[Sidenote:  ubbidienza.]

Thus attired and holding their mitres the Cardinals remain standing while the Pope is vested by the assistant Cardinal-deacons who put on His Holiness the amice, alb, girdle, stole, red cope, formale or clasp, and mitre.  All then move in procession towards the high-altar in the order observed in the procession of the palms, as described below:[30] the Pope descends from His sedia gestatoria to adore the Holy Sacrament with the Cardinals etc.  The procession then goes to the high-altar; and having prayed for a short time before it, the Pope goes to the throne,[31] and there receives the ubbidienza or homage of all the cardinals present, who in turn kiss His right hand covered with the cope.  This ceremony which takes place at all solemn offices, except on good friday, and at masses for the dead, bears some resemblance to the old homage of feudal times[32].

[Sidenote:  Blessing of the palms.]

Some palms are arranged on the altar.  The Pope’s chief Sacristan, who is a bishop chosen from the Augustinian order bears one, and kneels on the steps of the throne between the deacon and subdeacon, who bear two larger palms.  His Holiness reads the usual prayers over the palms, sprinkles them with holy water, and incenses them three times.

[Sidenote:  Distribution of the palms.]

When the palms have been blessed[33], the Cardinal Dean receives from the governor of Rome and presents to the Pope those three palms, which were borne by M.  Sagrista, the deacon and subdeacon.  One of these is held during the service by the prince assistant at the throne, the other two are delivered to the care of M.  Coppiere, one of the Camerieri segreti partecipanti:  the shortest is carried by the Pope in the procession.  An embroidered apron is now placed over the Pope’s knees, and the cardinals in turn receive a palm from Him, kissing the palm, his right hand and knee.  The bishops present kiss the palm which they receive and his right knee:  and the mitred abbots and Penitenzieri kiss the palm and his foot[34], as do all who come after them in the following order, which is observed also on good-friday at the kissing of the cross, and it is also on candlemas-day and ash-wednesday.

The Governor, the Prince assistant, the Uditore della Camera, the Treasurer, the Maggiordomo, the Apostolic protonotaries; the Generals of Religious Orders, the Conservatori and Prior of the Caporioni, the Maestro del S. Ospizio, the Uditori di Rota, the Maestro del S. Palazzo, the Votanti di Segnatura, the Abbreviatori del Parco maggiore, the priest, deacon, and subdeacon who assist the cardinal who is to celebrate mass, the Masters of ceremonies, the Camerieri segreti and d’onore, the Consistorial advocates, the Cappellani segreti, d’onore and comuni, the Ajutanti