[Sidenote:  Prophecies.]

The twelve lessons or prophecies read on this day were intended for the instruction of the catechumens; and they are well selected for that purpose, as they contain an account of the creating, the flood, the obedience of Abraham, the deliverance of God’s people from their enemies at the red sea, the precept concerning the paschal lamb, the conversion of Ninive, the refusal of the three children to adore Nabuchodonosor’s statue, etc. they are twelve in the ancient Gelasian Ordo.  They are sung in the Sixtine chapel by members of the papal choir, and are read by the Card. celebrant.  After each prophecy the Cardinal standing up sings a prayer:  the deacon chants Flectamus genua and the subdeacon Levate before each, except the last, when the knee is not bent, in order to shew abhorence of the idolatry exacted by Nabuchodonosor for his statue.  After the 4th, 8th, and 11th prophecies an appropriate Tract is sung by the choir.  Formerly some or all of these prophecies were said in Greek as well as in Latin. (See Cancellieri, Funz. d.  Set.  S. Sec. 4, Martene T. 3. p. 148.).  These lesson are recited even where there is no baptismal font, as at the Sixtine chapel.  After them follow in S. John Lateran’s and other churches the blessing of the font, and in some of them administration of baptism.

[Sidenote:  3.  The litany:  invocation of Saints.]

[Sidenote:  Change from mourning to rejoicing.]

3.  In the papal chapel, immediately after the prophecies, the Celebrant takes off his chasuble, and prostrates himself with the sacred ministers before the altar; all the others also kneel, and two tenor voices from the choir chant in the middle of the chapel the greater litanies, called those of the saints, each petition of which is repeated in the same words by the choir[122].  Before the verse “Peccatores te rogamus audi nos” the assistant priest and ministers go to the sacristy, and put on white vestments.  Then returning to the chapel they assist the Card.  Celebrant to put on his white vestments at his faldistorio.  The candles are now lighted (at the Agnus Dei of the litany, as the Sacramentary of S. Gregory and the Ordo Romanus prescribe); the purple veil which covered the throne and the purple paliotto or facing of the altar are removed; and both appear decked in white.  The Cardinals assisted by theirs caudatarii take off their purple cappe, and put on others of scarlet brought in by their respective camerieri.  The reason of this sudden change from mourning to rejoicing we have already seen:  the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is celebrated by anticipation.

[Sidenote:  High mass.]