Maundy Thursday: Morning

rioh Jew, who recognizes Jesus as the Messias. The two apostles apprise him of their Master's wishes; and immediately he puts at their disposal a large and richly furnished room. It was fitting that the place where the most august mystery was to be instituted should be something above the oommon. This room, where the reality was to be substituted for all the anoient figures, was far superior to the temple of Jerusalem. In it was to be ereoted the first altar for the offering up of the clean oblation foretold by the prophet ; 1 in it was to oommence the Christian priesthood; in it, finally, fifty days later on, the Church of Christ, colleoted together and visited by the Holy Ghost, was to make herself known to the world, and promulgate the new and universal Covenant of God with men. This favoured sanotuary of our faith is still venerated on Mount Sion. The infidels have profaned it by their false worship, for even they look on it as a sacred place ; but, as though divine Providence, which has mercifully preserved unto us so many traces of our Redeemer, would give us an earnest of better days to come, this venerable sanotuary has recently been thrown open to several priests of the Church, and they have even been permitted to offer up the holy Sacrifice in the very place where the holy Eucharist was instituted.

During the course of the day, Jesus has enteder Jerusalem, with the rest of His disciples: He has found all things prepared.

The Pasohal Lamb, after being first presented in the temple, has been brought to the house, where Jesus is to celebrate the Supper ; it is prepared together with the wild lettuoe and the unleavened bread.

1 Mai. i. 11.

In a few hours, the divine Master and His disoiples will be standing round the table, their loins girt, and staves in their hands: and, for the last time, they will observe the solemn rite prescribed by God to His people when they first went forth from Egypt.

But let us wait for the hour of Mass, before going further into the details of this last Supper. Meanwhile, let us seek edification and instruction in two holy functions, whioh belong to this great day. The first is the reconciliation of penitents, whioh, although not now in use, needs to be described, in order that our readers may have a proper idea of the lenten liturgy. The second is the consecration of the holy oils, whioh is a ceremony oonfined to cathedral churohes, but so interesting to the faithful that we should have scrupled to exolude it from our volume. After having briefly desoribed these, we will return to the history of the institution of the blessed Sacrament, and assist at Mass. Then we shall have to speak of the preparation for the Mass of the Presanotified for to-morrow's servioe, of the stripping of the altars, and of the Mandatum, or washing of the feet. We proceed, therefore, to explain these several oeremonies, which make Maundy Thursday to be one of the most saored days of the Hturgioal year.

THE RECONCILIATION OF PENITENTS

Three solemn Masses were anciently celebrated on this day ; and the first was preceded by the absolution of the publio penitents, and their readmission into the Church. The following was the order of the service for the reconciliation of penitents. They presented themselves at the church door, clad in

Eenitential garb, and bare-footed. The hair of both ead and beard had been allowed to grow from Ash Wednesday, the day on whioh they had received their penanoe. The bishop reoited, in the sanotuary, the seven psalms in whioh David expresses his sorrow for having offended God. These were followed by the litany of the saints.

During these prayers the penitents were prostrate in the porch, for entrance into the church was forbidden them. Thrioe during the litany the bishop deputed some of the olergy to go and visit them, in his name, and bear them words of hope and consolation. The first time, two subdeaoons went to them and said: * As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of the sinner, but rather that he be converted and live/ The second time, two other subdeacons were sent, with this message: i Thus saith the Lord: Do penance ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Finally, a deacon was commissioned to go to them and say: 'Lift up your heads: lo! your redemption is nigh/ After these announcements of approaching pardon, the bishop left the sanctuary and went towards the penitents, as far as half way down the centre nave, where was prepared a seat, turned towards the door which led into the porch where the penitents were still lying prostrate. The pontiff being seated, the archdeacon addressed him in these words:

