Immediately after mass the cardinal celebrant with his ministers leaves the chapel; the other cardinals, bishops and mitred abbots, put on their respective sacred vestments, and the _Uditori di Rota_, the _Cherici di Camera, Votanti_, and _Abbreviatiori_, their surplices: the other prelates wear their usual _cappe_. They all now accompany the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel[66] in solemn procession, which is regulated like that of palm-Sunday. The singers go to the _sala regia_, illuminated with large cornucopia, and there begin to sing the _Pange lingua_ (a hymn in honour of the holy Sacrament) as soon as the cross covered with a purple veil appears: the last verses of it are sung in the Pauline chapel, which is splendidly illuminated. The cardinals bearing their mitres and torches precede two by two the Holy Father, who bare-headed and on foot carries the blessed Sacrament under a canopy supported by eight assistant bishops or protonotaries[67]. When the Pope reaches the altar, the first cardinal deacon receives from His hands the B. Sacrament, and preceded by torches carries it to the upper part of the _macchina_; M. Sagrista places it within the urn commonly called the sepulchre, where it is incensed by the Pope; in the mean time the conclusion of the hymn is sung. M. Sagrista then shuts the sepulchre, and delivers the key to thy Card. Penitentiary, who is to officiate on the following day. [Sidenote: Reservation of the B. Sacrament.] Two objects are obtained by this custom; 1st. the blessed sacrament is solemnly preserved for the adoration of the faithful on this anniversary of its institution, as well as for the priest's communion on good friday[68]; 2nd. the burial of our divine Saviour is represented: this is anticipated, in order that the principal altar may be striped, in sign of mourning, and as He was stripped before His crucifixion. [Sidenote: Papal benediction: _flabelli_.] [Sidenote: Bulla in Coena Domina.] The procession, of which we have already spoken, afterwards proceeds from the Pauline chapel to the _loggia_ in front of S. Peter's: but the Pope, as he no longer carries the B. Sacrament, wears his mitre, and is seated in his _sedia gestatoria_ under a canopy carried by eight Referendarii[69]; and the _flabelli_[70] are carried at each side of Him. He now gives his solemn benediction to the multitude assembled before St. Peter's. This however is repeated with even greater splendour on Easter-Sunday, as well as on the Ascension and Assumption; and we shall therefore reserve a description of it to another occasion, especially since generally speaking, persons who are anxious to witness the _lavanda_ or washing of the feet will find it difficult to be present also at the Benediction[71]. [Sidenote: Washing of the feet.]