On the vigil of the Epiphany, this prayer is offered in the Post-communion at the mass,—­“Let this communion, O Lord, purge us from guilt, and by the intercession of the blessed Virgin, mother of God, let it make us partakers of the heavenly cure.  Through the same.” [Haec nos communio, Domine, purget a crimine, et intercedente beata Virgine Dei genetrice coelestis remedii faciat esse consortes.  Per eundem.—­Miss.  Rom.]

“Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, that we thy {335} servants may enjoy perpetual health of body and mind, and be freed from present sorrow, and enjoy eternal gladness, by the glorious intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin.  Through.” [Concede nos famulos tuos, quaesumus, Domine Deus, perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere, et gloriosa beatae Mariae semper Virginis intercessione a praesenti liberari tristitia, et aeterna perfrui laetitia.  Per Dominum.—­Vern. cxlvi.]

On the second Sunday after Easter, we find a further and more sad departure from the simplicity of Christian worship, in which the Church of Rome declares that the offerings made to God at the Lord’s Supper were made for the honour of the Virgin.—­“Having received, O Lord, the helps of our salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that by the patronage of Mary, ever Virgin, we may be every where protected; in veneration of whom we make these offerings to thy Majesty.” [Sumptis, Domine, salutis nostrae subsidiis, da, quaesumus, beatae Mariae semper Virginis patrociniis ubique protegi, in cujus veneratione haec tuae obtulimus Majestati.—­Post Commun.  Mis.  Rom.]

On the octave of Easter, at the celebration of mass, in the Secret, the intercession of the Virgin is made to appear as essential a cause of our peace and blessedness as the propitiation of Christ; or rather, the two are represented as joint concurrent causes; as though the office of the Saviour was confined to propitiation, exclusive altogether of intercession, whilst the office of intercession was assigned to the Virgin.—­“By thy propitiation, O Lord, and by the intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may this offering be profitable to us for perpetual and present prosperity and peace.” [Tua, Domine, propitiatione et beatae Marisae semper Virginis intercessione ad perpetuam atque prsesentem haec oblatio nobis profecerit prosperitatem et pacem.] {336}

IV.  A fourth station in this lamentable progress was evidenced when Christians at the tombs of martyrs implored, yet still in prayer to God, that He would, for the sake of the martyrs, and by their merits and good offices, grant to the petitioner some benefit temporal or spiritual.  Of that practice, we have an example in this prayer:  “O God, who didst deign to choose the blessed Virgin’s womb in which to dwell, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to make us, defended by her protection, to take pleasure in her commemoration.” [Deus qui virginalem aulam beatae Mariae in qua habitares eligerere dignatus es, da, quaesumus, ut sua nos defensione munitos jucundos facias suae interesse commemorationi.—­AEst. clvi.]