As the Celebrant steps upon the foot-pace, the SubDeacon, turning by his right, descends to the sanctuary floor and stands facing the altar, directly behind the Celebrant. At the same time the Deacon (who in ascending does not go beyond his own step) moves directly behind the Celebrant.

When the Celebrant has said the Offertory sentence, the Deacon makes the proper reverence, moves a little to his right and goes up to the altar, and stands at the right of the Celebrant. At the same time the SubDeacon, after due reverence towards the altar cross, having his hands joined, goes to the credence, accompanied, if it be convenient, by the Master of Ceremonies.

The Sub-Deacon placing his right hand upon the veil immediately over the chalice, takes hold of the knop of the chalice, at the back (the Master of Ceremonies lifting the veil a little that the Sub-Deacon may do this easily), and turns the chalice around so that the back part of the veil may look towards himself; then lifting the chalice by his left hand, having his right hand extended and resting on the veil above the chalice, and holding it at about the height of his breast, he carries it to the altar by the shortest way, and puts it down upon the Epistle side of the altar at the right of the Deacon. The Master of Ceremonies having accompanied the Sub-Deacon to the altar, will return to his place on the sanctuary floor opposite the Epistle side of the altar.

1. The Oblation of the Bread.

If many particles are to be consecrated for the communion of the faithful, the ciborium, or another

chalice, in which they have been placed, is carried to the altar by the Sub-Deacon before he carries the chalice which is to be used in the Mass as the vessel for the Precious Blood, and is given to the Deacon, who places it upon the corporal, near the tabernacle. If very few particles are required they may be placed with the host upon the paten before the Mass. Or the Sub-Deacon may receive them from the first acolyte* after placing the veiled chalice upon the altar.

When the Sub-Deacon carries the chalice to the altar, the second acolyte,* having first removed the stoppers, takes up the cruets, the wine in his right hand, the water in his left, and carries them to the altar; where he stands, facing toward the Celebrant, on the second step, at the Epistle end, holding the cruets before his breast until they are required by the Sub-Deacon.

When the Sub-Deacon has set down the chalice upon the altar, the Deacon taking the veil with both hands, at the back corners, lifts it carefully so as not to displace the pall; and then lays it down upon the altar at the right of the corporal near the gradines, folding it as directed at Low Mass.

Then taking up the paten with the pall, he lays the pall down upon the altar near and on the right of the corporal, and then holding the paten with both hands, the right above and the left underneath, he kisses the (edge of the) paten, and then the right hand of the Celebrant, and presents it to the Celebrant, in such manner that the Celebrant may take it easily with both hands.

The Celebrant, taking the paten with the host upon

The acolytes here spoken of are the same persons who act as the candlebearers, but are distinct from the torchbearers.

it, offers the host in the accustomed manner,1 and having said the prayer, "Receive, Holy Father," etc., puts down the paten (with the host upon it)2 upon the corporal, a little back of the cross embroidered thereon.

If a ciborium or other vessel containing smaller hosts to be consecrated be upon the altar, the Deacon uncovers the ciborium, and with his right hand he holds it raised a little, while the Celebrant says the prayer, "Receive, Holy Father," etc. Then he replaces it upon the altar, a little behind the chalice, and covers it.

2. The Oblation of the Chalice.

While the Celebrant offers the host, the Sub-Deacon takes the chalice, with his left hand by the knop; and holding the purificator with the fingers of his right hand, wipes the inner part of the cup of the chalice; then folding the purificator around the knop, he takes up the chalice (holding it with his left thumb and forefinger at the foot, just at the right of the cross thercon, the fingers of his right hand grasping the knop enwrapped with the purificator), and hands it to the Deacon.

The Deacon taking with both hands the chalice from the Sub-Deacon, sets it down upon the altar before him; then holding, with his left hand, the chalice and the purificator as directed at Low Mass, with his right hand, he receives the cruet of wine from the Sub-Deacon (who received it from the second acolyte, without kiss), and pours wine into the chalice.

While the Deacon pours wine into the chalice, the

1 As directed in Ceremonies of Low Mass, pg. 84. "Sed solus Celebrans Hostiam offert." Merati, Nova Observ., in Gav., Thes. Sac. Rit.,

pt. ii., tit. vii., liii.