Venerable pontiff! The acceptable time has come, the day of God's mercy and of man's salvation, when death was destroyed, and eternal life began. This is the time when, in the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth, new plants are to be set, and the detestableness of the old growth is to be pruned away. For though there is no period of time, which is not rich in the goodness and mercy of God, yet now indulgence produces a more abundant remission of sins, and grace yields a more plentiful number of the regenerated. Those that are regenerated add to our ranks; those that return, increase our numbers. There is a laver of water; there is a laver of tears. From the one, there is joy because of the admittance of them that are called; from the other, there is gladness because of them that repent. Therefore it is that these thy suppliant servants — after having fallen into sundry kinds of sins, by the neglect of the divine commandments, and the transgression of the moral law — humbled and prostrate, cry out to the Lord in these words of the prophet: 'We have sinned: we have done unjustly; we have committed iniquity: have mercy on us, 0 Lord!' It has not been in vain, that they have heard the words of the Gospel: Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. As it is written, they have eaten the bread of i sorrow; they have watered their couch with tears; they have afflicted their hearts with mourning, and their bodies with fasting, that thus they might recover the health of soul, which they had lost. The grace of penance, therefore, is one; but it profits each one that receives it, and gives help to all in common.

The bishop then rose, and advanced towards the penitents. He spoke to them concerning the mercy of God, and how they should live for the time to come. After this exhortation, he thus addressed them: * Come, oome, come, my children ! I will teaoh you the fear of the Lord/ The choir then sang this antiphon, taken from Psalm zxxiii: 'Oome ye to Him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded/ Hereupon, the penitents rose up, and, coming to the bishop, threw themselves at his feet. The archpriest then pleaded for them in these words:

Make good in them, 0 apostolic pontiff, all that has been corrupted in them by the temptation of the devil. By the merit of thy prayers and intercession, and by the grace of the divine reconciliation, bring these men nigh unto God. Thus they, who heretofore suffered by the sins they committed, may now be happy in the hope that, having overcome the author of their death, they may please the Lord in the land of the living.

MAUNDY THURSDAY: PENITENTS

The bishop answered: 'Knowest thou, if they be worthy of reconciliation ?' The arohpriest replied: 'I know and bear witness, that they are worthy.' A deacon then ordered the penitents to rise. This done, the bishop took one of them by the hand, who did the same to his neighbour ; and thus all, hand in the centre of the nave. Meanwhile, the choir sang the following antiphons: * I say unto you, there is joy to the angels of God over one sinner doing penanoe. It behoveth thee, my son, to rejoice ; for thy brother was dead, and has come to life again ; he was lost, and is found.' The bishop then offered up to God this prayer, which he sang to the solemn tone of the Preface.

It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always and in all places give thanks to thee, 0 holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, through Christ our Lord: whom thou, almighty Father, didst will to be born among us by an ineffable birth, that so he might pay to thee, his eternal Father, the debt contracted by Adam, and put our death to death by his own, and bear our wounds in his own flesh, and cleanse away our stains by his Blood; hereby enabling us, who had fallen by the envy of the old enemy, to rise again by his mercy. Through him, 0 Lord, we suppliantly beseech and pray thee that thou graciously hear us making intercession for the sins of others, who are not worthy to plead for our own. Do thou, 0 most merciful Lord, recall to thyself, with thy wonted goodness, these thy servants, who have separated themselves from thee by their sins. For neither didst thou reject the most wicked Achab when he humbled himself before thee, but didst avert from him the punishment he had deserved. So, likewise, didst thou graciously hear Peter, when he wept, and didst afterwards give to him the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and thou didst promise the reward of that same kingdom to the thief when he trusted in thee. Therefore, 0 most merciful Lord! mercifully welcome back these for whom we offer to thee our prayers, and restore them to the bosom of the Church, in hand, followed that the enemy may not triumph over them, but that they may be reconciled unto thee by thy coequal Son, and by him be cleansed from their guilt, and graciously admitted by him to the banquet of thy most holy Supper. May he in such wise refresh them by his Flesh and Blood, as to lead them, after this life's course is run, to the kingdom of heaven.

After this prayer, all, both clergy and laity, prostrated themselves, together with the penitents, before the divine Majesty, and recited the three psalms which begin with the word Miserere, that is, psalms 1, lv, and lvi. The bishop then stood up, and said over the penitents (who remained prostrate, as did also all the assistants) six prayers, from which we select the following sentences.

