30 Miracles of the 



supporters, and liolding a taper in his 

 hand, the pope is borne along in a 

 superb chair, inclosed by his body- 

 guards, whose commander protects 

 the sceptre. The chamberlain, pliy- 

 sician in ordinary, and the pope's pro- 

 thonotary, conic next; and tiie whole 

 is carried iij) by the generals of the 

 live orders of mendicant friars. 



The pope gcflerally reaches St. 

 I'cter's about ten, and ini mediately 

 proceeds to the vestry, wiiere he robes 

 and assumes the triple crown over a 

 choir cap. Advancing to one of the 

 altars, he intones tlie hymn,^t'e Maris 

 Stella ; and at its conclusion occupies 

 the throne, and exchanges the crown 

 for his mitre. He is then presented 

 "with a large wax-caudle, some score 

 ponnds in weight, which he either 

 holds himself or has held at his side 

 by one of the nobles, as a mark of 

 high distinction, during the lest of the 

 service. Mass is jicxt celebrated at 

 the great altar,* by his holiness: after 

 some short devotion in private, he re- 

 sumes his seat, and admits the cardi- 

 nals to kiss his hands, the bishops his 

 kiiees, a.d the abbots, and other 

 clergy, his toe. 



These congratulations over, the 

 Master of the Ceremonies leads np to 

 the throne the Cardinal Procunitor, 

 the principal suitor, and his lawyer. 

 After a profoinid obeisance iVom the 

 party, the cardinal explains tiie object 

 of their iippearanee, and the lawyer 

 formally demands, in the name of all 

 ihe cardinals, that A. B. may be 

 instauier introduced into the uuinbcr of 

 saints, to be invoked and reverenced 

 througlioutChristendom. The answer 

 read by tbe private secretary, after a 

 iew complimenls to the object gene- 

 rally, and some praise of the saints, 

 is an invitation to the people to join in 

 prayer, tiiat his holiness may be well 

 directed in the decision of so weighty 

 an afiair. Immediiitely the pope, 

 clergy, and congregation, fall on their 

 knees, while the Litany of the Saints 

 is chaunted from the choir. At its 

 conclusion, his holiness resumes his 

 scat, the petitioning party present 

 themselves as before, and make the 

 former request, with the additional 

 word after iiistanter, of instanlnts. A 

 similar reply from the secretary puts all 

 on their knees. Amongst them, the pope, 

 uncovered, recites aloud some parti- 

 cular prayers connected with the 

 object of the day's devotion : the hymn 

 Vent Creator iHpiritus is sung, and he 



Romish Church. [Feb. T, 



stands during the latter verses of if. 

 Once more seated, the petition is 

 repeated as before, wjth still another 

 word, inslanter, inslantitis, instantis- 

 sinie ; and, at last, the secretary de- 

 clares that his holiness thinks fit to 

 iustitute A. 13. a saint. At these words 

 tlie great missal is brought, the large 

 candle advanced; and, by its light, the 

 pope announces the new saint, his 

 style, and day for invocation : he then 

 crosses the book and candle with his 

 blessing, and at once all the lights that 

 have hitherto burned are extin- 

 guished. This is called canonization 

 by book and candle. 



The lawyer now advances before 

 the throne, makes his reverence, and 

 declares his acceptation of the Act of 

 Canonization : be enlarges on the ac- 

 knowledgments of the cardinals, and 

 gratitude of the Catholic world ; and, 

 in concluiiion, requests the issue of the 

 Apostolical Bull for the occasion. 

 Tbe pope definitively assents with the 

 word Decernivms. After the same 

 manner is the Record of the Act 

 asked for, and the people called on by 

 the pope to be the witnesses of his 

 promise for its performance. 



The pope has next to descend to 

 the altar uncovered, and begin the 

 Te Deiim Laudatmis, which is continued 

 by the choir, and accompanied by 

 beating drums and sounding trumpets. 

 At this moment the military along the 

 portico discharge their arms, the 

 cannon are llred from the castle of St. 

 Aisgelo, and from every belfry merry 

 charges begin to ring. The new saint 

 is tht n specially invoked in the Hilary- 

 chaunt ; the Confiteor is repeated, with 

 the introdnction of his name, and he is 

 prayed to aloud. 'J'he ceremony of 

 canonization here ends: an absolution 

 is pronounced, and a sermon, usually 

 delivered by the pope, follows. 



Another ceremony, however, one as 

 curious as it is showry, remains, — the 

 ceremony of the oflerings in return, it 

 is i)resumed, for the advantages just 

 conferred. A gilt basket with two 

 doves, two dishes, one silver and the 

 other gilt, with a loaf on each, a silver 

 small cage with pigeons, a couple of 

 gilt caskets, and some finely-plumaged 

 birds confined in silver, generally form 

 lliese presents. They are formally 

 carried by distinct parties of tbe high- 

 est clergy and nobility, each with a lit 

 waxen taper in bis hand, and laid one 

 after the other at the foot of the 

 throne. The offering parties deposit 



their 