2 See Appendix No. 6.

Benedicatur aqua priusquam infundatur in calicem, non item vinum, quia vinum significat Christum, qui nulla indiget benedictione; aqua vero

Sub-Deacon takes with his right hand from the second acolyte the cruet of water, and elevating it a little, holds it out over the altar towards the Celebrant, inclining himself a little towards the Celebrant, and saying in a low voice "Bless, Reverend Father."

The Celebrant placing his left hand upon his breast, makes with his right hand the sign of the cross toward the cruet of water, at the same time saying, in a low voice, the prayer, "O God who didst wonderfully create;" then joining his hands, he continues, "and yet more wonderfully," etc.*

Immediately after the Celebrant has blessed the water, the Sub-Deacon pours a few drops of the water into the chalice. Then putting the cruet of water into his left hand, and taking with his right hand the cruet of wine from the Deacon, he hands both cruets (first the wine, then the water) to the second acolyte; who carries them to the credence, and puts the stopper in the cruet of wine; and he then stands in his place by the credence, facing towards the altar. The Sub-Deacon remains standing before the altar at the Epistle corner.

After wine and water have been poured into the chalice, the Deacon, if need be, wipes away with the purifi

populum, qui in hac vita nequit esse sine peccato, propter quod indiget benedictione Dei, ut reddatur dignus ad unionem cum Christo. Item. quia Populus unitur cum Christo solum per benedictionem gratiæ ipsius Christi, quem sacerdos benedicens figurat. P. M. Quarti Com. in Rub. Mis. pt. ii., tit. vii., 4.

"Admiscetur vino parum aquæ, ita ut aqua convertatur in vinum, vel absorbeatur à vino; quia aqua significat populum, et vino repræsentatur Sanguis Christi Domini, episque virtus; unde hac cæremonia denotatur unio populi fidelis cum suo capite Christo, virtute hujus Sacramenti, et Sanguinis Christi." Ibid, No. 1I. "In missa solemni Diaconus infundit vinum in calice, et Sub-diaconus aquam; quia Diaconus repræsentat Prædicatores Evangelii, per quos disseminatur virtus Sanguinis Christi in corda fidelium, et idcircò munus etiam Diaconi olim erat distribuere Sanguinem Christi communicantibus; Sub-diaconus significat Joannem Baptistam qui baptizabat in aqua solum, non in Spiritu Sancto, et populus significatos per aquam mittebat ad Christum, ut cum illo unirentur." Ibid.

See Ceremonies of Low Mass, pg. 87.

cator any drops from the sides and edge of the cup, and then lays the purificator (folded) upon the altar, a little to the right of the corporal. Then taking the chalice by the knop with his left hand, and by the foot with his right hand (or in any other convenient manner), he kisses the foot of the chalice and then the right hand of the Celebrant, and gives the chalice to the Celebrant.

The Celebrant taking the chalice with both hands, the knop in his right hand and the foot with his left hand, as at Low Mass, and the Deacon with his right hand sustaining the right arm of the Celebrant, both say together in a low voice, the prayer, "We offer unto thee," etc.

Having recited the prayer, the Celebrant lowers the chalice to about four inches above the altar, makes with it the sign of the cross over the corporal, behind the host, and puts it down upon the corporal behind the paten. Then the Deacon immediately covers the chalice with the pall.

Having put down the chalice, the Celebrant says the prayers, "In the spirit of humility," etc., and "Come, O thou the sanctifier," etc. Then he joins his hands before his breast and stands facing the altar and awaits the approach of the censer-bearer.

Immediately after the Celebrant has put down the chalice, the Sub-Deacon turns by his left (so as to face the people), goes forward on the foot-pace and down to the second step (that next to the foot-pace), turns

"Orationem offerimus tibi Domine, etc., in oblatione calicis non solum a sacerdote, sed etiam a diacono recitari, tum quia diaconus antea vinum calici infundit, tum quia antiquitus idem diaconus Sacratissimum Sanguinem populo ministrabit." Merati, Nova Observ., lvii., in Gav., Thes. Sac. Rit., pt. ii., tit. vii.

• See Ceremonies of Low Mass, pg. 89.