Give ear, 0 Lord, to our supplications, and mercifully hear me, though I myself need mercy above all others. Thou hast chosen me to be the minister of this work, not from any merits thou didst see in me, but by the pure gift of thy grace. Grant me courage to fulfil my office, and do thou work, by my ministry, the effects of thine own mercy. It is thou that didst bring back, on thy shoulders, the lost sheep to the fold, and that didst mercifully hear the prayers of the publican: do thou, also, restore to life these thy servants, whom thou wouldst not have die unto thee. 0 thou, who abandonest not them that are gone astray, receive these who have returned to thee. We beseech thee, 0 Lord, let the tearful sighs of these thy servants move thee to clemency: heal their wounds: stretch out thy saving hand to them, and raise them up. Permit not thy Church to be injured in any of her members: let not thy flock suffer loss; let not the enemy exult over the destruction of any of thy family, nor the second death lay hold of them that have been regenerated in the laver of salvation. Pardon, O Lord, these that confess their sins to thee: let them not fall into the punishments of the judgment to come; let them never know the horrors of darkness, or the torments of the flames of hell. They have returned from the way of error to the path of justice; let them not again be wounded, but maintain ever within themselves both what thy grace hath conferred upon them, and what thy mercy hath reformed within them.

MAUNDY THUB8DAT: PENITENTS

Having said these prayers, the bishop stretohed forth his hands over the penitents, and pronounoed the reconciliation, in this solemn formula:

May our Lord Jesus Christ, who vouchsafed to take away the sins of the whole world, by delivering himself up for us, and shedding his spotless Blood ; who also said unto his disciples: Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed also in heaven: and who hath numbered me, though unworthy, among these his ministers: may he deign, by the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God, of the blessed Archangel Michael, of holy Peter the apostle (to whom he gave the power of binding and loosing), and of all the saints, to absolve you, by the merits of his Blood shed for the remission of sins, from all whatsoever you have negligently committed in thought, or word, or action; and, having loosed you from the bonds of sin, may he graciously lead you to the kingdom of heaven. Who, with God the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

The bishop then advanced towards the penitents, who were still lying prostrate: he sprinkled them with holy water, and thurified them. Finally, he addressed them in these words of the apostle: * Arise, ye that sleep ! arise from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten you!' The penitents stood up; and, in order to express the joy they felt at being reconciled with their Q-od, they immediately went and changed their penitential garb for one more in accordance with gladness, and with the holy Communion they were now to receive together with the rest of the faithful.

This reconciliation of penitents has given rise to the magnificent ceremony, which takes place at Borne on this day, the papal benediction. After Mass, the sovereign Pontiff, vested in cope, and wearing the tiara, goes to the balcony over the centre door of the Vatican basilica. In the Piazza of St. Peter's there stands an immense crowd of people, come from every country of the world, awaiting the appearanoe of the vicar of Christ, who is about to grant them the remission of the punishment due to their sins. One of the prelates who surround the Pope's throne reoites the usual form of the oonf ession of sins ; he reoites it in the name of the assembly below, whom one and the same holy faith has thus brought before the father of the Christian world. After a few seconds of silence, the Pontiff beseeches God to show the riohes of His mercy upon the multitude, who have already purified their conscience in the tribunal of reconciliation ; he invokes upon them the assistance of the holy apostles Peter and Paul ; and then rising, he raises up his hands to heaven, as though to draw thenoe the treasures of eternal indulgence; and immediately lowering them, he blesses the assembled multitude. This blessing, which grants a plenary indulgence to all that have fulfilled the requisite conditions, was, originally, given only on Maundy Thursday ; afterwards, it was given also on Easter Sunday; and again, later on, was extended to two other days in the year, namely, the Ascension (at St. John Lateran), and the Assumption (at St. Mary Major).

THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY OILS

The second Mass, which used formerly to be said on Maundy Thursday, was that of the blessing of the holy oils. This holy function, which takes place but once each year, requires a bishop as the consecrator. For now many oenturies, this great ceremony is celebrated at the single Mass, whioh is said on this day in commemoration of our Lord's Supper. As this blessing takes place only in oathedral ohurohes,

1 It is incorrectly called a blessing TTrbi et Orbi, inasmuch as it is $iyen only to the faithful who are present at it. we will not enter into eaok detail ; and yet we would not deprive our readers of what they ought to know with regard to the holy oils. Faith teaches us that, as we are regenerated by water, so are we confirmed and fortified by oil ; and that oil is one of the chief elements chosen by the divine Author of the Sacraments, whereby to signify and produoe graoe in our souls.

