[Sidenote:  Trisagion.]

I observed above, that it was formerly customary for the Pope and all others to walk bare-footed in the procession of this day, as others royal personages have done; for instance, S. Louis of France, S. Elisabeth of Hungary, and others.  Thus to be barefooted was a sign of mourning (1 Sam.  XV, 30.  Jer.  II, 25) among the Jews.  Their priests were without shoes at their functions, in token of reverence (Exod.  III, 5.  Jos.  V, 15).  Some memorial of this practice is preserved in the present custom of taking off the shoes of the principal persons who revere and kiss the cross on this day.  The Pope’s shoes are taken off by an Ajutante di Camera, His cope by acolythes (Votanti di Segnatura), and afterwards His Holiness then makes three profound genuflections before the crucifix, gradually approaching nearer to it, and then kisses it in token of his love for Him, who died upon it for our salvation[91].  He also empties a purse, containing an offering of 100 scudi d’oro, into a silver basin near the crucifix.  When the Pope is about to make the first genuflection, the choir begins to sing the improperii, the sentiments of which, and the chant composed by Palestrina [92], are admirably adapted to the pathetic ceremony.  In them God enumerates the unparalleled benefits which he lavished upon the Jews, and the atrocious crimes by which they repaid Him.  At the end of each improperium or reproach, the Trisagion is sung by one choir in Greek, and in Latin by another “Holy God!  Holy strong one!  Holy immortal, have mercy on us"[93].  The Pope then returns to his throne; he resumes his previous vestments and reads the improperii from the Missal held as usual by an assist. bishop kneeling.  The Cardinal celebrant and all the other members of the sacred college, after their shoes have been taken off, assisted by the Ceremonieri revere and kiss the crucifix in the same manner as the Pope has done; and each of them leaves an offering of a scudo d’oro according to an ancient custom.[94] When they return to their places, their shoes are put on by their respective camerieri, who afterwards leave the chapel.  The patriarchs and bishops assistant and non-assistant and the generals of religious orders without shoes, and all the other prelates etc. wearing their shoes, adore and kiss the cross in like manner, observing the same order as in going to receive palms on the preceding sunday; and they also make their offerings before the cross.  When the sacred college has finished the adoration, the choir having ended the improperii sings the anthem Crucem tuam, the psalm Deus misereatur nostri, the hymn Pange lingua gloriosi lauream certaminis[95] etc.  Towards the end of this beautiful ceremony the candles are lighted, the deacon spreads out the corporal[96] as usual, placing the purificator near it.  He then respectfully takes the cross, and places it on the altar amid the candlesticks.