blood and water, and on that cross to which he was nailed and on which he died for our salvation.  The early Christians, our forefathers in the faith, manifested great respect for the bodies and the blood of the martyrs, because they were faithful followers of Christ.  Thus, in the letter of the faithful of Smyrna preserved by Eusebius, they mention that they gathered up the bones of their bishop Polycarp, (a disciple of S. John the Apostle) “more precious than pearls, and more tried than gold, and buried them.  In this place, God willing”, say they “we shall meet and celebrate with joy and gladness the birthday of this martyr”.  SS.  Praxedes and Pudentiana, and many other devout females used to collect the blood of the martyrs with sponges and cloths, as if they feared that one drop of it should be lost.  Read the poems of Prudentius, observe the phials of blood[109] placed before the martyrs’ tombs in the catacombs, and you will not doubt the truth of such assertions[110].  The shadow of Peter, the handkerchiefs which had touched the body of Paul, could cure diseases, as the Scripture witnesseth; but here are the relics of a greater than Paul, of a greater than Peter:  O then let us kneel, and love, and venerate them; for they were closely united to Him who is the author and object of our faith, the only foundation of our hope, the centre and the consummation of our love.

[Sidenote:  Recapitulation.]

It does not fall within my plan to speak of the devotion of the three hours of agony, practised on this day in many churches, as at the Gesu, S. Lorenzo in Damaso etc. or of that which is practised after the Ave Maria at S. Marcello, Caravita etc. or of the elegies recited by the Arcadian pastors over their Redeemer.  Let us rather briefly recapitulate with Morcelli the principal ceremonies of the day:  Station at S. Croce; service in the Sixtine chapel, the veneration of the Cross; the B. Sacrament carried thither in procession from the Pauline chapel, Mass of the Presanctified and Vespers.  In the afternoon Tenebrae, and veneration of the relics at S. Peter’s.

[Footnote 82:  See a MS. Apamean Pontifical ap.  Marthene T. 3, p. 132, Benedict Canon of S. Peter’s in his Ordo Romanus, Marangoni, Istoria dell antichissimo Oratorio o Cappella di S. Lorenzo nel Patriarchio Lateranense.  Roma 1747.  S. Louis of France used to walk barefooted on this day to the churches, praying and giving abundant alms, as did also William, king of the Romans. (Chronicon Erphordense ad ann. 1252), S. Elisabeth of Hungary used to devote the day to similar acts of piety, walking barefooted and in the dress of a poor woman to the churches, and there making her humble offerings at the altars, and distributing copious alms.  On her practices of piety during holy-week see her life by Le Cte de Montalembert c. 9.]

[Footnote 83:  The Corporal, which was anciently much longer than at present, was spread in this manner at all masses before the offertory.  See Cancellieri, De Secretariis T. I, Fleury, Moeurs des Chretiens.]