The reason of the Churoh's seleoting Maundy Thursday for the blessing of the holy oils, was that they would be so much needed for the Baptism of the neophytes on Easter Eve. It behoves the faithful to understand the mystery of those sacred elements. We will, therefore, briefly explain it to them, in order that we may exoite their hearts to gratitude to our blessed Lord, who has made material things the instruments of grace, and, by His Blood, has given them the sacramental power whioh resides within them.

The first of the holy oils, that is, the first that is blessed by the bishop, is the one oalled the oil of the sick. It is the matter of the Saorament of Extreme Unotion. It takes away from the dying Christian the remnants of sin ; it strengthens him in his last combat ; and, by the supernatural power it possesses, sometimes restores to him the health of the body. Formerly, it used to be blessed on any day of the year, as often as required: but, later on, its blessing was fixed for this day, that thus the three oils might be blessed all together. The faithful should assist, with muoh devotion, at this ceremony ; for the element that is thus sanctified is one day to anoint and purify our bodies, sinking under sickness. Let them, as they see it being blessed, think upon their last hour, and praise the infinite goodness of their

Saviour, ' whose Blood streams so plentifully through this precious fluid/1

The noblest of the three oils is the chrism, and its oonseoration is more solemn, and fuller of mystery, than those of the other two. It is by the ohrism that the Holy Ghost imprints His indelible seal on the Christian that has already been made a member of Christ by Baptism. The water gives us our spiritual birth ; the chrism gives us strength ; and, until such time as we have received its holy anointing, we have not as yet the perfeot oharaoter of a Christian. Anointed with this holy oil, the Christian has a visible sign given him of his being a member of the Man- God, whose name of Christ signifies the unction He has received both as Kins' and Pontiff. This consecration of a Christian by chrism is so muoh in accordance with the spirit of our holy religion, that, immediately after Baptism, the child reoeives upon its head an anointing (though it is not a saoramental one) of this oil, to snow that he is already a sharer of the kingly character of Jesus Christ.

In order to express, by an outward sign, the saoredness of ohrism, an apostolic tradition requires the bishop to mix balm with it. This balm represents what the apostle calls the good odour of Christ, of whom it is written: * We will run after Thee, to the odour of Thy ointments.*8 The scarcity and high price of other perfumes has obliged the Latin Church to be content with balm alone in the mixture of holy ohrism: but in the eastern Church, where the olimate is more favourable than ours, three and thirty species of precious perfumes are put into the oil, and it thus becomes an ointment of exquisite fragrance.

The holy chrism, besides its sacramental use in

1 Bossuet, Oraison funebre d'Eenriette dfAngUterre. 1 2 Cor. ii. 15. » C^nt. i. 3f

Confirmation, and its being put upon the head of the newly baptized, is also used by the Church in the consecration of her bishops, in the consecration of ohalioes and altars, in the blessing of bells, and in the dedication of a church; in which last most imposing ceremony, the bishop pours out the chrism on the twelve crosses which are to attest to all succeeding ages the glory of God's house.

The third of the holy oils is that which is called the oil of catechumens . Though it be not the matter of any Saorament, it is, nevertheless, apostolic institution. Its blessing is less solemn than that of the chrism, but more so than that of the oil of the siok. The oil of cateohumens is used in the oeremonies of Baptism, for anointing the breast and shoulders. It is used also for the anointing of a priest's hands in Ordination, and for the coronation of a king or queen.

These few words of explanation will give the faithful some idea of the importance of the blessing of the holy oils. By this threefold blessing, says St. Fortunatus in the beautiful hymn which is used during the ceremony, the bishop acquits the debt he owes, and which none but he can pay.

