful vision. Amen.

PRAYER.

The heavens are shining with the clear beauty of the stars, O Lord, and the very earth is made beautiful by a shining light, because thou didst vouchsafe to appear to the world from out thy holy dwelling-place. Remove, therefore, from our hearts all sadness, for unto this end art thou come, that thou mayest make all things new. Grant also that light unto our eyes, which may purify us and fit us to behold thee for ever. That thus, we who preach to the nations the glad joys of thy Apparition, may be made glad with tbee in infinite joy. Amen.

We take the following Sequence from the ancient Missals of the Churches of Germany.

Fulget, Domine, coelum rutilum serenitate astrorum, terraque ipsa refulgenti lumine serenatur, quia apparere dignatus es mundo de habitaculo sancto tuo ; sana ergo cordis nostri moestitiam, quia ad hoc venisti, ut redimas universa: illudque nostris oculis lumen attribue, quo te purificati semper mereamur aspicere : ut qui Apparitionis tu» gaudia laetabunda nuntiamus in gentibus, infinita tecum laetitia gaudeamus. Amen.

SEQUENCE.

Our Saviour is born unto us ! Let us solemnly celebrate his Birth-Day.

To us was he given, unto us was he born, and with us has he lived, He the light and salvation of the Gentiles.

In the beginning, Eve caused our death : but Jesus, by the merits of the human nature he assumed, has redeemed us.

Our first mother brought us woe; but Mary joyfully brought forth for us the fruit of life.

We neglected our heavenly Father, but he did not neglect us ; he looked down upon us from heaven, and sent us his only Son.

Nato nobis Salvatore Celebremus cum honore Diem natalitium.

Nobis datua, nobis natus, Et nobiscum conversatus, Lux et salus gentium.

Eva prius interemit ; Sed Salvator nos redemit Carnis suae merito.

Prima parens nobis luctum,

Sed Maria vit» fructum Protulit cum gaudio.

Negligentes uou neglexit, Sed ex alto nos jprospexit Pater mittens Fuium.

CHRISTMAS.

Praesens mundo, sed abscon8us, De secreto tamquam spon-

8US

Prodiit in publicum.

Qigas velox, gigas fortis, Gigas nostras victor mortis, Accinctus potentia.

Ad currendam venit viam, Com plena in se prophetiam Et Legis mystena.

Jesu, nostra salutaria Medicina, singularis Nostra pax et gloria ;

Quia servis redimendis Tarn decenter condescendis, Te collaudant omnia.

Amen.

This Jesus, though in the world, was hidden from the world ; but, at length, he came forth, as a Bridegroom from the nuptial chamber, and made himself known.

He is the Qiant foretold by the Psalmist — swift, and strong, and vanquishing our death, for he was girt with power.

He came that he might run his course, and so verify the prophecy, and the mysteries of the Law,

J esus, thou our saving medicine, our only Peace and glory!

May all creatures give thee praise, for that thou didst so mercifully condescend to redeem us thy servants 1

Amen.

This beautiful canticle in honour of the Infant Jesus is from the pen of St. Ephrem, the sublime bard of the Syrian Church.

HYMN.

Hebraeas virgines assuetae alias Jeremiae Threnos recantare, pro lugubri suarura Scrip turarum carmine, indidem acceptos laetiti® hymnos hujusmodi refuderunt, Spiritu ipsarum ora movente :

Laeta jam nunc oculos ab inferis attollat Eva hunc visura diem, in quo ipsius nepos vitas auctor descendit extinctam Matris suae genitricem excitaturus. Ado

The Hebrew maidens, who heretofore had been wont to chant the Lamentations of Jeremias in the plaintive strain of their Scriptures, now borrowed from the same holv volume joyful thoughts, ana, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, sang them thus in hymns :

"Let Eve, in Limbo, now raise up her eyes, and see this day, whereon one of her race, and He the author of life, descends to raise up from death the mother of his own