[Footnote 54:  See Reminiscences of Rome.  Letter 4th.  London, 1838 On pilgrimages and pilgrims see Mores Catholici Book 4th, ch. 5th.  S. Philip Neri founded the Confraternity of Trinita dei Pellegrini.]

  [Footnote 55:  ... lia fatto alla guancia
  Della sua palma sospirando letto.  Dante Pur.  VII.

Sed frons laeta parum et dejecto lumina vultu.  Virg.  AEu.  VI, 863.  See the learned canon.  De Jorio’s Munica degli antichi, art.  Dolore, Mestizia.  We may add that conquered provinces are often represented in a similar attitude as statues, on bas-reliefs, and on medals.  See for instance, Judaea Capta, a reverse of Vespasian, ap.  Addison, Dialogues on ancient medals.]

[Footnote 56:  “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother”.  John XIX, 25.]

CHAP.  IV.

ON THE CEREMONIES OF HOLY THURSDAY

CONTENTS.

General character of the liturgy of holy thursday—­its ancient form—­blessing of the oils at S. Peter’s, communion under one kind—­origin and explanation of the blessing and salutation of the oils—­High mass in the Sixtine chapel, troccole—­procession of the B. Sacrament to the Pauline chapel—­antiquity of processions—­reservation of the B. Sacrament—­Papal benediction from S. Peter’s, flabelli—­bull in Coena Domini—­washing of the feet—­dinner of the apostles—­antiquity and meaning of this custom of washing feet—­customs of other churches:  Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante—­Cardinals’ public dinner etc.—­Tenebrae:  Card.  Penitentiary—­recapitulation of the principal ceremonies of the day—­S.  Peter’s on holy thursday-evening:  washing of the high-altar—­antiquity and meaning of the stripping and washing of the altars—­conclusion.

“Before the festival day of the pasch, Jesus knowing that his hour was come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end”.  John XIII, 1.

[Sidenote:  Liturgy of holy-thursday]

During the last three days of holy-week the church celebrates the funeral obsequies of her Divine Spouse:  and hence there are numerous signs of mourning in her temples, in her liturgy, and in the dress of her ministers.  On thursday however, a passing gleam of heavenly light irradiates the solemn gloom in which she is enveloped:  for on this day Jesus Christ, having loved his own even unto the end, instituted the holy sacrament, the staff of our pilgrimage, our solace in affliction, our strength in temptation, the source of all virtue, and the pledge of everlasting life.  Accordingly the liturgy of holy-thursday bears the impress both of sorrow and of gladness:  it is not unlike a fitful day of April in our northern climes, when the sun now bursts from the clouds which had concealed his brilliancy, and now once more the sky is shrouded in murky gloom—­an apt emblem this of the over-changing state of man, who at one moment quaffs the inebriating cup of earthly joys, and yet a little, and it is dashed from his grasp; and sickness, sorrow and death are his portion.