The holy Churoh seldom employs such pomp as she does on this occasion. Twelve priests, seven deacons, and seven subdeacons are present. The Roman pontifical tells us that the twelve priests assist as witnesses and oo-operators of the holy chrism. The Mass commenoes, and goes on as far as the prayer of the Canon which immediately precedes the Pater noster. The bishop then leaves the altar, and goes to the place prepared for the blessing. The first phial of oil that is brought to him, is that which is intended for the sick. He prefaces the blessing by pronouncing the words of e^oroism over this oil,

PASSI0NT1DE AND HOLY WEEK in order to drive from it the influenoe of the wicked spirits, who, out of hatred for man, are ever seeking to infest the oreatures given to us for our use. This done, he blesses it in these words:

We beseech thee, 0 Lord, send forth from heaven thy holy Spirit the Paraclete upon this rich juice of the olive, which thou hast graciously produced from the green wood, for the solace of both mind and body. By thy holy blessing, may all they that are anointed with this ointment of heavenly virtue, receive help to mind and body; may it remove from them all pains, all infirmities, and all sickness of mind and body, for it was with oil that thou didst anoint thy priests, kings, prophets, and martyrs. May this, being blessed by thee, 0 Lord, become unto us an ointment of perfection, and abide within our whole being. *In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the seven subdeaoons then carries the phial baok, and the bishop returns to the altar, and continues the Mass. As soon as he has given holy Communion to the clergy, he returns to the place prepared for the blessing of the oils. The twelve priests, the seven deacons, and the seven subdeaoons, repair to the place where the other two phials have been put. One contains the oil which is to become the chrism of salvation ; the other, the oil which is to be sanctified as the oil of oatechumens. The procession is soon seen returning towards the pontiff. The two phials are carried by two deacons ; a subdeacon carries the vase of balm. The bishop begins by blessing the balm: he calls it ' the fragrant tear of dry bark, the oozing of a favoured branch, that gives us the priestly unction'. Before proceeding to bless the oil of the chrism, he thrice breathes upon it, in the form of a cross. The twelve priests do the same. The Gospel tells us that our blessed Saviour used this same ceremony over His apostles. It signifies the power of the Holy Ghost, and expresses His name, whioh is the Spirit. This holy Spirit is about tp make this oil beqome an in-

UAVVDY THURSDAY : HOLT OILS strument of His divine power. The bishop first prepares it for the heavenly dignity, by exorcising it. He then celebrates the praises of the chrism, by this magnifioent Prefaoe, which has been handed down to ns from the earliest ages of our faith.

It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should always, and in all places, give thanks to thee, 0 holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God: who in the beginning, among the rest of thy bounteous gifts, didst command the earth to yield fruitbearing trees, among which should be the olive, which produces this most rich liquour, and whose fruit was to serve for making holy chrism. Hence it was that David, foreknowing by a prophetic spirit the Sacraments of thy grace, sang that our faces were to be made glad with oil: and when the sins of the world were expiated of old by the deluge, a dove announced that peace was restored to the earth, by bearing an olive branch, the type of the gift to come, which has been manifested in these latter ages; for after the waters of Baptism have washed away the sins of men, this anointing of oil gives us joy and calm. Hence, too, thou didst command thy servant Moses to ordain his brother Aaron priest, by pouring oil upon him, after he had been cleansed with water. A greater honour still was, that when thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, bade John baptize him in the waters of the Jordan, thou didst send upon him the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove; that thus by a voice that bore testimony, thou mightest designate thine only-begotten Son, in whom thou wast well pleased, and mightest prove, beyond all doubt, that this was the fulfilment of what the prophet David had foretold, when he sang, that he was to be anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. We, therefore, beseech thee, 0 holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, that thou vouchsafe to sanctify, by thy blessing, this thy creature oil, and infuse into it the virtue of the Holy Ghost, through the co-operating power of Christ, thy Son, from whose name it hath borrowed its own of chrism, and wherewith thou didst anoint the priests, kings, prophets, and martyrs. Raise this chrism into a Sacrament of perfect salvation and life, to them that are to be renewed by the spiritual laver of Baptism. That thus, the corruption of their first birth being absorbed by the infusion

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PAS6I0NTIDE AND HOLT WBB& of this holy anointing, they may become a holy temple, redolent with the fragrance of the innocence of holy living. According to what thou hast appointed in this mystery, bestow upon them the honour of kings, priests, and prophets, by vesting them in the robe of incorruption. May this oil be to them, that are born again from water and the Holy Ghost, a chrism of salvation, making them partakers of life everlasting, and coheirs of heavenly glory. mixed it, on a paten, with a little oil, he pours it into the phial. The consecration of the ohrism thus completed, he salutes it with these words: 'Hail, O holy ohrism !' This he does with the intention of honouring the Holy Ghost, who is to work by this sacramental oil. The same is done by eaoh of the twelve priests.

