the chalice into the hands of the Deacon (who will take it by the knop with his right hand and by the foot with his left), and he himself takes up the paten, or the ciborium, as at Low Mass; then taking one of the small hosts between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, he holds it a little raised over the paten, or ciborium (which he holds as high as his breast), his right hand resting upon the rim of the paten or ciborium. Then the Celebrant turns by his right to the people; the Sub-Deacon having his hands joined also turns by his right; the Deacon by his left. Then all three standing thus before the altar, the Celebrant in the midst, the Sub-Deacon (having hands joined) at his right, the Deacon (holding chalice as high as his breast) at his left, the Celebrant, keeping his eyes fixed upon the host held in his right hand, says in a low voice or privately, "Behold the Lamb of God," etc.; then thrice, "Lord, I am not worthy," etc., as at Low Mass. Then the torch-bearers kneeling before the altar, at a sign from the Master of Ceremonies, rise at once from their places, genuflect; and then go to the Epistle and Gospel sides of the altar, and there stand, holding their torches, in lines parallel with the steps at the ends of the altar (those on one side facing those on the other), during all the time of Communion. At the same time two acolytes, at a sign from the Master of Ceremonies, take from the credence the houselling cloth for the communion of the clergy, and, after genuflecting before the altar, kneel facing one another at the ends of the foot-pace, or on the second step, holding the extended cloth by the four corners, with both hands, at about the height of the breasts of the clergy who will kneel upon the foot-pace, or, if

it be more convenient, on the second step before the altar, to receive the Communion.

5. The Communion of the Bishops and Sacred

Ministers.

As soon as the Celebrant turns towards the people with the Sacrament, as directed on page 94, the Bishop of the diocese, having on a stole (if present to receive the Holy Communion), first approaches the altar preceded by two Chaplains. He goes before the lowest step of the altar, where he genuflects; then he goes up and kneels before the houselling cloth, over which he holds his right hand supported by his left. The Chaplains kneel on either side of him. Then the Celebrant (having the Deacon standing at his left hand. and the Sub-Deacon at his right), delivers to the Bishop the Sacrament of the Body of the Lord in the usual manner; afterward he administers to him the chalice. Then the Bishop and his Chaplains rise, go down below the lowest step of the altar, and genuflect in the midst. The Chaplains then precede the Bishop to his place. Then the other Bishops approach, one after the other, each wearing a stole.

After the Bishops have received the Sacrament, the sacred ministers, if they are to be communicated, kneel down before the houselling cloth, the Deacon at the Epistle side and Sub-Deacon at the Gospel side. They hold their hands extended over the houselling cloth, the left hand supporting the right. The Celebrant takes the paten or ciborium, and turns by his right towards the sacred ministers. He delivers to them the Sacrament of the Body of the Lord in the usual

manner, first to the Deacon and then to the SubDeacon. Then replacing the paten or ciborium upon the altar, the Celebrant uncovers the chalice, genuflects, rises and taking the chalice, turns and administers it to the Deacon and the Sub-Deacon. When the sacred ministers have received the Communion, and the Celebrant has turned back to the altar, the acolytes lift up the cloth, rise and, holding the houselling cloth extended and uplifted, go behind the sacred ministers (who then rise and advance upon the foot-pace to the altar), and when the sacred ministers have gone up to the altar, the acolytes kneel again as before, and await the other clergy or acolytes who may come to receive the Communion.

6. The Communion of the Clergy.

The sacred ministers genuflect when they arrive alongside the Celebrant, and then stand erect having their hands joined. Then, if there are others of the clergy to be communicated, the Celebrant gives the chalice to the Deacon; and taking the paten or ciborium into his hands, he turns to communicate those who present themselves, the Deacon and Sub-Deacon turning at the same time. He does not repeat again the words, "Behold, the Lamb of God," etc., but stands in silence until the clergy have approached. Those to be communicated come duly vested and "in order," first the Priests in the order of their dignity, afterward the Deacons, two by two. They genuflect before the lowest step, and then go up and kneel close to the extended houselling cloth. The Celebrant administers the Sacrament of the Body, and the Deacon

administers the chalice; the Sub-Deacon keeps at the right of the Celebrant.10

7. Of the Communion of the Acolytes.

After the Priests and Deacons have been communicated, the acolytes who are to receive the Communion will come in order, two by two, and after genuflecting before the midst of the altar, will kneel before the houselling cloth and receive the Sacrament.

If the acolytes who hold the houselling cloth are to receive the Communion, two other acolytes will take their places and hold the cloth while they do so.

The torch-bearers, if they are to receive the Communion, come in like manner, two by two; other acolytes meanwhile supplying their places and holding their torches.

8. Of the Communion of the People.

When the clergy and acolytes have received the Communion, the acolytes who hold the houselling cloth fold it and replace it upon the credence; then they take the cloth for the Communion of the people, and, first making genuflection together before the midst of the altar, go and spread the houselling cloth over the chancel rail or balustrade, and kneel at each end, holding the cloth as they did that for the clergy.

Then the Celebrant, assisted by the Deacon and accompanied by the Sub-Deacon (as at the Communion.

10 See Ceremonies of Low Mass for directions for the Communion of clergy and people.

All the clergy who are to receive the Communion should be duly vested, and all (save those who assist, or enter in procession with, the Celebrant) should go to places assigned them, within the chancel, before the Mass begins. No one in holy order should kneel at the chancel rail, with the lay people, to receive the Communion.

of the clergy), goes down to the rail or balustrade, to communicate the people.11

During the Communion of the Priest, the clergy and the people, the choir sing the Agnus Dei.

When all the people, who come to receive the Sacrament, have communicated, the Celebrant and his sacred ministers return to the altar. Arrived on the footpace before the midst of the altar, the Celebrant puts down the paten or ciborium upon the corporal, rubs his thumbs and forefingers together over the paten or open ciborium, to remove any fragments; then turns a little towards the Deacon, and with both hands takes the chalice, turns again to the altar, cleanses the lips of the chalice with his own lips, and puts it down in its place upon the corporal.12 The Deacon then covers the ciborium and places it behind the chalice; he then places upon the chalice the paten with whatever hosts or fragments may be upon it, covers the paten with the pall, and then spreads over the pall the silk veil, arranging it as at the beginning of the Mass. Then the Celebrant (placing both hands upon the corporal) and the sacred ministers (having their hands joined) genuflect and rise at once; and the sacred ministers go, as directed below, to their places behind the Celebrant.

If while the Celebrant stands between his sacred ministers in the midst before the altar, facing the people, no one comes to receive the Communion, he will turn again to the altar (completing a circle), and the sacred ministers at the same time will also turn again to the

11 The rubric directs the Priest, after he has delivered the Communion "to the Bishops, Priests and Deacons," to deliver the same in like manner "to the people, also in order, into their hands, all devoutly kneeling."

12 Not infrequently the moisture upon the edge and sides of the cup of the chalice, after the people have been communicated, is most probably saliva, for the removal of which the Celebrant may very properly use a purificator.