Charles Davidson — English Mystery Plays. 139 



Good Friday that an actual sacrifice of momentous consequence to 

 them is taking place. The new sense of the import of this sacrifice 

 heightens the devotional feeling in the clergy, and they long to 

 make this as real to the people as it is to themselves, and sometimes 

 to make it as vivid to their own consciousness as it is to their faith. 

 This led to a more realistic presentation of the awful sacrifice and of 

 the joy of the Resurrection. 



We must not, however, expect that the history of these dramatic 

 moments will be the same. The Crucifixion was too solemn a thing 

 for elaborate realism, but the Resurrection readily lent itself to dra- 

 matic presentation. Therefore we must expect to find the Cruci- 

 fixion a reverent but slightly developed drama, until it passed into 

 the hands of the people, and time and custom had deadened their 

 sense of its sacredness. 



III. 



THE DRAMA OF HOLY WEEK IN THE CATHOLIC LITURGY 



OF MODERN TIMES. 



We turn now to the records that remain, and will attempt to trace 

 the development of these two dramatic moments, considering first 

 the dramatic traces in the modern Roman Liturgy of Holy Week, 

 and next in the old English liturgies, passing thence to the more 

 elaborate development in the liturgies of the continent, where we 

 will trace the Crucifixion and the Resurrection independently. 



The liturgy of modern times, according to the author* chosen, 

 admits of the following sketch of dramatic action. 



THE MORNING OFFICE FOR GOOD FRIDAY. 



THE MASS. 



The Priest and his Ministers, in black vestments, go to the Altar, without 

 lights and incense, and prostrate themselves before it; while the Acolytes cover it 

 with one linen cloth. The gospel is St. John 18. After the prayers the 

 Priest puts off his. vestment, and taking from the Altar the Cross covered with 

 a veil, he goes to the epistle-corner, where he uncovers the top of it, and shows 

 it to the people, singing the Antiphon: Ecce lignum crucis. Then the Deacon 

 and Subdeacon join with him in singing the rest: In quo salus mundi pependit. 

 ^nd the choir prostrate on the ground answers: Venite, adoremus. From thence 

 the Priest proceeds to the right side of the Altar, where he uncovers the right 

 arm of the Cross, singing a second time, ecce lignum, as before. Lastly, he goes 



1 The Office of the Holy Week. 



