blesses the people, who unite in praising God. He finally blesses them again, and distributes blessed bread (not consecrated) among them. At S. Gregorio Illuminatore Vespers are added and said _in circolo_: the clergy carry tapers; and the gospel is held up by the Celebrant to implore blessings on the people. [Sidenote: Reflections.] These ceremonies may appear singular to us, who are of a different clime and different customs; their music in particular is little in accordance with our taste, or notions of melody and harmony. Yet the remark of Montfaucon (Diario Italico) "aera Dodonaea dixisses", alluding to the brass kettles of the oracle (Potter Arch. Graec. B. 2, Sec. 8) is an exaggeration. Their _flabelli_ are of metal, of a round form, surrounded with little bells, which are sounded at the seraphic hymn, to express, if we might believe Cancellieri, "by the trembling of the hands, that of the blessed spirits, who assist at the throne of the Divine Majesty with fear and trembling". (Tre Pontific. Not. VI). Their mass is anticipated, but not at so early an hour as that of the Latin. (Even in the Latin church, permissions to say mass in the afternoon of this day have been granted by some Popes; they may be seen in Cancellieri. _Funz. d. Sett. S. p_. 183, 184). Amid the numerous differences between their rite and our own, the attentive spectator will not fail to remark the similarity of the substance and order of their liturgy, and of that of the Roman church; although, with the solitary exception of the beginning of the mass, both have existed independently of one another during the last 1400 years. This is a powerful argument in favour of the great antiquity, nay of the apostolic origin of their most important ceremonies, which may be traced through different channels to the _primitive_ liturgies of Rome and Antioch. It is also one of those striking illustrations, which Rome presents, of the unity and catholicity of the church; and at the same time of the adaptation of her immutable doctrines and sacred practices to the feelings and customs of widely-separated nations who, having little in common but human nature, yet all acknowledge "one Lord, one faith, and one baptism". (Ephes. IV. 5); and all belong to "one fold and one shepherd". John X, 16. [Sidenote: Conclusion.]