The bishop then proceeds to bless the oil of oateohumens. After having breathed upon it and pronounced the exorcism, as before in the blessing of the holy chrism, he says this prayer:

0 God, the rewarder of every spiritual increase and growth! who strengthenest the beginnings of weakly souls by the power of the Holy Ghost: we beseech thee, 0 Lord, that thou vouchsafe to pour out thy blessing upon this oil, and grant to them, that come to the laver of holy regeneration, the cleansing of soul and body, by the anointing they receive from this thy creature; that so, if there should be any stains fixed upon them by their spiritual enemies, they may be effaced by the touch of this holy oil. May the wicked spirits find no room there; may the powers, that have been put to flight, have no further sway; may there be no lurking place left to insidious evil ones. May thy servants that come to the faith, and are to be cleansed by the operation of thy holy Spirit, find in this anointing a preparation for that salvation, which they are to receive in the Sacrament of Baptism, by the birth of a heavenly regeneration. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who is to come to judge the living, and the dead, and the world by fire. Amen.

The bishop theQ &lx\te& the oil, on wbioh he bit*

The bishop then

UATOlrt TtiUttSDAt : &OLY OILS &6ft conferred these wonderful prerogatives, saying: c Hail, 0 holy oil !* The same aot of reverence is repeated by each of the priests. One of the deacons takes the chrism, another the oil of catechumens, and a procession is again formed for taking them to the place prepared for them. They are covered with veils ot silk: the holy chrism, with white ; the oil of cateohumens, with purple.

We will oonolude our outline of this imposing oeremony, by giving our readers the beautiful hymn, oomposed in the sixth oentury, by St. Venantius Portunatus, bishop of Poitiers. The Churoh has adopted it for the two processions, which we have already described.

HYMN

O Redemptor same carmen temet concinentium.

Repeat: 0 Redemptor.

Audi judex mortuorum, Una spes mortalium, Audi voces prof erentum Donum pacis praevium.

0 Redemptor.

Arbor foeta alma luce Hoc sacrandum protulit: Fert hoc prona praesens turba, Salvatori sceculi.

0 Redemptor. Stans ad aram immo supplex

Infulatus Pontif ex, Debitum persolvit omne, Consecrato chrismate.

O Redemptor.

Consecrare tu dignare, Rex perennis patriae,

0 Redeemer of mankind I receive the hymn of them that sing thy praise.

Repeat: 0 Redeemer.

0 Judge of the dead! thou only hope of men! hear the prayers of them that carry the emblem of the gift of peace.

0 Redeemer.

A tree made fruitful by the fostering sun, produced this oil that is now to be blessed, which we, the adorers of his holy name, bring to the Saviour of the world.

O Redeemer.

The mitred pontifE, too, standing humbly before the altar, is about to pay his debt, by consecrating the chrism.

O Redeemer.

O King of the everlasting kingdom! deign to consecrate

Hoc olivum, signum vivum, Jura contra daemonum.

O Bedemptor.

Ut novetur sexus omnis Unctione chrismatis, Ut sanetur sauciata Dignitatis gloria.

0 Bedemptor.

Lota mente sacro f onte Aufugantur crimina: Uncta fronte, sacrosancta Influunt charismata.

0 Bedemptor.

Corde natns ex Parentis, Alvum implens Virginis, Praesta lucem, claude mortem,

Chrismati consortibns.

0 Bedemptor.

Sit haec dies f esta nobis Saeculorum saeculis: Sit sacrata, digna laude, Nec senescat tempore.

O Bedemptor. this oil, this instrument of life, that breaks the demon's power. 0 Bedeemer.

Men and women are renovated by the unction of the chrism; and their glorious dignity that had been wounded, is healed by the same.

0 Bedeemer.

When the soul is washed in the sacred font, her crimes are put to flight: and holiest graces come upon them, whose brow is anointed with this oil.

0 Bedeemer.

0 thou the Son of the eternal Father, and Son of the Virgin-Mother ! grant light and life to us whom thou hast made to share in thine own anointing.

0 Bedeemer.

May this day be to us an everlasting feast. May it be sacred, praiseworthy, nor grow old with time.

0 Bedeemer.