The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at RomeBaggs, Charles Michael
Religion
The Ceremonies of the Holy-Week at Rome
Baggs, Charles Michael
Catholic Church. Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae; Holy Week services
[Footnote 41: The author of this exquisite chant is unknown: Baini
supposes that he was a member of the pontifical choir: it has been
sung in the papal chapel since the middle of the 13th century. In 1585
it, together with the rest of the service of holy week, was published
by Tommaso da Vittoria with the words of the people harmonised for 4
and 5 voices; his method was adopted by the papal choir, which adorns
it with many traditional graces, and in particular gives occasionally,
says Baini, to the words of the multitude "the irresistible force of
a most robust harmony". The abbate Alfieri has published a new edition
of the _Passios_.]
[Footnote 42: In Africa till the time of S. Augustine, the Passion
used to be read in holy week from the gospel of S. Matthew alone; but
by his direction, as he mentions in his 232nd discourse, it was read
every year from all the four evangelists; and this custom is still
observed.]
[Footnote 43: That God, after He has pardoned sin and consequently
remitted its eternal punishment, often, if not generally, demands
temporal satisfaction from the sinner, is evident from many instances
in scripture, such as those of David (2 Sam. XII) of Moses (Deuteron.
XXXII compare Num. XIV) to say nothing of Adam (Gen. III) and all his
posterity, who endure the temporal punishment of original sin, even
when its stain has been washed away by baptism. Now the church by
virtue of the ample authority with which Christ has invested her
(Matt. XVIII, John XX) and in particular her chief pastor (Matt. XVI)
has from the beginning exercised the power of remitting the temporal
punishment of actual sins. Thus S. Paul pardoned the incestuous
Corinthian (2. Cor. II): in times of persecution the bishops at the
request of the martyrs remitted the penance imposed on those who had
fallen into idolatry (Tersul. lib. ad martyres, Euseb. Hist. Eccl.
lib. V, c. 4. S. Cyprian. Epist. XIII etc.), to say nothing of canons
of the 4th century which prescribe that indulgences should be granted
to _fervent_ penitents, of the crusades, and of the indulgences
granted to those who contributed money for the building of S. Peter's,
etc. Indulgences presuppose repentance and confession, and the
performance of those good works which are prescribed as conditions
necessary for their acquisition, as communion, prayers, alms etc.]
[Footnote 44: It was built by Calixtus II, and was for two centuries
and a half the Vestry of the Roman Pontiffs. It was repaired and
consecrated in 1747. See Cancellieri. De Secretariis T. I, p. 342.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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